Portrait of Michał Kleofas Ogiński

Prince Michał Kleofas Ogiński (1765–1833) was one of the most prominent figures in Lithuania in the late 18th–early 19th century: he was a composer, social and political activist, an honourary member of Vilnius University, and a famous diplomat. He was also one of the leaders of the rebellion organized by Tadeusz Kosciuszko in Lithuania in 1794. After the rebellion and the Third Division of the Lithuanian-Polish state where Lithuania lost its independence, the prince fled Lithuania. It is believed that this was precisely when M. K. Oginski composed his famous polonaise “Farewell my homeland”. Even today in Europe he is known as a popular author of polonaises, mazurkas, marches, waltzes, minuets, and romances. The oval-shaped miniature by an anonymous Lithuanian artist subtly conveys the prince’s portrait features, revealing the spirit of this bright figure, with a touch of Romanticism.