''Astronomer Copernicus, or Conversations with God'' ( pl, Astronom Kopernik, czyli rozmowa z Bogiem) is a painting by the Polish artist

Jan Matejko Jan Alojzy Matejko (; also known as Jan Mateyko; 24 June 1838 – 1 November 1893) was a Polish painter, a leading 19th-century exponent of history painting, known for depicting nodal events from Polish history. His works include large scale ...

completed in 1873, in the collection of the

Jagiellonian University The Jagiellonian University ( Polish: ''Uniwersytet Jagielloński'', UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and the 13th oldest university in ...

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...

. It depicts

Nicolaus Copernicus Nicolaus Copernicus (; pl, Mikołaj Kopernik; gml, Niklas Koppernigk, german: Nikolaus Kopernikus; 19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulat ...

observing the heavens from a balcony in a tower with the cathedral in Frombork in the background. The canvas was purchased from a private owner by public subscription in Poland and hangs in the ''aula'' (Great Hall) of the

Collegium Novum The ''Collegium Novum'' (Latin: "New College") is the Neo-Gothic main building of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, originally built between the year 1363 and 1365 and after its destruction, rebuilt in between 1873-1887. Based on a ...

of the University. Matejko produced this 1872 artwork as part of a series of paintings intended to capture and represent key moments in the

history of Poland The history of Poland spans over a thousand years, from medieval tribes, Christianization and monarchy; through Poland's Golden Age, expansionism and becoming one of the largest European powers; to its collapse and partitions, two world wars ...

to inspire the public.Wanda Małaszewska. "Matejko, Jan." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press, accessed 28 May 2014, http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T055919

History

Matejko began work on this painting in 1871 in preparation for the 400th anniversary of Copernicus's birth. He used research materials available in the Jagiellonian University, and made several preparatory pencil drawings and two oil sketches, prior to executing the painting. He began work on the canvas in the summer of 1872 in the cramped conditions of his old apartment in Kraków. This he recorded in an

parodic A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...

self-portrait A self-portrait is a representation of an artist that is drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by that artist. Although self-portraits have been made since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid-15th century tha ...

. The definitive work was completed in a new studio in early 1873. In the event the organizers of Copernicus' quadricentennial anniversary in Kraków were indifferent to Matejko's endeavours, and did not plan to exhibit his painting during the official festivities. Meanwhile the town council of

Toruń )'' , image_skyline = , image_caption = , image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg , image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg , nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town , pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pom ...

, Copernicus' home town then under German rule, approached Matejko with a view to purchasing it. He however refused their offer, possibly out of national pride, and opted instead to organize his own exhibition in Kraków. He was able to exhibit the picture in February 1873, in the Wielopolski Palace, then the Kraków City Council building. Profits from the event were donated to charity. The painting had a mixed reception. Later that year it was shown in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

. In March the inhabitants of Kraków decided to buy the painting and raised the necessary 12,000 zlotys, and donated it to the Jagiellonian University. It has been on public display in the University's

ever since. As of May 2021 the painting has been loaned by the Jagiellonian University authorities for a period of four months to London's

National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director ...

for a temporary exhibition and is the first work by any Polish artist to be exhibited there.

Description

The painting depicts the exalted

cleric Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

and scientist Nicolaus Copernicus - he was a

canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western ca ...

of Frombork Cathedral - kneeling as he observes the heavens during the transition from night to dawn. He is high up on a balcony, supposedly in his observatory, near to cathedral in Frombork, surrounded by various astronomical instruments. By his side is his own heliocentric model drawn on a large flat board, based on an actual illustration from his ''

De revolutionibus ''De revolutionibus orbium coelestium'' (English translation: ''On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres'') is the seminal work on the heliocentric theory of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) of the Polish Renaissance. The book ...

''. The scene likely portrays the moment of

revelation In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities. Background Inspiration – such as that bestowed by God on the ...

when Copernicus becomes convinced of his

discovery Discovery may refer to: * Discovery (observation), observing or finding something unknown * Discovery (fiction), a character's learning something unknown * Discovery (law), a process in courts of law relating to evidence Discovery, The Discove ...

. The main features of the

composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography *Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include v ...

include 16th-century costume and use of objects as part of a symbolic narrative. There is also the symmetrical focal point with atmospheric perspective around the subject, a radial balance of light arranged around a central element, and dramatic contrasts with dark colours on the periphery. Copernicus's epiphany or ecstasy is captured through the use of quasi

stage lighting Stage lighting is the craft of lighting as it applies to the production of theater, dance, opera, and other performance arts.

. Two models for ''Copernicus'' are known to have been medical practitioner Dr. and Matejko's nephew, Antoni Serafiński.

Interpretation

The location depicted by Matejko is fictional. Modern scholars are still looking for the exact location of the Copernicus observatory, and agree that Matejko's portrayal was more of a "romantic vision". Whereas Matejko shows Copernicus on top of a tower, in reality his small observatory was probably at ground level, possibly in the garden of his house. Most of Matejko's notable paintings consist of large group scenes. A scene with a single individual such as this, another being

Stańczyk Stańczyk (c. 1480–1560) () was a Polish court jester, the most famous in Polish history. He was employed by three Polish kings: Alexander, Sigismund the Old and Sigismund Augustus. Name, identity and historicity Scarcity of sources ...

, tends to be exceptional in his

oeuvre Oeuvre(s) or Œuvre(s) may refer to: * A work of art; or, more commonly, the body of work of a creator Books * ''L'Œuvre'', a novel by Émile Zola * ''Œuvres'', a work by Emil Cioran * ''Œuvres'', a work by Auguste Brizeux * ''Oeuvres'', a wo ...

References

External links

''Conversations with God, Jan Matejko's Copernicus'' - an Exhibition. National Gallery, London, 21 May - 22 August 2021.

www.Jan-Matejko.org
A website dedicated to Matejko {{Authority control 1873 paintings Books in art Churches in art Cultural depictions of Nicolaus Copernicus Paintings by Jan Matejko Paintings in Kraków Maps in art Symbolist paintings

History

Description

Interpretation

See also

References

External links