DOI issue:
Nr. 1-2
DOI article:Artykuły
DOI article:Susak, Vita: Kurtyna Hendryka siemiradzkiego w teatrze Lwowskim
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48914#0149
KURTYNA SIEMIRADZKIEGO W TEATRZE LWOWSKIM
Vita Susak
THE STAGE CURTAIN OF HENRYK SIEMIRADZKI IN THE L'VIV THEATRE
Summary
The one hundredth anniversary of Henryk Siemiradzki's
death is due to be commemorated in the near future. The
works of this painter, which included such well-known
compositions as Nero's Procession, Fryne or Christ
Assuaging the Storm, as well as the monumental
decorative stage curtains for the two municipal theatres
at Cracow and L'viv (Pol. Lwów, Rus. L'vov, Ger.
Lemberg), have not as yet been researched in any great
detail.
Siemiradzki's stage curtains for Cracow (1894) and
L'viv (1900) were designed in accordance with the
principles of monumental art. Their appearance,
accompanied by both praise and critical opinions,
caused sensation in the cultural lives of the two cities.
Both stage curtains were painted according to the
conventions and language of antiquity which would be
understood by the theatre-going public. The themes
chosen reflected the formal tendencies in style of the
epoch and expressed the moods prevailing at that time
throughout Europe. Siemiradzki did not introduce a
single innovation in his work on the curtain. The roots
of symbolism in theatre reach back to Ancient Greece,
a fact explaining the repetition in the Cracow and L'viv
curtains of themes known to everybody at the time; a
"fistful of allegories" composed to perfection in the
academic style illustrating the artist's impression of
theatre art and its relation to life. The sources of
creativity, Theatre and Life form a triad comprising the
main themes in both stage curtains.
The central figure in the Cracow curtain (ill. 2) is
Genius (Inspiration), seated on the Altar of Art. He
unites Truth and Beauty, placing his hand on the heads
of each. To his right stand Musie and Song, discouraging
the Soul from sensualism. Below him is depicted
Comedy, without a care with a clown, and next to this
personification is Tragedy who looks on with sadness at
the defects and misfortunes of people.
In the L'viv stage curtain (ill. 1) Inspiration is
depicted as Pythia of Delphi with the inseparable
Fantasy and Understanding. To the left are placed
representatives of the theatre arts, while to the right is
the allegorical figure of History introducing Comedy
and Tragedy who indicate people in pursuit of
illusionary happiness.
Siemiradzki's conception of the creative act was the
apparition of the superb and highest source of Providence.
Its realisation should be accompanied by mutually
balanced and purely human features. For the Cracow
curtain the artist chose the notions of Beauty and Truth,
while for the L'viv curtain he opted for Fantasy and
Understanding. For an academic artist the depicting of
rationality was also important. In the L'viv curtain he
selected three constituent components of creativity,
placing in the field-glasses of Apollo's temple the following
inscriptions: Inspiration, Fantasy and Understanding. As in
Cracow, he placed Comedy and Tragedy in his L'viv
composition within the sphere of human life. Sic fait, sic
est, erit semper? was inscribed in the open book held by
History who indicates people who are striving in despair
to achieve wealth, Fame and Love. These people are
seen to be falling into a deep ravine in their pursuit of
these illusions. The artist placed at the feet of Comedy
a tiny temple-theatre decorated with thorns and roses,
and on the front of which are inscribed the words
Theatrum vanitatis. Risus. Lacrimae. - a definition of
the triviality of human life. Below this inscription the
author signed his name on a stone parapet: H.
Siemiradzki pinx. AD MCM. In the introductory sketch
reproduced in the exhibition catalogue of 1939 this little
temple is missing. The artist introduced it at a later stage,
mainly out of a desire to complete the composition
spatially; this was not an accidental object, but a planned
element in the entire conception.
The artist worked for nearly two years on the L'viv
stage curtain. Little has survived of the original sketches
and preliminary drawings. Four sketches have been
preserved in the National Museum at Cracow depicting
Operetta with a faun, a detailed study of Operetta's pose,
a group comprising Poetry, Opera and Musie, as well as
Fortune.
The annexes published at the end of the article comprise
excerpts from the records relating to the L'viv Theatre's
construction, as well as Henryk Siemiradzki's letters to the
theatre's main architect, Zygmunt Gorgolewski.
Translated by Peter Martyn
139
Vita Susak
THE STAGE CURTAIN OF HENRYK SIEMIRADZKI IN THE L'VIV THEATRE
Summary
The one hundredth anniversary of Henryk Siemiradzki's
death is due to be commemorated in the near future. The
works of this painter, which included such well-known
compositions as Nero's Procession, Fryne or Christ
Assuaging the Storm, as well as the monumental
decorative stage curtains for the two municipal theatres
at Cracow and L'viv (Pol. Lwów, Rus. L'vov, Ger.
Lemberg), have not as yet been researched in any great
detail.
Siemiradzki's stage curtains for Cracow (1894) and
L'viv (1900) were designed in accordance with the
principles of monumental art. Their appearance,
accompanied by both praise and critical opinions,
caused sensation in the cultural lives of the two cities.
Both stage curtains were painted according to the
conventions and language of antiquity which would be
understood by the theatre-going public. The themes
chosen reflected the formal tendencies in style of the
epoch and expressed the moods prevailing at that time
throughout Europe. Siemiradzki did not introduce a
single innovation in his work on the curtain. The roots
of symbolism in theatre reach back to Ancient Greece,
a fact explaining the repetition in the Cracow and L'viv
curtains of themes known to everybody at the time; a
"fistful of allegories" composed to perfection in the
academic style illustrating the artist's impression of
theatre art and its relation to life. The sources of
creativity, Theatre and Life form a triad comprising the
main themes in both stage curtains.
The central figure in the Cracow curtain (ill. 2) is
Genius (Inspiration), seated on the Altar of Art. He
unites Truth and Beauty, placing his hand on the heads
of each. To his right stand Musie and Song, discouraging
the Soul from sensualism. Below him is depicted
Comedy, without a care with a clown, and next to this
personification is Tragedy who looks on with sadness at
the defects and misfortunes of people.
In the L'viv stage curtain (ill. 1) Inspiration is
depicted as Pythia of Delphi with the inseparable
Fantasy and Understanding. To the left are placed
representatives of the theatre arts, while to the right is
the allegorical figure of History introducing Comedy
and Tragedy who indicate people in pursuit of
illusionary happiness.
Siemiradzki's conception of the creative act was the
apparition of the superb and highest source of Providence.
Its realisation should be accompanied by mutually
balanced and purely human features. For the Cracow
curtain the artist chose the notions of Beauty and Truth,
while for the L'viv curtain he opted for Fantasy and
Understanding. For an academic artist the depicting of
rationality was also important. In the L'viv curtain he
selected three constituent components of creativity,
placing in the field-glasses of Apollo's temple the following
inscriptions: Inspiration, Fantasy and Understanding. As in
Cracow, he placed Comedy and Tragedy in his L'viv
composition within the sphere of human life. Sic fait, sic
est, erit semper? was inscribed in the open book held by
History who indicates people who are striving in despair
to achieve wealth, Fame and Love. These people are
seen to be falling into a deep ravine in their pursuit of
these illusions. The artist placed at the feet of Comedy
a tiny temple-theatre decorated with thorns and roses,
and on the front of which are inscribed the words
Theatrum vanitatis. Risus. Lacrimae. - a definition of
the triviality of human life. Below this inscription the
author signed his name on a stone parapet: H.
Siemiradzki pinx. AD MCM. In the introductory sketch
reproduced in the exhibition catalogue of 1939 this little
temple is missing. The artist introduced it at a later stage,
mainly out of a desire to complete the composition
spatially; this was not an accidental object, but a planned
element in the entire conception.
The artist worked for nearly two years on the L'viv
stage curtain. Little has survived of the original sketches
and preliminary drawings. Four sketches have been
preserved in the National Museum at Cracow depicting
Operetta with a faun, a detailed study of Operetta's pose,
a group comprising Poetry, Opera and Musie, as well as
Fortune.
The annexes published at the end of the article comprise
excerpts from the records relating to the L'viv Theatre's
construction, as well as Henryk Siemiradzki's letters to the
theatre's main architect, Zygmunt Gorgolewski.
Translated by Peter Martyn
139