Zachęta
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| Established | 13 December 1860 |
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| Location | Warsaw, Poland |
| Type | Museum for Contemporary Polish Art |
| Director | Hanna Wróblewska |
| Website | www |
The Zachęta National Gallery of Art (Polish: Narodowa Galeria Sztuki), is a contemporary art museum in the centre of Warsaw, Poland. The main aim of the gallery is to present and support Polish contemporary art and artists. With numerous temporary exhibitions of well known foreign artists, the gallery has also established itself internationally.
The Polish term, zachęta, can be translated as encouragement or motivation and refers to the Towarzystwo Zachęty do Sztuk Pięknych (Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts) founded in Warsaw in 1860.
Before 1860 there were neither public museums nor libraries nor other generally accessible institutions that allowed for exchange between artists. The repression that resulted from the November Uprising, made higher artistic education virtually impossible. The last major exhibition took place in 1845. After protests by artists during the 1850s, the Wystawa Krajowa Sztuk Pięknych (National Exhibition of Fine Arts) was approved in 1858, and lead to negotiations with Russian rulers who in the end permitted the foundation of the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts in 1860. The Society's statutes were set by artists and art experts. The first official meeting and the election of a board of directors took place on 13 December 1860. The board had twelve members, six artists and six art experts, and was elected annually. The members remained in office for at least one month but no longer than one year.
The primary aim of the Society was the dissemination of fine arts as well as support and encouragement of artists. Furthermore, its intention was to create general awareness of art among the Polish society. In 1860 the Society had 234 official registered members. Only one year later the number had increased to 1464.
Initially, all artworks were on display until they were sold. Soon enough that lead to crowded walls and a monotonous permanent exhibition. After fundamental changes made between 1900 and 1939, the permanent exhibition was shown only in addition to temporarily changing exhibitions.
The Society hosted annual salons, funded scholarships and offered other aid to young artists, both members and candidates.
First tenders for the design of a new building were put out in 1862. However, due to a lack of financial resources the plans were not realized. After the Society was given land by the municipality, another competition was announced in 1894, won by the Warsaw architect, Stefan Szyller. He presented an architectural design in neo-Renaissance style with classical elements. The portal is ornamented with allegorical figures and sculptural works by Zygmunt Otto. The architrave of the building is engraved with the Latin word Artibus.
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Wikipedia