Renaissance in Poland late 18th century. The period of Polish Renaissance, supportive of intellectual pursuits, produced many outstanding artists and scientists. Among them were Nicolaus Copernicus who in his "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" presented the heliocentric theory of the universe, Maciej of Miechów, author of "Tractatus de duabus Sarmatis..." – the most accurate up to date geographical and ethnographical account of Eastern Europe; Bernard Wapowski, a cartographer whose maps of that region appeared in Ptolemy's "Geography"; Marcin Kromer who in his "De origine et rebus gestis Polonorum libri..." described both the history and geography of Poland; Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski, a philosopher concerned with
Astronomer Copernicus, or Conversations with God which he portrayed in the ironic self-Portrait (he would finish "Astronomer Copernicus..." in a new studio in early 1873). The organizers of the festivities in Kraków were not supportive of Matejko's endeavour, and did not plan to display his painting during the official festivities. The German council of Toruń approached Matejko with an offer to buy it, but he refused, probably motivated by Polish patriotism, preferring instead to organize his own exhibition in Kraków. He was able to organize a display in February, in Kraków's City Council building, the Wielopolski Palace; profits from the display were donated to charity. The