June 16, 2017     Warsaw-Krakow

We had made an appointment at the Muzeum Narodowe (National Musuem) to see the painting “Battle Between Russians and Kosciuszko Forces in 1801” by Orlowski, Aleksander.  We had NOT seen this exact painting on our 2013 visit to Warsaw, but we did see very similar battle paintings by Orlowski so we added it to our list.  I contacted the museum to see if it would be on display when we visited.  This painting is a watercolor and is not put on display, but a visit can be arranged to see it, and that is what we did.  We wandered between various entrances before we were directed to the proper one.   Kamilla, one of the young lady I had been corresponding with met us and took us to a room to see the painting.  This is always a neat experience for us.  We really get to see the painting up close.  I’m not sure of the procedure used to make a watercolor.  I think the artist sketches the outline of figures, buildings, etc. and then paints them in.  Some of the figures and shapes have a definite outline, while others don’t.  I guess that it why they are the artists and not me.  We could take a photo of the painting which I did, but not publish it, which I didn’t.  I think almost every painting in the world is available somewhere on the internet, and that is where I got the photo in this album.

Kamilla then told us that they were working with the Chicago Art Institute on an exhibition (drawings I think) for 2018 or 2019.  Someone from the Muzeum Narodowe would be accompanying their art work to Chicago.  Sue instantly told her we live a short walk from the Art Institute.  Kamilla didn’t know if it would be her or someone else, but she said it would be nice to know someone in Chicago.  We told her we would love to show Chicago to whoever accompanies the artwork.  It would allow us to show them the same kindness they did to us by letting us see this painting.  So we will have to see what develops.

Then we were off to take the train to Krakow.  There were no paintings on the list in Krakow, but there was one by Leonardo (that we had seen in London) and one on the list in a town a couple of hours east of Krakow.  We were also going to meet Sue’s cousin Michal, who we had met before, and then visit a small town where there two older ladies lived that were related to both Michal and Sue.

When we arrived in Krakow the first thing we did was pick up tickets for an overnight sleeper train we had booked for the trip from Krakow to Vienna.  The tickets could not be mailed but had to be picked up in Krakow.  That actually went off without any problems, amazing.  Then we walked to the Francuski Hotel in Krakow’s Old Town.  After we settled in Sue contacted Michal to arrange to meet in the Town Square and then go to dinner.  The last time we met Michal we talked about Sue’s Aunt Adella who had visited years earlier with her daughter-in-law, Joan to meet the ladies in the town of Zembrzyce (six consonants in a row!!!).  Michal has never visited them, so he was as eager as Sue to meet them.  I think Sue’s grandfather and Michal’s great-grandfather were brothers and the ladies may be daughters to another brother.  They were cousins to Sue’s Mom, Stacy and Aunt Adella.  We think/hope Joan had diagramed this out.  She has been a real hero on figuring out the Sue’s family tree.  Anyway that was planned for Sunday the 18^th, because Michal, who is 35 actually has to work.  We planned to visit the Muzeum Narodowe in Krakow and the Warwal Castle on Saturday, and Michal would pick us up Sunday for our visit to Zembrzyce.

 

2017 06 16 Warsaw-Krakow