Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow
Eastern Europe - Poland - Krakow
| Address: |
Plac Matejki 13 Krakow, PL-31-157 Poland |
| E-mail: | zebulano@cyf-kr.edu.pl |
| Phone: | +48 12 299 20 33 |
| Degree: | Bachelors |
| Setting: | Urban |
| Enrollment: | 1000 or Less |
| Financial aid: | Yes |
| Housing: | Yes |
Description
The Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow is the oldest artistic university in Poland. It was founded in 1818 and existed at the start as School of Drawing and Painting within the Department of Literature of Jagiellonian University (founded in 1364). After it became an independent unit in 1873 it assumed the name School of Fine Arts and its director at that time was a distinguished Polish historical painter, Jan Matejko (1838-1893), the present patron of the Academy. He contributed significantly into the formation of Krakow's artistic circle and had many distingushed disciples. After his death another great landscape painter, Julian Falat, played an important part as the first rector of the Academy. He became renowned as the reformer of the school which then received the academic status and assumed its present name, that of the Academy of Fine Arts. In the period which in the European art was mainly marked by Modernism the Faculty of Painting had the most distinguished Polish painters as teachers. Among them were: Leon Wyczolkowski, Teodor Axentowicz, Stanislaw Wyspianski, Jacek Malczewski, Jan Stanislawski and Jozef Mehoffer, and after 1905 Jozef Pankiewicz, Ferdynand Ruszczyc and Wojciech Weiss. The Academy was at the time the main centre of Polish artistic life. After Poland regained independence in 1918 the, so-called, Paris Committee was organized, which was later on known as the Branch of Krakow Academy in Paris. It contributed considerably into the development and promotion of Polish art. In addition, there were attempts at the time to create separate faculties at the Academy. After World War II there were two artistic universities in Krakow. In 1950 they merged with each other as State Higher School of Fine Arts and since 1979 the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts. The school has continued to develop its structure, teaching staff as well as the methods of instruction. It still remains faithful to its splendid tradition and at the same time is open to contemporary challenges and needs. The Academy of Fine Arts has been teaching artists for 180 years; among them are painters, sculptors, graphic, interior and industrial designers, stage designers and art conservators of high rank, thus contributing considerably to the creation of Polish culture and its promotion all over the world, wherever its numerous graduates or teachers and their work reach.
Curriculum Overview
Founded: 1818
Profile of the school:
state artistic school at university level
Period of studies:
5 or 6 years (depending on the faculty) - MFA studies;
3 years BFA studies (1st level studies);
2 years supplementary MFA studies (2nd level studies);
Language of instruction:
Polish
Legal status of the diploma:
university level diploma of "magister sztuki", equivalent of Master of Fine Arts degree
university level diploma of "licencjat", equivalent of Bacheler of Fine Arts degree
Number of faculties:
6
Number of staff employed:
94 professors and assistant professors
147 PhD holders, lecturers and teachers as well as instructor
112 technical, administrative and operating staff
Number of students in academic year 2001/02:
822 in all courses and years of studies
653 MFA studies (including 14 foreigners)
169 on the 1st and 2nd level studies (including 3 foreigners)
Departments:
Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Arts, Interior Design, Conservation and Restoration of Art Works, Industrial Design, Evening Undergraduate Studies.
Number of students participating in individual programmes, artistic training and international exchanges in 2001/02:
4 foreign trainees
23 Socrates programme (incoming students)
59 Socrates programme (outgoing students)
13 CEEPUS programme (incoming students)
9 CEEPUS programme (outgoing students)
Number of graduates in years 1945-2001 (including Katowice Branch till 1.09.2001):
5370 in all courses
