View source for Jacek Malczewski

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Short description|Polish painter (1854–1929)}}
{{Infobox artist
| name         = Jacek Malczewski
| image        = Jacek Malczewski - Self-portrait with palette - MP 764 - National Museum in Warsaw.jpg
| caption      = [[Self-portrait#Gallery: painters at work|Self-portrait]] with palette, 1892
| birth_date    = 15 July 1854
| birth_place   = [[Radom]], [[Congress Poland]], Russian&nbsp;Empire
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1929|10|8|1854|7|15|df=yes}}
| death_place   = [[Kraków]], [[Second Polish Republic|Poland]]
| nationality   = Polish
| field         = Painting
| movement      = [[Symbolism (arts)|Symbolism]]
| spouse        = Maria {{née|Garlewska}}
| children      = 2, including [[Rafał Malczewski|Rafał]]
}}
[[File:Jacek Malczewski (XIX wiek).jpg|thumb|Malczewski in 1909]]
'''Jacek Malczewski''' ({{IPA|pl|ˈjat͡sɛk malˈt͡ʂɛfskʲi|lang|PL-Jacek Malczewski.ogg}}; 15 July 1854 – 8 October 1929) was a Polish [[Symbolism (movement)|symbolist]] painter who was one of the central figures of the patriotic [[Young Poland]] movement. 

His works combined the predominant style of his time with historical motifs of Polish [[martyrdom]], the [[Romanticism|romantic]] aspiration for national independence, [[Christianity|Christian]] and [[Greek mythology]], folk tales, and his love of the natural world.<ref name="baza-sztuki">{{cite web | url=https://culture.pl/en/artist/jacek-malczewski | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416120803/http://www.culture.pl/web/english/resources-visual-arts-full-page/-/eo_event_asset_publisher/eAN5/content/jacek-malczewski | url-status=dead | archive-date=16 April 2013 | title=Jacek Malczewski | publisher=Instytut Sztuki Polskiej Akademii Nauk. Culture.pl | work=Symbolizm w polskim malarstwie przełomu XIX i XX wieku | date=October 2002 | access-date=17 October 2012 | author=Irena Kossowska | language=pl | quote=Filled with erotic undertones the existentialist trend in Malczewski's art revealed his deep attachment to Polish tradition and his fascination with legend and folklore (Polish: Nasycony erotycznymi podtekstami, egzystencjalny nurt w twórczości Malczewskiego... dawał wyraz zakorzeniania artysty w rodzimej tradycji, jego fascynacji ludowymi legendami i baśniami.) }}</ref><ref name="info-poland">{{cite web | url=http://info-poland.buffalo.edu/classroom/Malczewski.html | title=Malczewski's Mythology | publisher=University of Buffalo. Info.Poland. | work=Malczewski exhibition at the Czartoryski Museum (Warsaw Voice review). | year=1996 | access-date=17 October 2012 | author=Marcin Grota | quote=[He produced] paintings showing [[Madonna (art)|Madonnas]] with faces and figures characteristic of the type of beauty that in Malczewski's times could be seen in the villages scattered along the [[Vistula]] river... | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100625151131/http://info-poland.buffalo.edu/classroom/Malczewski.html | archive-date=25 June 2010 }}</ref> 

He was the father of painter [[Rafał Malczewski]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Szymalak-Bugajska, Paulina|date=2017|url=https://niezlasztuka.net/o-sztuce/jacek-malczewski-rycerz-polskiej-sztuki/|title=Jacek Malczewski – rycerz polskiej sztuki|trans-title=Jacek Malczewski - Knight of Polish Art|language=pl|publisher=niezlasztuka.net|access-date=14 April 2020}}</ref>

==Childhood==
Malczewski was born in [[Radom]], [[Congress Poland]], under occupation of the Russian Empire.<ref name="gazeta.pl">{{cite web | url=http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/1,114873,10109782,Malopolskie__Obrazy_Malczewskich_na_wystawie_w_Zakopanem.html | title=Obrazy Malczewskich na wystawie w Zakopanem | publisher=Gazeta.pl | work=Wiadomości | date=12 August 2011 | access-date=19 October 2012 | author=PAP | author-link=Polska Agencja Prasowa | language=pl | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302192920/http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/1,114873,10109782,Malopolskie__Obrazy_Malczewskich_na_wystawie_w_Zakopanem.html | archive-date=2 March 2014 }}</ref> During his childhood and early youth he was greatly influenced by his father Julian, a Polish patriot and social activist who introduced him to the world of romantic literature inspired by the [[November Uprising]]. On his mother's side, he was related to the [[Theodore de Korwin Szymanowski|Szymanowski]] family whom they often visited on their [[Masovia]]n country estate in [[Cygów]]. The attractiveness of the Polish landscape and associated [[folklore]] had been awakened in him by Feliks Karczewski, his uncle and long-time guardian, who had invited future novelist [[Adolf Dygasiński]] to his estate, to act as Jacek's home tutor.<ref name="baza-sztuki" />

==Artistic career==
Malczewski moved to [[Kraków]] at age 17, and began his artistic education in 1872 under the watchful eye of Polish painter and draughtsman, {{Interlanguage link|Leon Piccard|fr}} and attended his first art classes in the workshop of [[Władysław Łuszczkiewicz]], at the [[Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts|School of Fine Arts]]. A year later, in 1873, assessed by [[Jan Matejko]] himself, Malczewski formally enrolled at the School, and studied with Łuszczkiewicz, Feliks Szynalewski and [[Florian Cynk]]. In 1876 he went to [[Paris]] and studied for a year at the [[École des Beaux-Arts]], in the studio of [[Henri Lehmann]]. He next moved to the [[Académie Suisse]].<ref name="baza-sztuki" /><ref name="gazeta.pl" />

Malczewski had already begun master classes with Jan Matejko in 1875 before embarking on the trip to France, and completed them in 1879 after his return from abroad. In spite of considerable stylistic differences between them, Malczewski was greatly influenced by Matejko's historical painting filled with [[neo-romantic]] metaphor and patriotic themes. In 1879, Malczewski completed a course in composition under Matejko.<ref>[http://culture.pl/en/artist/jacek-malczewski Jacek Malczewski] at [http://culture.pl/en/artist/jacek-malczewski Culture.pl]</ref> He was equally impressed with the dramatic art of earlier Polish romantic painter [[Artur Grottger]]. His painting revolved around a few carefully selected motifs, constantly retold and expanded according to mythology and filled with national symbols. His own imagination enabled Malczewski to channel his creativity and let new aesthetic ideas emerge, giving rise to what became Poland's school of Symbolism.<ref name="baza-sztuki" />

===Inspiration===
Over the course of some 30 years between 1885 and 1916, Malczewski regularly visited Paris, [[Munich]] and [[Vienna]]. He made several trips to [[Italy]], [[Greece]] and [[Turkey]]. He also took part in an archaeological expedition organized by his friend [[Karol Lanckoroński]]. He drew his inspiration from a wide variety of sources, often exotic or biblical, and translated them back into Polish folklore, tradition and motifs in his own painting.<ref name="info-poland" /> His most famous canvases include ''[[Vicious Circle (painting)|Błędne koło]]'' (Vicious Circle, 1895–97), ''Melancholia'' (1890–1894), {{lang|pl|Natchnienie malarza}} (Painter's Muse, 1897), ''Wizja'' (A vision, 1912), the ''[[Thanatos]]'' series, and ''Bajki'' (Fables). Many of his paintings prominently feature self-portraits in elaborate costume, a trademark of his style, often displaying a great sense of self-mocking humour.<ref name="baza-sztuki" /><ref name="info-poland" />

In 1897–1900 and 1912–1921 Malczewski served as professor of the [[Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków]].<ref name="zascianek.pl">{{cite web | url=http://www.pinakoteka.zascianek.pl/Malczewski_J/Malczewski_J_bio.htm | title=Jacek Malczewski (Radom 1854 - Kraków 1929) | publisher=Pinakoteka Zascianek.pl | work=Short biography | access-date=18 October 2012 | language=pl | quote=''Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN'', Warsaw 1974.}}</ref> He was elected rector of the academy in 1912.<ref name="Onet.Kultura">{{cite web | url=http://m.onet.pl/wiedza-swiat/kultura,tl54y | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416095305/http://m.onet.pl/wiedza-swiat/kultura,tl54y | url-status=dead | archive-date=16 April 2013 | title=Biografia Jacka Malczewskiego | publisher=Onet.Kultura | work=Malczewski. Dukt pisma i pędzla | date=4 September 2012 | access-date=16 November 2012 | author=Polish Press Agency | author-link=Polish Press Agency | language=pl }}</ref> His art has been compared to that of the Frenchman [[Gustave Moreau]], the Swiss [[Arnold Böcklin]], and even to the Spaniard [[Salvador Dalí]]. His paintings won numerous awards at international exhibitions including [[Berlin]] in 1891, Munich in 1892, and Paris in 1900.<ref name="baza-sztuki" /><ref name="info-poland" /><ref>{{cite web| url = https://niezlasztuka.net/o-sztuce/jacek-malczewski-rycerz-polskiej-sztuki/ |language = pl |title=Jacek Malczewski – rycerz polskiej sztuki |date = 14 July 2017 | access-date = 3 November 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Malczewski was married to Maria {{née|Garlewska}} and they had two children, Julia (born 1888) and Rafał (born 1892), also a painter. His son later sold off all of his father's works left to him, to the [[National Museum in Warsaw]] before [[World War II]]. During the war he left Poland and after travels in Southern Europe and [[Brazil]], finally settled in [[Montreal]].

It is believed that the subject of numerous nude studies in Jacek Malczewski's paintings, [[Maria Bal]] (Balowa) ''née'' Brunicka, was also his long-time lover.<ref name="gazeta-2">{{cite web | url=http://wyborcza.pl/alehistoria/1,128610,12485624,Malczewski_u_zrodla.html | title=Malczewski u źródła | publisher=[[Gazeta Wyborcza]] | work=Ale historia | date=14 September 2012 | access-date=19 October 2012 | author=Włodzimierz Kalicki | language=pl}}</ref> He lost his sight towards the end of his life and died in Kraków on 8 October 1929. He was buried at [[Skałka]], Poland's national ''[[Panthéon, Paris|Panthéon]]''.<ref name="gazeta.pl" />

==Art market==
In November 2022, Malczewski's 1908 [[oil-on-canvas]] painting entitled ''[[Reality (Jacek Malczewski)|Reality]]'' (Polish: ''Rzeczywistość'') was sold at DESA Unicum [[auction house]] in Warsaw for 17 million [[zloty]]s (€3.6 million) setting a new record for the most expensive painting sold on the Polish art market.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bmcsan.com/2022/12/09/painting-by-malczewski-becomes-polands-most-expensive-art-sale-after-17-million-zloty/ |title=Painting by Malczewski becomes Poland's most expensive art sale after 17 million zloty |website=bmcsan.com |author=Johnny M. Miller |access-date=19 December 2022 |archive-date=19 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219190549/https://bmcsan.com/2022/12/09/painting-by-malczewski-becomes-polands-most-expensive-art-sale-after-17-million-zloty/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The sale of the piece remains on hold after doubts were raised about the legal status of this property as the [[National Museum in Warsaw]] claims ownership of the work of art. The painting was last seen in public in 1926 in [[Lviv|Lwów]] (now Lviv, Ukraine). Its later whereabouts were unknown. The Polish [[Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (Poland)|Ministry of Culture and National Heritage]] reported to the police authorities that the painting could have been illegally taken from Poland in the 1950s.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://tvn24.pl/tvnwarszawa/kultura/warszawa-rzeczywistosc-obraz-jacka-malczewskiego-trafil-na-sprzedaz-w-domu-aukcyjnym-zjawili-sie-sledczy-6236175 |language=pl |title=Niewidziany od stu lat obraz Malczewskiego miał pobić rekord. Ale w domu aukcyjnym zjawili się śledczy |website=tvn24.pl |author=Klaudia Kamieniarz |date=25 November 2022 |access-date=19 December 2022}}</ref>

==Selected works==
{{Gallery|align=center|width=145
|File:Malczewski Prisoners.jpg|''[[The Prisoners (painting)|The Prisoners]]'', 1883, [[National Museum in Warsaw]]
|File:Malczewski Jacek Narzeczona.jpg|''Portrait of a Bride'', 1887, [[National Museum in Kraków]] 
|File:Jacek Malczewski - In Autumn - MNK II-b-2546 - National Museum Kraków.jpg|''In Autumn'', 1890, [[National Museum in Kraków]]
|File:Jacek Malczewski - Introduction - MNK II-b-17 (36425).jpg|''Introduction'', 1890, [[National Museum in Kraków]]
|File:Malczewski wigilia na syberii.jpg|''[[Sybirak|Siberian]] [[Wigilia]]'', 1892, [[National Museum in Kraków]]
|File:Malczewski melancholia.jpg|''Melancholia'', 1894, [[National Museum in Poznań]]
|File:Bledne kolo.jpg|''[[Vicious Circle (painting)|Vicious Circle]]'', 1895-1897, [[National Museum in Poznań]]
|File:Malczewski_Thanatos.jpg|''[[Thanatos]]'', ca. 1899, [[National Museum in Warsaw]]
|File:Jacek Malczewski - Derwid - MNK II-b-900 - National Museum Kraków.jpg|''Derwid'', 1902, [[National Museum in Kraków]]
|File:Jacek Malczewski, Hamlet Polski - Portret Aleksandra Wielopolskiego.jpg|''[[Polish Hamlet. Portrait of Aleksander Wielopolski|Poland's Hamlet]]'', 1903, [[National Museum in Warsaw]]
|File:Malczewski Jacek Ojczyzna.jpg|''Motherland''. <small>Portrait of </small>[[Maria Bal]], 1903, [[National Museum in Wrocław]]
|File:Malczewski Jacek Pokusa fortuny.jpg|''Temptation of Fortune'', 1904, [[National Museum in Poznań]]
|File:Jacek Malczewski - Portret Władysława Reymonta.jpg|''Portrait of [[Władysław Reymont]]'', 1905, [[National Museum in Warsaw]]
|File:Malczewski Jacek Portret kobiety.jpg|''Bacchante'', ca. 1907, [[Lviv National Art Gallery]]
|File:Jacek Malczewski Rzeczywistość 1908.jpg|''[[Reality (Jacek Malczewski)|Reality]]'', 1908
|File:Jacek Malczewski - Self-Portrait - MNK II-b-3452 - National Museum Kraków.jpg|''Self-Portrait'', 1908-1915, [[National Museum in Kraków]]
|File:Malczewski Jacek Wiosna.jpg|''Spring'', 1909, Private collection
|File:Jacek Malczewski - Tobias with a Harpy - MNK II-b-1695 - National Museum Kraków.jpg|''Tobias with a Harpy'', 1909, [[National Museum in Kraków]]
|File:Malczewski Jacek Ellenai.jpg|''Ellenai'', 1910, [[National Museum in Kraków]]
|File:Malczewski Jacek Chrystus i Samarytanka 2.jpg|''Christ and [[Samaritan Woman at the Well]]'', 1910, Private collection
|File:Malczewski Jacek Tobiasz i Parki.jpg|''[[Book of Tobit|Tobias]] and [[Parcae]]'', 1912, [[National Museum in Poznań]]
|File:Lwowska Galeria Sztuki - Jacek Malczewski - Christ and the Samaritian Woman.jpg|''Christ and the Samaritian Woman'', 1912, [[Lviv National Art Gallery]]
|File:Jacek Malczewski - Self-Portrait in a White Attire - MNK II-b-1762 - National Museum Kraków.jpg|''Self-Portrait in a White Beret'', 1914, [[National Museum in Kraków]]
|File:Jacek Malczewski - Młoda Polska 1917.jpg|''Young Poland'', 1917, [[National Museum in Kraków]]
|File:Jacek Malczewski - Preludium 1918.jpg|''Preludium'', 1918, Private collection
}}

==See also==
* [[Culture of Kraków]]
* City of [[Radom]]
* [[List of Polish painters]]
* [[List of Polish people#Visual arts|List of Poles]]
* [[National Museum in Kraków]]
* [[Sukiennice Museum]] in [[Kraków]]

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* [https://zbiory.mnk.pl/en/search-result?phrase=Jacek%2520Malczewski Digital collection of artworks by Jacek Malczewski at the National Museum in Kraków]
* [http://www.pinakoteka.zascianek.pl/Malczewski_J/Malczewski_J_5.htm Paintings of Jacek Malczewski] at Zascianek.pl
* [http://muzeumsecesji.pl/galeria_pliki/malczewski/malczewski1.html Virtual Art Nouveau museum - Jacek Malczewski] at Muzeum Secesji.pl
* [http://culture.pl/en/artist/jacek-malczewski Culture.pl]

{{Authority control (arts)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Malczewski, Jacek}}
[[Category:1854 births]]
[[Category:1929 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Radom]]
[[Category:People from Radom Governorate]]
[[Category:19th-century Polish painters]]
[[Category:19th-century Polish male artists]]
[[Category:Symbolist painters]]
[[Category:20th-century Polish painters]]
[[Category:20th-century Polish male artists]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta]]
[[Category:École des Beaux-Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts]]
[[Category:Polish male painters]]
[[Category:Artists from Congress Poland]]
[[Category:Painters from the Russian Empire]]