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Portrait of Artist’s Children

Jan Matejko

Basic information

ID: Ж-923
Author: Jan Matejko
Name: Portrait of Artist’s Children
Date of creation: 1879
Country: Poland
Culture: Eastern Europe
Technique: oil painting
Material: wood oil
Dimensions (height x width, cm): 149 x 202

Additionally

Type: painting
Genre: portraiture
Provenance: Collection of Lviv City Gallery
Exposition: Lozinski Palace

Information about author

Author: Jan Matejko
Artist's lifetime: 1838–1893
Country: Poland
Biography: Jan Alojzy Matejko (born 24 June 1838 in Krakow – died 1 November 1893 in Krakow) – a famous Polish painter, graphic artist, and teacher. In 1852, he began studying painting at the Krakow School of Fine Arts (now the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts). He studied at Wojciech Korneli Stattler and Wladyslaw Luszczkiewicz. The artist graduated from the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts in 1858 and after that, he studied for two more years in Munich with Hermann Anschütz, where the young artist experienced a period of fascination with the historical painting of French painter Paul Delaroche. The artist participated in numerous art exhibitions. He travelled frequently to Paris and Vienna and visited Prague, Budapest, Berlin, London, Istanbul and many locations in Italy. He became the head of Krakow School of Fine Arts in 1873 and remained at its head until his death. His students included such outstanding Polish painters as Jacek Malczewski, Stanislaw Wyspianski, Jozef Mehoffer. Jan Matejko's artistic heritage includes more than three hundred paintings: portraits and paintings on historical, religious and allegorical themes, as well as several hundreds of graphic drawings and sketches. Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery holds some of the best works of this outstanding Polish artist.

Object description

The painting depicts the artist's children against the background of the interior of the country house in Krzesławice, which was bought in 1876. Jan Matejko devoted a lot of time to his children. He accompanied his girls to balls and encouraged the boys to study. Often the dresses of his daughters were sewn according to his designs. The bag hanging on Helena's hip is still on display at the Jan Matejko House National Museum in Krakow.

Inscriptions

The author's inscription and signature are on the bottom left: "T / H / B / J / Matejkowie / 1879 rp / JM"

Portrayed person