DOI Heft:
Nr. 4
DOI Artikel:Dobrowolski, Witold; Smuglewicz, Franciszek [Ill.]; Byres, James [Ill.]: The drawings of Etruscan tombs by Franciszek Smuglewicz and his cooperation with James Byres
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18863#0108
used as an argument by the defenders of Smuglewicz, strongly criticized for his decoration
of the Michailowski Palące in Petersburg considered of poor ąuality8.
The painter's achievements in Romę are cited by the anonymous author of the article pub-
lished in the Messager de Vilna in 1803, directed against the opinions of August Kotzebue9,
who underestimated both the painter's works executed in Petersburg and his artistic talent
in generał. The author of the article, most probably Michał Dłuski10, writes as follows: "Fran-
ciszek Smuglewicz spent twenty seven years studying painting in Rome; he was even awarded
several prizes by the Accademia di San Luca. Bearing in mind the fame Smuglewicz earned
thanks to his art, cardinal Borghese and the Prince Aldobrandini, whose connoisseurship of
fine arts was considerable, decided to decorate their palaces with his works. The paintings
he executed in Rome reached England and — on the other hand — they formed the basis of
his friendship with Winckelmann, Battoni, Conca and other eminent personages who appre-
ciated his achievements. It was him who popularized the ancient frescoes from Titus baths;
engravings executed after his drawings are to be found in the albums of the greatest connois-
seurs".
In the similar hearty way Franciszek Smuglewicz was defended against the attacks of A. Ko-
tzebue by an anonymous author of the article published in the Nowy Pamiętnik Warszawski
in 180211. The author's patriotic feelings were profoundly hurt by these disrespectful words
of the German writer, himself a poor expert in art, who called Smuglewicz "a Russian doubster"
while in reality he was a painter "whose works were admired in Italy and whose craft was to
achieve perfection after twenty years of studies in Rome, where he was freąuently awarded
prizes when competing w-ith most famous painters".
Not all of these informations and exaggerated eulogies are to be taken seriously. Franciszek
Smuglewicz spcnt in Rome not twenty seven but twenty years and only once (1766) he won the
first prize in the Clementine competition held by the Accademia di San Luca. The prize was
awarded in the first class of painting for a drawing representing the meeting of Abraham with
Melchizedec and the offer of sacrifice12.
Stanisław Lorentz was right in his supposition that the information about the decoration
of the Aldobrandini's Palące resulted from the wrong reeding of the record concerning Smug-
lewicz^ drawing for the engraving, which depicted the famous Roman painting called Nozze
Aldobrandini13. It is quite possible, however that the author of the article did not mean murals
but painted copies of the works of Italian masters and portraits commissioned by Roman aris-
tocrats. Yet, the whole problem is still unclear.
8. Mytariewa, "O dwu odnalezionych", op. cil.,p. 32—36.
9. A. Kotzebue, Bas merkwiirdige Jahr meines Lebens, II, Berlin, 1802. p. 130, 135, 143, 152.
10. M.D.A.P. de la C. de Vii (M. Dłuski?), Messager de Vilna, II, 1803, p. 22; E. Łopaciński, "Z dziejów lwórczofci F. Ermig-
lewicza", Prace i Materiały Sekcji Historii Sztuki Towarzystwa Przyjaciół Nauk w Wilnie, III, Wilno, 1938—1939, p. 127—
—133.
11. Nowy Pamiętnik Warszawski, 1802, July, p. 102—103.
12. Wiadomości Warszawskie, Dccember 1766, No 100; Archwio Storico deirAceademia di S. Luca; Relazione del solenne
Concorso delia distribuzione di Premi cclebrata sul Campidoglio daWJnsigne Accademia del Disegno in S. Luca il di Novembre
1766. Cartella: Concorsi Clementini 1758—1793; M. Lorct, Życie polskie w Rzymie w XVIII w., Roma, 1929, p. 294—295,
fig. 28; ibid., GU artisti polacchi a Roma nel settecento, Milano Roma, 1929, p. 30'—33; S. Lorentz, Relazioni artistiche fra
VItalia e la Polonia, Roma, 1961, p. 13; collectiyc work Ł'Accademia Nazionale di S. Luca, Roma, 1974, p. 355; I. Ma-
linowska, (in:) Polonia, Arie e culllura del mediocvo aWilluminismo, catalogue of tbe Exbibition, Roma, Palazzo Venezia
23 maggio — 22 Iuglio 1975, p. 252, No 240.
13. S. Lorentz, "Domus Aurea Nerona", Meander I, 6, 1946, p. 317 ff.; K. Zaleski, (in;) Polonia, Arte e Cultura, op. cit.,
p. 250—251. There is a copy of the Nozze Aldobrandini at Harleąuin in Ribston — decorated with Smuglewiczła
copies, see also note 107 below.
98
of the Michailowski Palące in Petersburg considered of poor ąuality8.
The painter's achievements in Romę are cited by the anonymous author of the article pub-
lished in the Messager de Vilna in 1803, directed against the opinions of August Kotzebue9,
who underestimated both the painter's works executed in Petersburg and his artistic talent
in generał. The author of the article, most probably Michał Dłuski10, writes as follows: "Fran-
ciszek Smuglewicz spent twenty seven years studying painting in Rome; he was even awarded
several prizes by the Accademia di San Luca. Bearing in mind the fame Smuglewicz earned
thanks to his art, cardinal Borghese and the Prince Aldobrandini, whose connoisseurship of
fine arts was considerable, decided to decorate their palaces with his works. The paintings
he executed in Rome reached England and — on the other hand — they formed the basis of
his friendship with Winckelmann, Battoni, Conca and other eminent personages who appre-
ciated his achievements. It was him who popularized the ancient frescoes from Titus baths;
engravings executed after his drawings are to be found in the albums of the greatest connois-
seurs".
In the similar hearty way Franciszek Smuglewicz was defended against the attacks of A. Ko-
tzebue by an anonymous author of the article published in the Nowy Pamiętnik Warszawski
in 180211. The author's patriotic feelings were profoundly hurt by these disrespectful words
of the German writer, himself a poor expert in art, who called Smuglewicz "a Russian doubster"
while in reality he was a painter "whose works were admired in Italy and whose craft was to
achieve perfection after twenty years of studies in Rome, where he was freąuently awarded
prizes when competing w-ith most famous painters".
Not all of these informations and exaggerated eulogies are to be taken seriously. Franciszek
Smuglewicz spcnt in Rome not twenty seven but twenty years and only once (1766) he won the
first prize in the Clementine competition held by the Accademia di San Luca. The prize was
awarded in the first class of painting for a drawing representing the meeting of Abraham with
Melchizedec and the offer of sacrifice12.
Stanisław Lorentz was right in his supposition that the information about the decoration
of the Aldobrandini's Palące resulted from the wrong reeding of the record concerning Smug-
lewicz^ drawing for the engraving, which depicted the famous Roman painting called Nozze
Aldobrandini13. It is quite possible, however that the author of the article did not mean murals
but painted copies of the works of Italian masters and portraits commissioned by Roman aris-
tocrats. Yet, the whole problem is still unclear.
8. Mytariewa, "O dwu odnalezionych", op. cil.,p. 32—36.
9. A. Kotzebue, Bas merkwiirdige Jahr meines Lebens, II, Berlin, 1802. p. 130, 135, 143, 152.
10. M.D.A.P. de la C. de Vii (M. Dłuski?), Messager de Vilna, II, 1803, p. 22; E. Łopaciński, "Z dziejów lwórczofci F. Ermig-
lewicza", Prace i Materiały Sekcji Historii Sztuki Towarzystwa Przyjaciół Nauk w Wilnie, III, Wilno, 1938—1939, p. 127—
—133.
11. Nowy Pamiętnik Warszawski, 1802, July, p. 102—103.
12. Wiadomości Warszawskie, Dccember 1766, No 100; Archwio Storico deirAceademia di S. Luca; Relazione del solenne
Concorso delia distribuzione di Premi cclebrata sul Campidoglio daWJnsigne Accademia del Disegno in S. Luca il di Novembre
1766. Cartella: Concorsi Clementini 1758—1793; M. Lorct, Życie polskie w Rzymie w XVIII w., Roma, 1929, p. 294—295,
fig. 28; ibid., GU artisti polacchi a Roma nel settecento, Milano Roma, 1929, p. 30'—33; S. Lorentz, Relazioni artistiche fra
VItalia e la Polonia, Roma, 1961, p. 13; collectiyc work Ł'Accademia Nazionale di S. Luca, Roma, 1974, p. 355; I. Ma-
linowska, (in:) Polonia, Arie e culllura del mediocvo aWilluminismo, catalogue of tbe Exbibition, Roma, Palazzo Venezia
23 maggio — 22 Iuglio 1975, p. 252, No 240.
13. S. Lorentz, "Domus Aurea Nerona", Meander I, 6, 1946, p. 317 ff.; K. Zaleski, (in;) Polonia, Arte e Cultura, op. cit.,
p. 250—251. There is a copy of the Nozze Aldobrandini at Harleąuin in Ribston — decorated with Smuglewiczła
copies, see also note 107 below.
98