The bust of Piotr Kochanowski shown wearing clothes after the Western-European fashion with a sawtooth collar edged with lace was part of the Royal Castle’s historic collections. Alongside the sculptures of Chronos and Fame, as well as a series of bronze busts of famous Polish personages and the painted decoration, it constitutes the iconographic scheme for the Knights’ Hall which was furnished in the years 1781–6 and was intended to commemorate distinguished individuals as well as glorious events in Polish history. The sculpture is one of 18 smaller busts that were placed in the Knights’ Hall. The King gave a copy of this sculpture to Ignacy Krasicki. Inscribed Kochanowski on front, under the bust. Inscribed PET: KOCHANOWSKI / + MDCXX. in gold letters on front of base. Piotr Kochanowski of the Korwin coat of arms (1566–1620). Son of Mikołaj, Deputy Starosta of Radom and Katarzyna née Tymińska. He attended the Academy in Padua; he spent a number of years in Italy. From 1602 secretary to King Zygmunt III Vasa. Poet, Italianophile, the first Polish translator of the works of Torquato Tasso and Ludovico Ariosto.