Friends of Artibus et Historiae and IRSA

Friends of Artibus et Historiae and IRSA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that will provide support to IRSA (Institute for Art Historical Research) and IRSA Foundation in Poland in the areas of art-historical research and publication of the international, academic, art-historical journal Artibus et Historiae, art exhibitions, and other artistic endeavors.

IRSA Institute for Art Historical Research was established in 1979, IRSA being the acronym of Istituto per le Ricerche di Storia dell’Arte, as the Institute was initially based in Venice (1979–1982). From there it moved to Florence and Vienna, and finally in 1996 to Cracow (Poland).

The idea of starting a new art periodical and a research institute as its subsidiary, originated with Dr habil. Józef Grabski at the end of the 1970s. His initiative was carried to fruition by a group of art historians gathered after the International Congress of the History of Art (CIHA) in Bologna in 1979 and IRSA as a research Institute and as a publisher (IRSA Publishing House) came into being. That same year (but dated already 1980) the first issue of Artibus et Historiae, appeared. 

We will serve the IRSA Foundationand Institute in Poland by promoting art and culture to those in the United States to gain support and funds. Initially, we will promote art and culture by doing art research and publication of the art-historical journal. We will use this approach to build interest and educate art scholars and researchers on Polish art. In the future, we will host art exhibitions, organize symposiums and conferences to bring Polish art to the United States.

We want to insert Polish art into the international mainstream by various curatorial and scholarly activities in order to raise funds to expand the IRSA Institute for Art Historical Research. We plan to build relationships in the United States with American foundations and others interested in supporting the Polish organizations in Krakow, Poland, in the area of art research and publication of the art-historical journal Artibus et Historiae, art exhibitions, etc.