Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Jan Matejko died in 1893; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1963.
In context
Self-portrait — Jan Matejko
Row above: the year. Row below: the artist's age in that year.
Shaded: the lifetime of Jan Matejko (1838–1893)
First works: up to 1867 Main working years: 1867–1888 Late works: from 1888
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell.
This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/jan-matejko-self-portrait-8XYB8F-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Phthalo Green #281a1c
Catalogued palette
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 75.2% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 202 works by this artist, of which 53 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank.
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Krakow, Poland
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.
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.
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 AllPaintingsStore:
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 AllPaintingsStore: 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.
discovering the masterpieces of muzeum narodowe krakow, poland (wikipedia.org)
originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/jan-matejko-self-portrait-8XYB8F-en/
Look closely
Self-portrait — Jan Matejko
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
Artworks similar to "Self-portrait" by Jan Matejko are gathered on the artwork's Similars page.
To get a print of "Self-portrait" by Jan Matejko, simply order it on this page: a fine art print on cotton canvas or archival canvas paper.
"Self-portrait" by Jan Matejko can be previewed on your own wall with the artwork's AR Preview page, using augmented reality on a compatible device.
You can order a hand-painted reproduction of "Self-portrait" by Jan Matejko directly on this page: a hand-painted oil reproduction on linen canvas, made to order.
The artist behind "Self-portrait" is Jan Matejko. The work is catalogued under Jan Matejko's name.
The Romanticism work "Self-portrait" was made by an artist born in Poland.
The contrast level of "Self-portrait" by Jan Matejko is statement.