Student Artwork Guide — Self-portrait

Name Class Date

Jan Matejko, Self-portrait. Public domain.

The facts

Artist: Jan Matejko topimpressionists.com/en/artists/jan-matejko/
Artist’s dates: 1838 – 1893
Movement: Romanticism Art that puts feeling, wildness and the power of nature above calm order and rules.

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.

Self-portrait — Jan Matejko

When might this have been painted?

1830
1840
1850
1860
1870
1880
1890

Shaded: the lifetime of Jan Matejko (1838–1893)

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

Bathory at Pskov, 1872 topimpressionists.com/en/art/jan-matejko-bathory-at-pskov-8XYB3L-en/
Battle of Grunwald (detail) (10), 1878 topimpressionists.com/en/art/jan-matejko-battle-of-grunwald-detail-10-8XYB4Z-en/
Copernicus in the tower at Frombork, or Conversations with God, 1872 topimpressionists.com/en/art/jan-matejko-copernicus-in-the-tower-at-frombork-or-conversati-8XYB3F-en/

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: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/jan-matejko-self-portrait-8XYB8F-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

Main colour

Phthalo Green #281a1c

Catalogued palette

#281A1C
#FEFEFE
#D5A878
#683E34

Palette: Neutrals The dominant colour family in the image.
Main colour name: Phthalo Green
Intensity: Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
Contrast: Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
Harmony: Balanced Harmony How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Balanced How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Subtle Color How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

Artist

Jan Matejko

Born in Krakow, Poland

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 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.

references:

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

Where to read more

The artist Jan Matejko topimpressionists.com/en/artists/jan-matejko/
Similar works More works to compare topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/jan-matejko-self-portrait-8XYB8F-en/

Find this online

QR code linking to the download page for Self-portrait

topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/jan-matejko-self-portrait-8XYB8F-en/

Cite this artwork

MLA: Matejko, Jan. Self-portrait. n.d., https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/jan-matejko-self-portrait-8XYB8F-en/
APA: Matejko, Jan (n.d.). Self-portrait [Painting]. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/jan-matejko-self-portrait-8XYB8F-en/
Chicago: Jan Matejko. Self-portrait. n.d. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/jan-matejko-self-portrait-8XYB8F-en/
Harvard: Matejko, Jan (n.d.) Self-portrait. Available at: https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/jan-matejko-self-portrait-8XYB8F-en/

Self-portrait — Jan Matejko

Look closely

Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

What catches your eye first, and why?
Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
Our catalogue files this work under: men, famous people, portraits. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
Look back at Bathory at Pskov (1872), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
Romanticism: Art that puts feeling, wildness and the power of nature above calm order and rules. Where can you see that in this work?

Your response

Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.