Munich was an incredibly important centre for Polish artists. The city offered excellent artistic education – The Academy of Fine Arts, private art schools, museums and galleries – and a favourable atmosphere along with low cost of living. Poles in the 19^th century, especially after the failed January Uprising, came here to find creative freedom and opportunities for development.

The Munich art colony was the first professional environment for Polish artists abroad and an important stage in the modernisation of Polish art and building a modern national identity. The exhibition at the Lublin Castle brings closer the achievements of Polish painters who studied in the capital of the Kingdom of Bavaria. Its aim is to present the complex Munich environment and its importance in shaping not only new trends in European art, but also the relations between various artistic circles at that time.

The exhibition included over 250 paintings by 67 outstanding artists, including: Teodor Axentowicz, Adam Chmielowski, Ludomir Benedyktowicz, Olga Boznańska, Józef Brandt, Maurycy Gottlieb and the Gierymski brothers. A special feature of the exhibition are paintings on loan from the Polish Museum in Rapperswil. These works of art are being presented in Poland for the first time in such a large and cohesive group. This creates a unique opportunity to explore the rich oeuvre of Polish artists associated with the Munich art scene.

The exhibition is available at the Lublin Castle from 22 November 2025 to 8 March 2026.

Read more: https://zamek-lublin.pl/en/temporary-exhibitions/polish-artists-in-munich-the-gierymski-brothers-stryjenska-wierusz-kowalski-chelmonski-and-others/