Prince Jozef Poniatowski plunges into the River Elster. Photo: PAP/Jacek Bednarczyk
Poniatowski, a nephew of the last king of Poland, drowned on 19 October 1913, while covering the French army's retreat after the Battle of Leipzig.
Paintings, watercolours and prints are among the items on display at the central branch of the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow.
Personal belongings of the marshal, including one of his princely seals, are on view together with objects associated with his heroic entry into Krakow in 1809.
Not least, the saddle which the prince had been using when he drowned in the River Elster has been loaned to Poland for the first time from Leipzig's Forum 1813, a branch of the German city's historical museum.
Prince Pepi: Lover and Soldier
Jozef Poniatowski was born on 7 May 1763, nephew of King Stanislaw Poniatowski.
As a young man, he was a favourite with the Warsaw ladies, who gave him the nickname of Pepi.
With Poland being progressively partitioned during his uncle's reign, the young Poniatowski ultimately fought in the anti-Tsarist Kosciuszko Insurrection of 1794.
After Poland had been wiped from the map, he joined forces with Napoleon, who in 1807 created the so-called Duchy of Warsaw, supposedly the kernel of a resurgent Poland.
However, the 1812 campaign, which Bonaparte dubbed his “second Polish war,” ended in disaster, and Poniatowski fell the following year at the Battle of Leipzig.
Legend recounts that the prince spurred his horse into the currents of the River Elster after refusing to surrender, a scene that duly became a staple subject for 19th century Polish painters.
Prince Jozef Poniatowski was ultimately laid to rest at Wawel Cathedral in Krakow, alongside Polish monarchs and national heroes.
The current exhibition runs until 11 November. (nh)
Source: PAP/MHK