Portrait of Jan Potocki

The described person is a middle-aged man shown full length in a ¾ turn. The painting background is dark colours with visible architectural elements (colonnade). Potocki has dark hair and thick facial hair, with the moustache merging with the beard. The man is wearing steel armour of the Western European type, with a short dark green garment visible underneath. His left hand supported by the hint of a sabre, in his right hand he is holding a baton (a weapon, a symbol of power). A fragment of a helmet can be seen on the table top, adorned with a crest of red and white feathers. In the upper left corner of the image, there is Pilawa coat of arms and the letters: Q.B.P.L.S.B.L. There is also another inscription in the upper right corner: “Ioannes a Moskarzew Potocki sub Lescone Nigro, Excrucituu Regni Polon Dux in ano 1282 (?)”

Jan Potocki (born c. 1616, died 1675) used Pilawa coat of arms. He held a number of honourable positions and offices: including that of a Member of Parliament, Bratslav voivode, castellan of Sącz, starost of Redgorod, and royal colonel. He was a son of Stefan Potocki and Maria Mohylanka. In 1649, he became courtier to John Casimir Vasa. He married twice, first to Teresa Cetner of Przerowa coat of arms, then to Urszula Daniłowicz of Sas coat of arms. He owned estates in Buchach and Zlotyi Potik.

Jan Potocki was mentioned e.g. by Kacper Niesiecki (genealogist, heraldist, author of the Polish Armorial), Sadok Barącz (historian, monk, Dominican friar) and Teodor Żychliński (heraldist, diarist).

Yulia Dushka