In 1888, Jan Matejko completed Retaking of Rus. Wealth and Education, 1366 AD as part of his grand series History of Civilization in Poland, a sweeping visual chronicle of the nation's pivotal moments. What makes this work especially striking is its focus on the year 1366, when King Casimir the Great reclaimed Red Ruthenia—an event that not only expanded Polish territory but also brought new wealth and centers of learning under the crown.

Matejko, ever the historian with a brush, sought to capture the very instant when conquest and culture intertwined, shaping the future of Poland’s intellectual life. In the painting, the viewer is drawn into the charged aftermath of victory: Polish knights, their armor glinting, stand before the subdued Ruthenian nobles, while scholars and clerics, clutching manuscripts and keys, symbolize the transfer of knowledge and riches. The careful placement of a gilded chest at the composition’s center hints at the material gains, but Matejko’s real focus is on the exchange of books—emblems of education and enlightenment. The light falls not on the warriors, but on the scholars, suggesting that the true spoils of conquest are intellectual.

Unlike Jean Fouquet’s more static medieval chronicles, Matejko’s scene is alive with negotiation and hope, emphasizing the civilizing mission over mere military triumph. As with many works in the History of Civilization in Poland series, the medium of Retaking of Rus. Wealth and Education, 1366 AD is not definitively recorded, though Matejko often favored oil on canvas for his monumental cycles. The painting was likely commissioned as part of Matejko’s lifelong effort to foster national pride and historical awareness during a period when Poland’s independence was under threat.

Since its creation, the painting has remained in Poland, passing through the collections of national museums and surviving the turmoil of two world wars. Today, it stands as a testament to Matejko’s vision: not just a record of battles won, but of minds enlightened.