It depicts a sermon on political matters by the Jesuit priest Piotr Skarga, a chief figure of the Counter Reformation in Poland, where he rebukes the Polish elite for neglecting the national interest.

[6] The painting shows Poland of the early 17th century, a country torn between the magnates and elected kings of the House of Vasa, with a proud and egoistical nobility, beginning a slide into an ungovernable anarchy.

[2] Matejko's work became one of the major elements of the "legend of Piotr Skarga", helping the Jesuit achieve a lasting fame in Poland.

[2] Jerzy Mniszech, Jan Piotr Sapieha and Janusz Zbaraski[nb 1] to their right seem to be listening, but an older nobleman is dozing nearby as a reminder that most nobility did not care either way about the issues Skarga is discussing.

[2] Underneath Zamoyski, archbishop Stanisław Karnkowski in purple is praying, and between these two the metropolitan of the Unites, Hipacy Pociej, is visibly not taken by the Jesuit's oratory.

[2] On 5 November 1864, in recognition for his contributions to recreating historical themes as exemplified in this painting, Matejko was elected a member of the Kraków Scientific Society (Towarzystwo Naukowe Krakowskie).

[4] The painting has been compared to Jan August Hendrik Leys's Restoration of the Catholic rite in the Holiest Virgin Mary Church in Antwerp in 1566, as regards its composition and Counter Reformation theme.