Napoleon Orda: Lost Landscapes

Discover the unseen landscapes of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth through Orda's breathtaking watercolors.

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Portrait of Napoleon Orda with his autograph (1873/1883) by Alojzy MusierowiczThe National Museum in Krakow

A Patriotic Name

Born in 1807 in Worocewicze (Belarus), Napoleon Orda's name reflected the Napoleonic era's impact on his family and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Worocewicze. The Orda manor – view from the driveway (1860-08-14) by Napoleon OrdaThe National Museum in Krakow

Napoleon Orda had such a rich biography that it would have been enough for several lifetimes. He was a Polish patriot and fought in both uprisings.

These struggles led to personal losses and ultimately, exile from his home in Woroczewicze.

Seville. View of the city with the Torre del Oro by the Guadalquivir River (1842) by Napoleon OrdaThe National Museum in Krakow

In Paris, Orda developed his artistic and musical talents, connecting with fellow Polish exiles and creating evocative landscapes from his travels through France, Spain, and Portugal.

Krakow. Bielany. The Church and Monastery of the Camaldolese - general view, Napoleon Orda, 1878/1880, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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Vilnius. Ruins of the Upper Castle – view from the bend of the Neman River, Napoleon Orda, 1875-06-03, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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After returning to the country, Orda settled in the family estate, which he received as a lease, and from which he had to move out less than a decade later. He spent the last ten years of his life as actively as his youth in exile, this time travelling through the lands historically included in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and creating painting documentation of the local cultural landscape.

Kremenets. Parish Church and the ruins of the castle on Queen Bona Hill (1862/1876) by Napoleon OrdaThe National Museum in Krakow

Orda: Chronicle Painter

Although Orda should undoubtedly be considered a skilled watercolourist, the strength and value of his paintings lie less in their artistic dimension and more in their chronicle-like nature. Orda created all his drawings and watercolours in situ with a reporter's verve.

Orda's watercolors document the manors, palaces, and towns across lands which were once part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. These paintings offer a unique glimpse into a lost world.

Olyka. Radziwiłł family Castle – view from the Putyłówka River, Napoleon Orda, 1874, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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Różana. The textile factory, the former Sapieha Palace, Napoleon Orda, 1863, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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Kretinga. Tyszkiewicz Palace - double-sided drawing, Napoleon Orda, 1899-12-30/1899-12-30, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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Many of Orda's depicted buildings have been significantly altered or destroyed over the past 150 years. His watercolors offer a poignant record of a vanished world. Only a few remain in present-day Poland; most are in Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine.

Toruń. Fragment of the Teutonic Knights' castle (1878) by Napoleon OrdaThe National Museum in Krakow

Orda's Historical Legacy

Orda's art offers invaluable insight into the cultural landscape of Eastern Europe, preserving monuments that no longer exist and documenting a vanished world.

Krzeszowice. Potocki Palace, Napoleon Orda, 1878/1880, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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Wieliczka. View of the City from the 'Regis' Shaft, Napoleon Orda, 1878/1880, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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Olesko. The Church of the Holy Trinity, Napoleon Orda, 1878/1880, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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During his painting journeys, in addition to the mansions and palaces he most often depicted, Orda also documented sacred monuments with great interest. As an example, the Church of the Holy Trinity in Olesko, which, during Orda's time, was located within the borders of the Austrian Partition, specifically the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria.

Grodno. The railway bridge over the Neman River (1860/1877) by Napoleon OrdaThe National Museum in Krakow

Fleeting moment

Apart from historical palaces and churches, Orda also depicted - though much less frequently - more contemporary buildings and modern technological achievements.

The railway bridge in Grodno depicted by him was built in the 1860s and existed until 1915 when it was blown up during military operations. Currently, there is a railway crossing built after World War II. 

Sataniv. Sieniawski Gate and Synagogue - View from the Zbrucz River, Napoleon Orda, 1871/1874, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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Dudy. The Sacrificial Stone of the Fire God, Napoleon Orda, 1875/1877, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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Druskininkai. Spa Resort - View from the Park, Napoleon Orda, 1868, From the collection of: The National Museum in Krakow
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Orda's watercolors, published in the Album of Historical Views of Poland, became popular historical records for his contemporaries. During the decade (1873-1883), eight series of views were released, containing a total of 260 engravings divided according to the geographical key.

Międzyrzecz Korecki. Church of St. Anthony – sketch (1862/1876) by Napoleon OrdaThe National Museum in Krakow

Unfinished project

Napoleon Orda's plans of further work on documenting the landscapes of his homeland were interrupted by his illness and death in April 1883.

Credits: Story

Kinga Migalska

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