Related Artworks

henri emilien rousseau

War or the Ride of Discord

Joseph Mallord William Turner

War, the Exile and the Rock Limpet

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes

The Horrors of War: The Healthy and the Sick

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes

The Horrors of War: Get them Well and On to the Next

Eugène Delacroix

Study for the War coffer

Eugène Delacroix

Scene from the War between the Turks and Greeks

Édouard Manet

The Barricade (Civil War)

Katsushika Hokusai

Battle Between Two Warriors

Katsushika Hokusai

Guan Yu, Chinese God of War

George Catlin

Wah pón jee a, The Swan, a Warrior

Artist Biography

early life and education

jan alojzy matejko, a renowned polish painter, was born on june 24, 1838, in kraków, poland. his father, franciszek ksawery matejko, was a czech-born tutor and music teacher. jan's early life was marked by the kraków revolution of 1846 and the 1848 siege of kraków by the austrians, events that would later influence his artistic themes. matejko attended st. ann's high school but dropped out in 1851 due to poor grades. however, he showed exceptional talent for art from an early age. he studied at the school of fine arts in kraków from 1852 to 1858, specializing in historical painting under the tutelage of wojciech korneli stattler and władysław łuszczkiewicz.

artistic career

matejko's first major work, tsars shuyski before zygmunt iii, was completed in 1853. he began exhibiting his historical paintings at the kraków society of friends of fine arts in 1855. notable works include:

rejtan (1866): a large oil on canvas painting depicting a pivotal moment in polish history.
union of lublin (1869): a significant piece showcasing matejko's skill in capturing historical events.
battle of grunwald (1878): a masterpiece that highlights his ability to convey the intensity of battle scenes.

museological contributions and legacy

matejko spent most of his life in kraków, eventually becoming a director at the jan matejko academy of fine arts, formerly known as the kraków academy of fine arts. his students included prominent painters such as maurycy gottlieb, jacek malczewski, józef mehoffer, and stanisław wyspiański. notable works available on WahooArt:

jan matejko: varna (romanticism)
jan matejko: still life (romanticism)
jan matejko: the union of lublin (298 x 512 cm, romanticism, oil on canvas)

view more works by jan matejko on WahooArt: jan matejko | 203 artworks matejko passed away on november 1, 1893, leaving behind a legacy as poland's most famous painter and the "national painter" of poland. his contributions to historical painting continue to inspire artists and art enthusiasts alike.

references:

discovering the masterpieces of muzeum narodowe krakow, poland (wikipedia.org)

Jan Matejko

1838 - 1893 , Poland

Quick Facts

Artistic Movement Or Style: Romanticism
Artists Or Movements Influenced By This Artist: ['Maurycy Gottlieb']
Artists Who Influenced This Artist:
- Wojciech Korneli Stattler
- Władysław Łuszczkiewicz
Date Of Birth: June 24, 1838
Date Of Death: November 1, 1893
Full Name: Jan Alojzy Matejko
Nationality: Polish
Notable Artworks:
- Battle of Grunwald
- Union of Lublin
Place Of Birth: Kraków, Poland