In 1890, Jan Matejko—already celebrated for his sweeping historical canvases—turned his attention to Kraków’s Mariacki Church, designing a series of polychrome decorations that would transform its Gothic interior. Among his most arresting contributions is Karton do polichromii Kościoła Mariackiego - Popiersie diabła z rozwartą paszczą, a study for the painted devil’s head that would leer from the church’s vaults. The inclusion of such a fearsome figure in a sacred space was both a nod to medieval tradition and a bold statement in Matejko’s late career, when he was deeply engaged in the artistic renewal of Poland’s most important religious monuments. The devil’s gaping maw, rendered with almost anatomical precision, captures the moment of temptation and threat that haunted Christian imagination for centuries.

Matejko’s devil does not lurk in shadow but thrusts forward, its open mouth a warning to the faithful passing beneath. The horns, wild mane, and bulging eyes are not mere grotesques—they are reminders of evil’s presence, echoing the medieval church’s use of monstrous imagery to instruct and admonish. In contrast to the more stylized, decorative devils of Stanisław Wyspiański’s later stained glass, Matejko’s vision is raw and immediate, rooted in the didactic traditions of Gothic art. Although the exact medium of this karton remains uncertain, its function as a preparatory design links it directly to the monumental polychrome cycle completed in Mariacki Church at the end of the 19th century.

These cartoons were essential working tools, guiding teams of craftsmen as they translated Matejko’s vision onto the church’s vast surfaces. Today, the original karton survives as a testament to Matejko’s role not only as a painter of grand canvases but as a restorer of national heritage, bridging Poland’s medieval past with its modern aspirations. Its survival offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind one of Kraków’s most iconic interiors.