The depiction of Adam Naruszewicz in a cassock, wearing a zucchetto was part of the Royal Castle’s historic collections. Together with 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 of 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 and is one of three sculptural depictions of contemporaneous personages which Le Brun could have made ad vivum, thanks to which it bears the model’s real features as well as many details, such as the deep lines and skin defects.

Inscribed Naruszewicz on front, under the bust.
Inscribed ADA: NARUSZEWICZ in gold letters on front of base.

Adam Naruszewicz of the Wadwicz coat of arms (1733–96). Son of Jerzy, master of the hunt of Pińsk (now Pinsk, Belarus) and Paulina née Abramowicz. Clergyman, historian, poet. He studied at and was later professor at the Academy of Vilnius. Bishop of Łuck from 1780 and Smoleńsk (Smolensk, Russia) from 1788. Close collaborator and aide to Stanisław August. Secretary to the Permanent Council. Editor of Zabawy Przyjemne i Pożyteczne". Author of satires, eclogues and patriotic commemorative poems, translator of works by, Tacitus, Homer, Voltaire and others.