The huge canvas which goes by the lengthy title ‘Vytautas swears revenge on the Teutonic Knights against the background of burning Kaunas’ has come to Poland on temporary loan to mark the 30th anniversary of the renewal of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Using 158,000 pieces of the coloured building bricks, 21 ‘LEGO Ambassadors’ from across Poland spent over 400 hours painstakingly recreating the masterpieces on a 1:1 scale which include Jan Matejko’s iconic Stańczyk.
Starting in 2015, Ireneusz Rolewski’s stunning end result is a painting that is 13 cm higher than Matejko's original, giving it massive dimensions of 440 cm high by 987 cm wide.
Weighing nearly 13 tons, cast in Kraków in 1520 by Nuremberg bellmaker Hans Beham, it was hung on 9 July 1521 in a specially erected defence tower of Wawel Royal Castle, known as the Zygmunt Tower.
Relatively unknown in her home country during her short lifetime, 19th century painter Anna Bilińska was a pioneer for female artists who followed, defying conventions, overcoming personal adversity and succeeding in attracting critical acclaim abroad.
Depicting a scene from the legend of Krystyna – written by the chronicler Jan Długosz in the 15th century – the 35cm x 47cm oil painting shows Bishop Stanisław castigating Bolesław for adultery whilst the monarch, resplendent in his armour and finery, glares from behind a billowing curtain.
In this episode of The Debrief, host John Beauchamp speaks to National Gallery curator Christopher Riopelle on the long-awaited exhibition of Matejko’s Copernicus in London.
Initially planned for last year but postponed because of the pandemic, the exhibition is the National Gallery's first presentation of a painting by a Polish artist.
The artist’s epic 'Astronomer Copernicus, or Conversations with God,' is to go on display from May 21, along with a 1543 copy of Copernicus's 'De revolutionibus orbium coelestium,' (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres).
Measuring 13-metres high, costing nearly 14 million PLN to restore and with some piece weighing as much as 250kg, the 15th century altarpiece, the full name of which is the Altar of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding works of Gothic art in Europe.
This site uses "cookies". By staying on it, you agree to the use of cookies.
