JAN MATEJKO

Jan Matejko  (1848- 1893)  was a painter who was born, lived , worked  and died in Kraków and who is considered to be the finest representative of historicism in Polish painting.

The below quotation  is the most complete  description of our great artist I have found so far..there is no need to add a word!

“Matejko was not the 19th century historic painter who stuck to the facts, he was the creator of myths, working in a timeless “metahistoric” and eternal now, albeit one filled with historic monuments of the past.”

Maybe only one comment that  historical painting played a  very special role in our nation who was  under partition  for 123 years.

Jan Matejko’s painting reminded Poles the former greatness of the Polish Republic, the glory of its armies and their victorious battles , which helped  our forefathers to keep  the faith in the restoration of an independent country.

There is Jan Matejko Biographical Museum in Kraków which I’d like to invite you to someday 🙂