DOI issue:
Nr. 4
DOI article:Dobrowolski, Witold; Smuglewicz, Franciszek [Ill.]; Byres, James [Ill.]: The drawings of Etruscan tombs by Franciszek Smuglewicz and his cooperation with James Byres
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18863#0114
surprising that the problem has bcen of little interest to scholars studying the works of Srriug-
lewicz.24
The situation can be partly explained by the fact that in Poland there have been no spe-
cialists in Etruscan art. The lack of such experts made idcntification of the preseived drawings
and engravings difficult. The fact that the album was not published during the painter's stay
in Rome and not even during his lifetime, and that the Etruscan tcmbs drawn by him were
later partly or completely destroyed, makes the whole study more difficult and ambiguous-
Therefore at the time when the interest in Etruria nas renewed those tombs were little known
and only in the narrow circles of the specialists.
The four drawings and fourteen engravings originally from the Print Room of the King Stanisław
August25 (now in the collections of the Warsaw University) became the essential source of in-
formation about Smuglewicz's work on the album of Etruscan art.
The drawings and engravings form one set. The insufficient data impedes in aseertaining
the precise date of its inclusion in to the Royal collection. It is generally known that Smugle-
wicz, being at the time (from 1766 or 1767 onwards) one of the carliest holders of the King's
scholarship, was obliged to send his works to the King.26 However, it is difficult to judge now,
whether the drawings and engravings were included in the Royal collection already during
the painter's stay in Rome- which seems a logical explanation- or were given to the King only
after Smuglewicz's return to Poland in 1784.
In the last years of Stanisław August's reign the Royal Print Room possessed a large set
of the works by Smuglcwicz, which were regarded by the King as a valuable part of his col-
lection27. Among other things it must have also contained the drawings of Etruscan tombs.
It is not likely that they were included in the collection after the King's death. The heirs of
the King, prince Józef Poniatowski and Maria Teresa Tyszkiewicz, primo voto Poniatowska,
did not enlarge the collection28. The painter was more closely connected with the King than
with his heirs. In 1797 Smuglewicz left for Vilno29 and his contact with the Warsaw milieu
was limited. In 1803 a plan of secret sale of the Royal print collection was devised. For that
purpose J. Albertrandy dressed an inventory entitled: Description sommaire d'une tres grandę
collection d'Estampes enrichie de plusieurs desseins dont Vacąuisition est proposee aux Amateurs
de Varsovie dans la Prusse Meridionale en 1803. This manuscript was luckily preserved in the
library of the Płock Learned Society. The "quatre etudes de tombeaux Etrusąues" (the draw-
ings now at the Print Room of the Warsaw University), are enlisted as the tenth item in the
part concerning Smuglewicz's drawings on the page 71 of the manuscript.
24. S. Lorentz, "Domus Aurea Nerona", op. cii., p. 316; ibid., Relazioni artistichc fra VItalia e la Polonia, loc. cii., p. 13; Rysz-
kiewicz, op. cii., p. 96; Drcma, op. cit., p. 55. The term "Etruscan tombs" is after Batowski (Thieme-Becker, p. 183) gene-
erally put in quotation marks", questioning in this Etruscan character of the motives.
25. Print Room of the Warsaw University, Royal Collection, No. T. 175; Z. Batowski, Zbiór Graficzny w Uniwersytecie War-
szawskim, Warszawa, 1928.
26. In the information published by the Wiadomości Warszawskie (January 1766) and concerning Smuglewicz's prize in the-
competition organized by Accadcmia di San Luca the painter is already referred to as the King's scholarship holder. It
was his friend, architect Carlo Spampani. who contrihuted much to the popularization and distribution of the painter's-
engravings, pictures and drawings in Poland. W. Kicszkowski, op. cit., No 1, p. 30, footnote 2; No 2, p. 69—70.
27. In the Ietter written in Grodno in 1795 the King ordered Bacciarelli to include the drawings in the more valuable part
of his collection.
28. Batowski, Zbiór Graficzny, op. cit.
29. Batowski, Thime-Beckcr, p. 183.
104
lewicz.24
The situation can be partly explained by the fact that in Poland there have been no spe-
cialists in Etruscan art. The lack of such experts made idcntification of the preseived drawings
and engravings difficult. The fact that the album was not published during the painter's stay
in Rome and not even during his lifetime, and that the Etruscan tcmbs drawn by him were
later partly or completely destroyed, makes the whole study more difficult and ambiguous-
Therefore at the time when the interest in Etruria nas renewed those tombs were little known
and only in the narrow circles of the specialists.
The four drawings and fourteen engravings originally from the Print Room of the King Stanisław
August25 (now in the collections of the Warsaw University) became the essential source of in-
formation about Smuglewicz's work on the album of Etruscan art.
The drawings and engravings form one set. The insufficient data impedes in aseertaining
the precise date of its inclusion in to the Royal collection. It is generally known that Smugle-
wicz, being at the time (from 1766 or 1767 onwards) one of the carliest holders of the King's
scholarship, was obliged to send his works to the King.26 However, it is difficult to judge now,
whether the drawings and engravings were included in the Royal collection already during
the painter's stay in Rome- which seems a logical explanation- or were given to the King only
after Smuglewicz's return to Poland in 1784.
In the last years of Stanisław August's reign the Royal Print Room possessed a large set
of the works by Smuglcwicz, which were regarded by the King as a valuable part of his col-
lection27. Among other things it must have also contained the drawings of Etruscan tombs.
It is not likely that they were included in the collection after the King's death. The heirs of
the King, prince Józef Poniatowski and Maria Teresa Tyszkiewicz, primo voto Poniatowska,
did not enlarge the collection28. The painter was more closely connected with the King than
with his heirs. In 1797 Smuglewicz left for Vilno29 and his contact with the Warsaw milieu
was limited. In 1803 a plan of secret sale of the Royal print collection was devised. For that
purpose J. Albertrandy dressed an inventory entitled: Description sommaire d'une tres grandę
collection d'Estampes enrichie de plusieurs desseins dont Vacąuisition est proposee aux Amateurs
de Varsovie dans la Prusse Meridionale en 1803. This manuscript was luckily preserved in the
library of the Płock Learned Society. The "quatre etudes de tombeaux Etrusąues" (the draw-
ings now at the Print Room of the Warsaw University), are enlisted as the tenth item in the
part concerning Smuglewicz's drawings on the page 71 of the manuscript.
24. S. Lorentz, "Domus Aurea Nerona", op. cii., p. 316; ibid., Relazioni artistichc fra VItalia e la Polonia, loc. cii., p. 13; Rysz-
kiewicz, op. cii., p. 96; Drcma, op. cit., p. 55. The term "Etruscan tombs" is after Batowski (Thieme-Becker, p. 183) gene-
erally put in quotation marks", questioning in this Etruscan character of the motives.
25. Print Room of the Warsaw University, Royal Collection, No. T. 175; Z. Batowski, Zbiór Graficzny w Uniwersytecie War-
szawskim, Warszawa, 1928.
26. In the information published by the Wiadomości Warszawskie (January 1766) and concerning Smuglewicz's prize in the-
competition organized by Accadcmia di San Luca the painter is already referred to as the King's scholarship holder. It
was his friend, architect Carlo Spampani. who contrihuted much to the popularization and distribution of the painter's-
engravings, pictures and drawings in Poland. W. Kicszkowski, op. cit., No 1, p. 30, footnote 2; No 2, p. 69—70.
27. In the Ietter written in Grodno in 1795 the King ordered Bacciarelli to include the drawings in the more valuable part
of his collection.
28. Batowski, Zbiór Graficzny, op. cit.
29. Batowski, Thime-Beckcr, p. 183.
104