Museum of the History of Vitebsk People's Art School
Музей истории Витебской народной художественной школы
The former site of the art school founded by Chagall in 1918, where Malevich and other avant-garde masters taught. It marks the birth of Suprematism.
This building was originally the mansion of a Jewish banker. In 1918 Chagall founded the Vitebsk People’s Art School here and served as its director. Avant-garde artists including Malevich and Lissitzky then came to teach. Malevich set up the UNOVIS group here, which briefly made Vitebsk a centre of Russian avant-garde art. The museum has recreated the original classrooms and teaching documents, and it displays reproductions of works by students and teachers along with archival material. It is well worth a visit for anyone interested in modern art history. Closed on Mondays.
Opening hours
Closed Mondays; 10:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Church of the Annunciation
- Victory Square
- Holy Spirit Convent
- Holy Assumption Cathedral
- Church of the Resurrection
- Vitebsk Town Hall
- Summer Amphitheatre
- Governor's Palace