Instytut Sztuki (Warschau) [Editor]; Państwowy Instytut Sztuki (bis 1959) [Editor]; Stowarzyszenie Historyków Sztuki [Editor]: Biuletyn Historii Sztuki (78.2016)

Nieznany portret Atanazego hr. Raczyńskiego w zbiorach szwajcarskich

297

Unknown Portrait of Atanazy Raczyński
in a Swiss Collection

The vicissitude and iconography of a collective
portrait by the Swiss painter Leopold Robert,
executed in Rome in 1821, are discussed. The
painting presents, among others, Atanazy Count
Raczyński aged 33. Deposited at the Musee d'Art et
d'Histoire in Geneva, the piece has been unknown to
Polish art history. The work was commissioned by the
Scottish diplomat, writer, philosopher, and out-
standing scholar Sir William Drummond (1770?-
1828), who is actually the painting's main protagonist.
The conversation piece type composition including

a visible interaction among the presented characters
implies through their gestures they are all talking.
The portrayed may be shown in Drummond's
apartment in Rome, while the conversation focuses
on Atanazy Raczyński's memorandum of March
1821, whose copy is to be found in the Poznań
Raczyńskis' Library. Having waited for two years
for being called to Prussia's diplomatic service,
Raczyński resigns in the letter from running for any
office. At this point Drummond seems to be the
young Pole's mentor and adviser.
Translated by Magdalena Iwińska