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On February 28, 2026, the Free Belarus Museum in Warsaw will open “Napoleon Orda’s Belarus,” an exhibition dedicated to the work of the renowned artist and composer. The display will feature 19 original lithographs from the MALDZIS initiative collection, depicting towns, landscapes, and architectural landmarks across present-day Belarus.
Orda documented castles, palaces, churches, and manor houses in Nesvizh, Mir, Kreva, Novogrudok, Lida, Kamenets, Gomel, and many other locations. Many of these sites were later destroyed or significantly altered, making his works not only artistic achievements but also invaluable historical records.
The lithographs were produced in Warsaw in the 1870s at the workshop of Maksymilian Fajans, based on Orda’s drawings and bearing his original signatures. They were published in the celebrated album of historical views of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth — an ambitious project financed by the artist himself. Between 1873 and 1883, eight series comprising 260 lithographs were released, while nearly half of the original drawings are now considered lost.
The collection was acquired at a Polish auction with the support of Belarusian patrons. Until the works eventually return to Belarus, they will be presented internationally, with the Warsaw exhibition offering a rare opportunity to encounter the country’s visual memory.
Napoleon Orda’s legacy connects Belarus to the broader European cultural landscape. Having lived and worked across several countries, he became part of the intellectual elite of his time in Paris.
Dates: February 28 — March 8, 2026
Location: Free Belarus Museum, ul. Foksal 11, Warsaw
