Jan Styka
Encyclopedia
Jan Styka was an ethnic Polish
-born painter noted for producing large historical
and Christian
religion
panoramas.
Styka, son of a Czech officer in Austria-Hungary
, attended school in his native Lemberg (L'viv Lwów) then studied at the Academy of Fine Arts
in Vienna
, Austria
following which he took up residence in Italy
for a short time before moving to France
where the great art movements at Montmartre
and Montparnasse
were taking shape and where he would spend a large part of his life.
Among Styka's important works is the large scene of Saint Peter
preaching the Gospel
in the Catacombs
(seen here) painted in Paris
in 1902. His renowned panoramas include "Bem in Siedmiogrod
" (1897), "The Martydrom of Christians in Nero's Circus" (1897), and at the Wrocław Branch of the National Museum of Poland is the monumental collaboration "The Battle of Racławice" painted in 1894.
In 1910, Jan Styka painted a portrait of esteemed pianist and Polish statesman, Ignacy Jan Paderewski
, which is now at the National Museum of Poland in Poznań
. Previously, near the end of the 19th century, Paderewski had commissioned Styka to paint what would become his most famous work internationally. Originally entitled "Golgotha" (the Aramaic name for the site of Christ's crucifixion), the painting became known simply as "The Crucifixion." This piece is an enormous panorama standing 195 feet (59.4 m) long by 45 feet (13.7 m) in height.
"The Crucifixion" has a fascinating history. Upon its commission in 1894, Styka travelled to Jerusalem to prepare sketches, and to Rome
, where his palette was blessed by Pope Leo XIII
.
The painting was unveiled in Warsaw
to great success on June 22, 1897. It was shown in many of the great cities of Europe, before making its way to America, to join the 1904 St. Louis Exposition.
The painting was seized when Styka's American partners failed to pay the customs taxes, and was considered lost for nearly forty years. In 1944, the painting was found, rolled around a telephone pole and badly damaged, having languished in the basement of the Chicago Civic Opera Company for decades.
Acquired by American businessman, Hubert Eaton
, the painting was restored by Jan Styka's son, artist Adam Styka. It is on display in the Hall of the Crucifixion at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
.
In 2005-2006, the painting underwent a massive restoration as part of Forest Lawn's centennial celebration. It currently is shown, on the hour, from 10 am to 4pm. It features a new, state of the art guided light show and narrated presentation written by noted biblical scholar, Timothy Kirk.
Jan Styka died in 1925 and was buried in Rome
. However, in 1959 Hubert Eaton arranged with Styka's family for his remains to be brought to the United States for interment in the "Hall of The Immortals" at Forest Lawn cemetery.
Sons Tadeusz "Tade" Styka (1889-1954) and Adam Styka (1890-1959) were both painters.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-born painter noted for producing large historical
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
panoramas.
Styka, son of a Czech officer in Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, attended school in his native Lemberg (L'viv Lwów) then studied at the Academy of Fine Arts
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna is an institution of higher education in Vienna, Austria.- History :The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna was founded in 1692 as a private academy by the court-painter Peter Strudl, who became the Praefectus Academiae Nostrae. In 1701 he was ennobled as Baron of the Empire...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
following which he took up residence in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for a short time before moving to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where the great art movements at Montmartre
Montmartre
Montmartre is a hill which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district...
and Montparnasse
Montparnasse
Montparnasse is an area of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail...
were taking shape and where he would spend a large part of his life.
Among Styka's important works is the large scene of Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
preaching the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
in the Catacombs
Catacombs
Catacombs, human-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place can be described as a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman empire...
(seen here) painted in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1902. His renowned panoramas include "Bem in Siedmiogrod
Transylvania Panorama
The Transylvanian Panorama other names Bem and Petöfi, Bem on Transylvania, Battle of Sibiu- was a monumental panoramic painting depicting the Battle of Sibiu, during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848....
" (1897), "The Martydrom of Christians in Nero's Circus" (1897), and at the Wrocław Branch of the National Museum of Poland is the monumental collaboration "The Battle of Racławice" painted in 1894.
In 1910, Jan Styka painted a portrait of esteemed pianist and Polish statesman, Ignacy Jan Paderewski
Ignacy Jan Paderewski
Ignacy Jan Paderewski GBE was a Polish pianist, composer, diplomat, politician, and the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland.-Biography:...
, which is now at the National Museum of Poland in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. Previously, near the end of the 19th century, Paderewski had commissioned Styka to paint what would become his most famous work internationally. Originally entitled "Golgotha" (the Aramaic name for the site of Christ's crucifixion), the painting became known simply as "The Crucifixion." This piece is an enormous panorama standing 195 feet (59.4 m) long by 45 feet (13.7 m) in height.
"The Crucifixion" has a fascinating history. Upon its commission in 1894, Styka travelled to Jerusalem to prepare sketches, and to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where his palette was blessed by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
.
The painting was unveiled in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
to great success on June 22, 1897. It was shown in many of the great cities of Europe, before making its way to America, to join the 1904 St. Louis Exposition.
The painting was seized when Styka's American partners failed to pay the customs taxes, and was considered lost for nearly forty years. In 1944, the painting was found, rolled around a telephone pole and badly damaged, having languished in the basement of the Chicago Civic Opera Company for decades.
Acquired by American businessman, Hubert Eaton
Hubert Eaton
Hubert Eaton was an American businessman.Born in Liberty, Missouri, he is noted as the creator of the Forest Lawn Glendale and Hollywood Hills cemeteries in the Los Angeles, California area that became the burial site for many movie stars and other film industry members...
, the painting was restored by Jan Styka's son, artist Adam Styka. It is on display in the Hall of the Crucifixion at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
.
In 2005-2006, the painting underwent a massive restoration as part of Forest Lawn's centennial celebration. It currently is shown, on the hour, from 10 am to 4pm. It features a new, state of the art guided light show and narrated presentation written by noted biblical scholar, Timothy Kirk.
Jan Styka died in 1925 and was buried in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. However, in 1959 Hubert Eaton arranged with Styka's family for his remains to be brought to the United States for interment in the "Hall of The Immortals" at Forest Lawn cemetery.
Sons Tadeusz "Tade" Styka (1889-1954) and Adam Styka (1890-1959) were both painters.
External links
- Details of the "Panorama of the Battle of Racławice" at the Wroclaw Municipality website
- Details of "The Crucifixion" at the Forest Lawn website
- Maria Styka family art