National Museum, Warsaw

National Museum in Warsaw
Established	1916
Location	3 Jerusalem Avenues Warsaw, Poland
Type	National museum
Director	Piotr Piotrowski
Website	www.mnw.art.pl

The National Museum in Warsaw (Polish: Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie), Poland, is a national institution of culture, one of the largest museums in Poland and the largest in Warsaw. It comprise a rich collection of ancient art (Egyptian, Greek, Roman), counting about 11.000 pieces,^[1] an extensive gallery of Polish painting since the 16th century and a collection of foreign painting (Italian, French, Dutch, German and Russian). The museum is also home to numismatic collections and a gallery of applied arts.

History

The National Museum in Warsaw was established on 20 May 1862, as the "Museum of Fine Arts, Warsaw", and in 1916 renamed "National Museum, Warsaw"^[2] (with the inclusion of collections from museums and cultural institutions such as the Society of Care for Relics of the Past, the Museum of Antiquity at Warsaw University, the Museum of the Society for Encouragement of the Fine Arts, and the Museum of Industry and Agriculture).

The collection is housed in the building at Jerusalem Avenues which was developed between 1927 and 1938 (earlier the museum had been located at ulica Podwale 15). In 1932 an exhibition of decorative art was opened in the two earlier erected wings of the building.^[1] A new building was inaugurated on 18 June 1938. From 1935 the museum director was Stanisław Lorentz.

During World War II the building was damaged and the collection looted by German soldiers.^[3] After the war the Polish Government, under the supervision of Prof Lorentz, retrieved many of the works seized by the Germans.^[4] Still more than 5.000 artefacts are missing.^[5] At present, the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw includes over 780.000 items displayed in many permanent galleries, including the Professor Kazimierz Michałowski Faras Gallery and galleries given over to Ancient Art, Medieval Art, Foreign Painting, Polish Painting, European Goldsmithing, Oriental Art, Twentieth Century Polish Art, Polish Decorative Art and European Decorative Art, as well as many temporary exhibitions.

In 2008 the "Polish Archaeological Mission "Tyritake" of National Museum in Warsaw" commenced works at Tyritake, Crimea. It is headed by Alfred Twardecki curator of the Ancient Art Gallery.

Gallery of European Painting

Jacob Jordaens, The Holy Family with St. John, His Parents and Angels

Henryk Siemiradzki, Dirce

• Sandro Botticelli, The Virgin and Child, St. John and Angels,
• Paris Bordone, Venus and Cupid,
• Hendrick ter Brugghen, King David Playing Harp,
• Philippe de Champaigne, Portrait of Cardinal Richelieu,
• Cima da Conegliano, Christ among the Doctors,
• Willem Claesz Heda, Still Life,
• Lucas Cranach the Elder, Adam and Eve,
• Jacques-Louis David, Portrait of count Stanislas Potocki,^[6]
• Carel Fabritius, The Raising of Lazarus,
• Jean-Baptiste Greuze, Guitarist,
• Jacob Jordaens, The Holy Family with St. John, His Parents and Angels,
• Jacopo Tintoretto, Portrait of an Admiral,
• Peter Paul Rubens (his studio), Virgin and Child,^[6]
• Rembrandt van Rijn, Portrait of Maerten Soolmans.

Gallery of Polish Painting

• Jan Matejko, Battle of Grunwald,
• Józef Mehoffer, The Strange Garden,
• Jacek Malczewski, Polish Hamlet,
• Henryk Siemiradzki, Dirce,
• Stanisław Wyspiański, Self-portrait.

Other

• Silver regalia of King Augustus III of Poland and Queen Maria Josepha.

See also

• National Museum, Kraków

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Murawska-Muthesius 2001, p. 31
2. ^ Folga Januszewska 2008, p. 9
3. ^ Folga Januszewska 2008, p. 11
4. ^ Folga Januszewska 2008, p. 12
5. ^ (Polish) Monika Kuhnke. Przyczynek do historii wojennych grabieży dzieł sztuki w Polsce. Druga wojna światowa (Contribution to the history of looting in Europe. World War II). 
6. ^ ^{a b} Deposit in the Wilanów Palace.

1. (Polish) Folga Januszewska, Dorota (2008), Muzeum Sztuk Pięknych i Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie 1862-2004 (Museum of Fine Arts and National Museum in Warsaw 1862-2004), Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie .
2. (English) Murawska-Muthesius, Katarzyna; Folga-Januszewska, Dorota (2001), National Museum in Warsaw: guide : galleries and study collections, Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, ISBN 83-71001-26-6 .

External links

Media related to National Museum in Warsaw at Wikimedia Commons Media related to Art lost in Poland during World War II at Wikimedia Commons

• Site of the Cooperation Program with the Kerch Museum
• Site of the Polish Archaeological Mission "Tyritake"

Coordinates: 52°13′54″N 21°1′29″E / 52.23167°N 21.02472°E / 52.23167; 21.02472