Jan Matejko House
Kraków Artists: Painters and Sculptors
A museum devoted to Jan Matejko, founded in 1895 and since 1904 a branch of the National Museum in Kraków, in a townhouse at Floriańska Street 41. The building was raised as early as the 16th century as a one-storey townhouse, and in 1871 Jan Matejko took it over, commissioned a two-year rebuilding and moved in with his family. The idea of a museum appeared the day after the artist's funeral, on 8 November 1893, in an article by Marian Sokołowski in the Kraków newspaper "Czas". Two years later the house was bought from the family together with part of his collection, and from 1 May 1896 visitors could see the drawing room and bedroom. The building is entered in the register of monuments.
History
The townhouse at Floriańska Street 41 was built back in the 16th century as a building with one upper floor; over time a second and a third, mansard floor were added. From 1829 the Matejko family were its sole owners. In this house, on 24 June 1838, Jan Matejko was born, the ninth of the eleven children of Franciszek Ksawery and Joanna Karolina.
At the age of thirteen Matejko entered the Kraków School of Fine Arts, and in 1858 he received a scholarship to study in Munich. He became famous for his monumental historical paintings, including Stańczyk of 1862, Skarga's Sermon of 1864 and The Battle of Grunwald of 1878. From 1873 he headed the Kraków School of Fine Arts, and his pupils included Jacek Malczewski, Józef Mehoffer and Stanisław Wyspiański. He was also involved in saving Kraków's historic monuments. He died on 1 November 1893.
In 1871 the painter bought out his siblings and took ownership of the townhouse. He had it remodelled over two years and lived here with his family. On the third floor, which Tomasz Pryliński added at his request in 1872-1873, the artist's studio has survived.
The idea of a museum appeared in the Kraków newspaper "Czas" the day after Matejko's funeral, in an article by Marian Sokołowski, who pointed to the house museums of Raphael in Urbino and Michelangelo in Florence. Fundraising was led by Prince Eustachy Sanguszko, chairman of the Jan Matejko Society. On the second anniversary of the funeral, 7 November 1895, the townhouse was bought from the family together with part of the collection, and from 1 May 1896 visitors could see the drawing room and the bedroom. In 1904 the museum came under the management of the National Museum. Today the first floor displays the bedroom, known as the room under the stars, and the Matejkos' drawing room.
Did you know?
In the room on the second floor where the painter was born hangs a commemorative plaque with the Latin inscription "Saepe providet Deus, ut magna claudantur parvis". It means that God often encloses greatness in a small form, and it alludes to Matejko's poor health and small stature.