DOI Heft:
Nr. 2-3
DOI Artikel:Paszkiewicz, Mieczysław: Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois and his "Rotunda with Figures"
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18820#0070
that Stanislaus Augustus alone created 18 barons, 6 counts and 6 margraves. These titles werc
published and described in detail by Z. Wdowiszewski,14 but his list also does not include Bourge-
ois.
Was then the whole story of „confering on Francis Bourgeois the honour of knighthood with
the Order of Merit" a sheer fabrication ? Not altogether. It should be rather classified as a mixture
of misunderstanding (probably, to some extent a wilful one) and of exaggeration. There existed
in Poland a medal „Merentibus" created by Stanislaus Augustus himself and given very often
to „scientists, artists, distinguished travellers and inventors" (fig. 2).15
The actual medal given to Peter-Francis Bourgeois, togcther with the original ribbon is pre-
served in Dulwich College, the institution which benefited by his last will. It seems that the
artist valued the medal highly: he is represented wearing it with ostentation in the portrait
painted by Sir W. Beechey RA1C (fig. 3) (with a replica) copied at least twice by Bourgeois himself,
and later drawn by W. Evans and engraved by J. Vendramini.1?
Who bears the responsibility for the invention of P.F. Bourgeois's „Polish knighthood" can
only be suspected. But the speed with which he was presented to George III (by Francis Osborne,
14. Z. Wdowiszewski, „Tytuły polskie nadawane cudzoziemcom", [in:] Materiały do Biografii, Genealogii i Heraldyki Polskiej
III, Buenos Aires-Paryż, 1966, pp. 9-28.
15. H. Sadowski, Ordery i Ornaki Zaszczytne w Polsce, Warszawa, 1904, pp. 122-3, the illustrations, p. 121.
16. Beechey, Sir William RA (1753-1839), National Portrait Gallery, London, No. 231 and Dulwich College Picture Gallery,
No. 17, Bourgeois, Sir Peter Francis RA, copies after Beechey, Dul. Col. P.C., Nos 465 and 466.
17. Reproduced by Agassiz, ,,Sir Franeois Bourgeois", op. <■('(., facing p. 3.
4. T.H. Malton, The Taylor's Rotunda in the Old Bank of Eng la nd (offer Steaele, Yerbury
60
published and described in detail by Z. Wdowiszewski,14 but his list also does not include Bourge-
ois.
Was then the whole story of „confering on Francis Bourgeois the honour of knighthood with
the Order of Merit" a sheer fabrication ? Not altogether. It should be rather classified as a mixture
of misunderstanding (probably, to some extent a wilful one) and of exaggeration. There existed
in Poland a medal „Merentibus" created by Stanislaus Augustus himself and given very often
to „scientists, artists, distinguished travellers and inventors" (fig. 2).15
The actual medal given to Peter-Francis Bourgeois, togcther with the original ribbon is pre-
served in Dulwich College, the institution which benefited by his last will. It seems that the
artist valued the medal highly: he is represented wearing it with ostentation in the portrait
painted by Sir W. Beechey RA1C (fig. 3) (with a replica) copied at least twice by Bourgeois himself,
and later drawn by W. Evans and engraved by J. Vendramini.1?
Who bears the responsibility for the invention of P.F. Bourgeois's „Polish knighthood" can
only be suspected. But the speed with which he was presented to George III (by Francis Osborne,
14. Z. Wdowiszewski, „Tytuły polskie nadawane cudzoziemcom", [in:] Materiały do Biografii, Genealogii i Heraldyki Polskiej
III, Buenos Aires-Paryż, 1966, pp. 9-28.
15. H. Sadowski, Ordery i Ornaki Zaszczytne w Polsce, Warszawa, 1904, pp. 122-3, the illustrations, p. 121.
16. Beechey, Sir William RA (1753-1839), National Portrait Gallery, London, No. 231 and Dulwich College Picture Gallery,
No. 17, Bourgeois, Sir Peter Francis RA, copies after Beechey, Dul. Col. P.C., Nos 465 and 466.
17. Reproduced by Agassiz, ,,Sir Franeois Bourgeois", op. <■('(., facing p. 3.
4. T.H. Malton, The Taylor's Rotunda in the Old Bank of Eng la nd (offer Steaele, Yerbury
60