Starting on 21 May 2021, the National Gallery in London will be hosting an exhibition entitled Conversations with God: Jan Matejko’s Copernicus, the centrepiece of which will be Jan Matejko’s painting Astronomer Copernicus, or Conversations with God on loan from the Jagiellonian University Collegium Novum. For the first time in history, a painting by one of Poland’s greatest artists will be displayed in the most famous British gallery.
Apart from the eponymous paining, the exhibition will present two other items from the Jagiellonian University’s collection: a planispheric astrolabe that once belonged to Marcin Bylica of Olkusz, Polish astrologer, astronomer and physician, crafted by Hans Dorn in 1486 in Hungary, as well as a modern copy of Marcin Bylica’s torquetum.
‘After nearly two years preparations, we’re happy to display our three treasured works of art in the National Gallery, one of the most prestigious art galleries in the world’, said Prof. Krzysztof Stopka, Director of the Jagiellonian University Museum Collegium Maius. ‘One of these works is a famous painting by Jan Matejko, Astronomer Copernicus, or Conversations with God, painted to celebrate the 400th anniversary of birth of this great astronomer, who was also a student at our University. Bought by the citizens of Kraków and gifted to the Jagiellonian University, to this day it is proudly displayed in Collegium Novum Assembly Hall. The painting is accompanied by two astronomical devices: an original astrolabe from 1486, owned by Marcin Bylica, who gave it to the University during the time when Nicolaus Copernicus was still its student, as well as a copy of professor Bylica’s torquetum. Both of these items are part of the permanent exhibition of the Jagiellonian University Museum’, Prof. Stopka added.
The exhibition will be open from 21 May to 22 August 2021. It was conceived by its curator, Christopher Riopelle.
The National Gallery in London houses mostly Western European art. It is the most important art gallery in Britain and one of the most frequented museums in the world. Its collection comprises about 2.3 thousand paintings.
More information about the exhibition can be found at the National Gallery website.