DOI issue:
Nr. 1-2
DOI article:Bernatowicz, Aleksandra: Dobrzyca - błędów - mała wieś: dekoracje "Jego mości pana malarza" Roberta Stankiewicza
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49354#0084
78
Aleksandra Bernatowicz
Commonwealth, particularly where interior decora-
tion included grotesque themes, such as the cabinet
of generał Andrzej Mokronowski's manor house at
Jordanowice, bedroom of the palace of the
Wołłowicz estate at Świack near Grodno or palatial
library at Lubostroń belonging to Fryderyk
Skórzewski. However, decoration of the window
splays would appear to have been drawn from a
Pompeian-style połychrome possibly linked to the
work of Robert Adam (ill. 11).
Prior to the mythological scene's discovery at
Dobrzyca, Robert Stankiewicz had been known pri-
marily as the devisor of interior wall painting the
Walicki palace in Warsaw, which once stood on the
corner of Senatorska and former Rymarska Streets; a
fact recorded in the contract drawn up for the artist
(cf.: ANEKS I), which divulges that the ceilings were
decorated by applying the chiaroscuro method, to-
gether with rosettes and cornices 'decked with
leaves'. Further proof of the artist's participation in
work on the Walicki possessions is to be found in a
hereto unpublished agreement dated 1811 (cf:
ANEKS II) concerning the also no longer existent in-
terior decoration of a manor house at Błędów (ill. 12).
It should be added that, according to documents pre-
served in Warsaw's Main Archives of Old Records
(AGAD), Stankiewicz was also active in the main
residence of the Walicki family at Mała Wieś. The
artist confirmed he had been rewarded for work car-
ried out on the palace here in a receipt dated 13th July
1818 (ill. 13). Unfortunately, no trace has been found
to date of the agreement to which this receipt refers. It
is known from other sources that Stankiewicz had
been active at Mała Wieś earlier, such as in 1808 when
he painted the ceilings and cornices in accordance
with the designs of Fryderyk Albert Lessel.
Illustrations
1. Dobrzyca, palace. Interior plan of the ground
floor, after a drawing (unpublished) by J. M.
Piękniewski
2. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Sopraporta in the southern
wall, signed by Robert Stankiewicz, distemper on
plasterboard, 1800-4
3. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Detail of the sopraporta in
the southern wall, signed by Robert Stankiewicz,
distemper on plasterboard, 1800-4, by B. Gajewski
4. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Sopraporta in the western
wall, Robert Stankiewicz, distemper on plaster-
board, 1800-4 s
5. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Ceiling, Robert Stankiewicz,
From the data it has been possible to gather,
some idea may be gained of Robert Stankiewicz's
abilities and the nature of his decorative composi-
tions. It is elear from the signed sopraporta at
Dobrzyca that he painted figural scenes inspired by
ancient mythology, as well as the ornamental poly-
chrome work adorning the same palace's interiors.
Furthermore, he made use of the chiaroscuro tech-
nique in order to imitate the stuccoed or bas-relief
architectural decoration there. He thus painted in the
antiquated style cornices, mouldings and rosettes, as
they once existed or have survived to the present day
in the Walicki family's Warsaw residence, Mała
Wieś as well as at Błędów, where he was also en-
trusted to create the likenesses offigures from antiq-
uity. It may be taken as highly łikely that Stankiewicz
was responsible for the interior decoration of the
first floor at Mała Wieś, whose walls are adorned
with the busts of distinguished individuals of the an-
cient world, carried out in chiaroscuro. It is possible
that the receipt of 1818 referred to in this article was
connected, either exclusively or in part, with the in-
terior decoration of this residence. Whatever may be
the case, the artist must have worked in the service
of the Walickis during the period 1802-1818.
In conclusion, it should be borne in mind that
Stankiewicz collaborated with two architects,
Fryderyk Albert Lessel, working for the Walickis
(Warszawa, Mała Wieś, Błędów) and Stanisław
Zawadzki (Dobrzyca). If it is taken into considera-
tion that the same group of artists ffequently worked
on subsequent palace designs, it may be presumed
that this painter could have been employed to deco-
rate the interiors of other residences by the same
architects.
Translated by Peter Martyn
distemper on plasterboard, 1800-4
6. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Detail ofthe ceiling, Robert
Stankiewicz, distemper on plasterboard, 1800-4
7. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Detail of the wall decora-
tion, north-east corner, Robert Stankiewicz, distem-
per on plasterboard, 1800-4
8. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Detail of the wall decora-
tion, north-east corner, Robert Stankiewicz, distem-
per on plasterboard, 1800-4
9. Dobrzyca, palace, groundfloor, room decorated with
a grotesque motif. Detail of the north wall decoration,
Robert Stankiewicz, distemper on plasterboard, 1800-4
10. Rome, Palazzo Spada, Sala dello Zodiaco, repro-
duced from R. Cannata, M. L. Vicini, M.L. Ghetti,
Aleksandra Bernatowicz
Commonwealth, particularly where interior decora-
tion included grotesque themes, such as the cabinet
of generał Andrzej Mokronowski's manor house at
Jordanowice, bedroom of the palace of the
Wołłowicz estate at Świack near Grodno or palatial
library at Lubostroń belonging to Fryderyk
Skórzewski. However, decoration of the window
splays would appear to have been drawn from a
Pompeian-style połychrome possibly linked to the
work of Robert Adam (ill. 11).
Prior to the mythological scene's discovery at
Dobrzyca, Robert Stankiewicz had been known pri-
marily as the devisor of interior wall painting the
Walicki palace in Warsaw, which once stood on the
corner of Senatorska and former Rymarska Streets; a
fact recorded in the contract drawn up for the artist
(cf.: ANEKS I), which divulges that the ceilings were
decorated by applying the chiaroscuro method, to-
gether with rosettes and cornices 'decked with
leaves'. Further proof of the artist's participation in
work on the Walicki possessions is to be found in a
hereto unpublished agreement dated 1811 (cf:
ANEKS II) concerning the also no longer existent in-
terior decoration of a manor house at Błędów (ill. 12).
It should be added that, according to documents pre-
served in Warsaw's Main Archives of Old Records
(AGAD), Stankiewicz was also active in the main
residence of the Walicki family at Mała Wieś. The
artist confirmed he had been rewarded for work car-
ried out on the palace here in a receipt dated 13th July
1818 (ill. 13). Unfortunately, no trace has been found
to date of the agreement to which this receipt refers. It
is known from other sources that Stankiewicz had
been active at Mała Wieś earlier, such as in 1808 when
he painted the ceilings and cornices in accordance
with the designs of Fryderyk Albert Lessel.
Illustrations
1. Dobrzyca, palace. Interior plan of the ground
floor, after a drawing (unpublished) by J. M.
Piękniewski
2. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Sopraporta in the southern
wall, signed by Robert Stankiewicz, distemper on
plasterboard, 1800-4
3. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Detail of the sopraporta in
the southern wall, signed by Robert Stankiewicz,
distemper on plasterboard, 1800-4, by B. Gajewski
4. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Sopraporta in the western
wall, Robert Stankiewicz, distemper on plaster-
board, 1800-4 s
5. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Ceiling, Robert Stankiewicz,
From the data it has been possible to gather,
some idea may be gained of Robert Stankiewicz's
abilities and the nature of his decorative composi-
tions. It is elear from the signed sopraporta at
Dobrzyca that he painted figural scenes inspired by
ancient mythology, as well as the ornamental poly-
chrome work adorning the same palace's interiors.
Furthermore, he made use of the chiaroscuro tech-
nique in order to imitate the stuccoed or bas-relief
architectural decoration there. He thus painted in the
antiquated style cornices, mouldings and rosettes, as
they once existed or have survived to the present day
in the Walicki family's Warsaw residence, Mała
Wieś as well as at Błędów, where he was also en-
trusted to create the likenesses offigures from antiq-
uity. It may be taken as highly łikely that Stankiewicz
was responsible for the interior decoration of the
first floor at Mała Wieś, whose walls are adorned
with the busts of distinguished individuals of the an-
cient world, carried out in chiaroscuro. It is possible
that the receipt of 1818 referred to in this article was
connected, either exclusively or in part, with the in-
terior decoration of this residence. Whatever may be
the case, the artist must have worked in the service
of the Walickis during the period 1802-1818.
In conclusion, it should be borne in mind that
Stankiewicz collaborated with two architects,
Fryderyk Albert Lessel, working for the Walickis
(Warszawa, Mała Wieś, Błędów) and Stanisław
Zawadzki (Dobrzyca). If it is taken into considera-
tion that the same group of artists ffequently worked
on subsequent palace designs, it may be presumed
that this painter could have been employed to deco-
rate the interiors of other residences by the same
architects.
Translated by Peter Martyn
distemper on plasterboard, 1800-4
6. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Detail ofthe ceiling, Robert
Stankiewicz, distemper on plasterboard, 1800-4
7. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Detail of the wall decora-
tion, north-east corner, Robert Stankiewicz, distem-
per on plasterboard, 1800-4
8. Dobrzyca, palace, ground floor, room decorated
with a grotesque motif. Detail of the wall decora-
tion, north-east corner, Robert Stankiewicz, distem-
per on plasterboard, 1800-4
9. Dobrzyca, palace, groundfloor, room decorated with
a grotesque motif. Detail of the north wall decoration,
Robert Stankiewicz, distemper on plasterboard, 1800-4
10. Rome, Palazzo Spada, Sala dello Zodiaco, repro-
duced from R. Cannata, M. L. Vicini, M.L. Ghetti,