request for info

[Zielinski]

> The note refers to the "princesa Poniatowsky" the wife of Josef
> Poniatowsky (1763-1813), a Polish general and marshall of Napoleon who,
> being surrounded by an enemy army, charged into the Leipzig river on
> horseback where he perished. Evidently there is a painting of this
> woman (not the horseback bit).

General Poniatowski was never married, nevertheless there actually was a
picture, representing his wailing wife and child. It's mentioned by
Malgorzata Baranowska, Polish poet, historian of literature and postcards
collector, in a conversation with Maria Janion:

"Widzialam kiedys oleodruk, gdzie ksiecia Józefa zegnala zona i dziecko,
choc w rzeczywistosci byl on kawalerem..."

Source:
http://www.tygodnik.com.pl/kontrapunkt/46-47/janion.html

I wouldn't mind seeing the picture.

Jan Zielinski
Berne
Switzerland

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