DOI issue:
Nr. 2-3
DOI article:Rottermund, Andrzej: The "Road to Independence" in Polish art of the 19th century
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18864#0065
rębski in his Malowane dzieje (Painted History)3 and several other studies4. Of especial importance,
particularly as regards the exhibition was J. Białostoski's article5. Mention is also due to treatises
by A. Ryszkiewicz6, Z. Żygulski7, and M. Rostworowski8. The Polish ąuestion was dealt with
as a side issue in J. Bialostoski s9, M. Poprzęcka's10 and J. Woźniakowski^11 wider iconographic
studies. It is to those art historians (notably M. Rostworowski, J. Woźniakowski, M. Porębski)
that we owe, morę or less directly the first iconographic concept of an exhibition presenting the
problems of 19th and 20th century art. Little remains to be added here except the strikingly
picturesąue panorama, abounding in motifs, themes, and threads, painted by historians of litera-
turę, first and foremost Maria Janion whose works present an image of Polish Romanticism
which "was most faithful not to empiric reality but to the spiritual reality of a nation that has
lost independence but has never lost faith in the inevitability of regaining it. That is why the
universal and the national symbolism of Polish Romanticism are organized round the concept
of freedom."13
It may be quite fascinating for historians of literaturę and art to tracę back to, and follow, the
transformations and the wanderings of motifs and themes. Never before had literary and visual
culture been linked in a similar fashion and never again have the tragic fetters been restored.
We thought that museum which by their very naturę gathers an extensive visual materiał,
should use their specific forms of activity to participate in the research initiated by art historians.
This, apart from purely occasional reasons, was the main motive for organizing the exhibition.
We showed themes and motifs that inspired the imagination and the hearts of Polish painters,
draughtsmen, and graphic artists during the period of partitions. The themes presented express
the nation's striving for independence, reflection on the past, both remote and immediate, the
drama of life in a subjugated state. The exhibition did not include non-visual documentation of
historie events, such as excerpts from literaturę or prints. We tried to illustrate how certain
problems were presented in a visual form, what thematic groups and what artistic means were
were used to convey the thoughts of freedom and the bitterness of the period when the nation
was deprived of it. The exhibition did not include works made after 1918 even if they dealt with
the same subjects, sińce they differed in expression : they were no longer weapons in a political
combat. Thus the exhibition comparised works of elassies, romanticists, realists, and symbolists —■
to use the traditional terminology; however, it was our intention to overcome the barriers of
formal divisions. We assumed that all the artists remain in the same sphere, at least as regards
their socio-political ideals. The title of the exhibition giew from the basie historico-philosophic
formuła according to which the sense of history lies in continual pursuit of freedom along a path
leading — for all the failures and sufferings, persecutions and sacrifices — to the ultimate goal:
independence.
3. M. Porębski, Malowane Dzieje, Warszawa, 1961.
4. M. Porębski, Interregnum. Studia z historii sztuki polskiej XIX i XX u1., Warszawa, 1975.
5. J. Białostocki,,,Romantyzm malarski w Polsce i w Europie",Refleksje i syntezy ze świata sztuki, Warszawa, 1978, pp. 80—
89.,,Malarstwo romantyczne w Polsce i w Europie" was first printed in the Twórczość monthly, XXXII, 1976, No. 3,
pp. 74—81.
ć. A. Ryszkiewicz, „Alegorie i satyry na kilka momentów z historii Polski przełomu XVIII i XIX w.", Ikonografia Roman-
tyczna, Warszawa, 1977, pp. 227—249.
7. Z. Żygulski jun.,,,Z ikonografii ks. Józefa — narodziny i wędrówka mitu bohatera", Ikonografia Romantyczna, op cit.t
pp. 251—283.
8. M. Rostworowski, ,,'Jutrznia' — obraz Cypriana Norwida" Ikonografia Romantyczna, op.cit., pp.285—298.
9. J.Białostocki, ,,Od heroicznych pogrzebów do pogrzebu chłopa", Ikonografia. Re/nautyczna, op.cit., pp. 117—114, German
edition: Vom heroischen Grabmal zum Bauernbegrabnis. Tolesmolive in der Kunst des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts. Mainz-
Wiesbaden, 1977 (Akademie der Wissenschaft und Literatur, Abhandlungen der Geistcs-und Sozialwiss senschaftlichen
Klasse, 1977, No. 5)
10. M. Poprzęcka, Kuźnia. Mit. Alegoria Symbol, Warszawa, 1972.
11. J. Woźniakowski, Góry niewzruszone, Warszawa, 1974.
12. Romantyzm i Romantyczność w sztuce polskiej XIX i XX wieku. Catalogue to the cxhibition (Romanticism and Romantic
Sprit in Polish 19th and 20th century Art). CBWA (Central Office for Temprary Exhibitions) Warszawa, 1975.
13. M. Janion, M. Żmigrodzka, op.cit., p. 571.
55
particularly as regards the exhibition was J. Białostoski's article5. Mention is also due to treatises
by A. Ryszkiewicz6, Z. Żygulski7, and M. Rostworowski8. The Polish ąuestion was dealt with
as a side issue in J. Bialostoski s9, M. Poprzęcka's10 and J. Woźniakowski^11 wider iconographic
studies. It is to those art historians (notably M. Rostworowski, J. Woźniakowski, M. Porębski)
that we owe, morę or less directly the first iconographic concept of an exhibition presenting the
problems of 19th and 20th century art. Little remains to be added here except the strikingly
picturesąue panorama, abounding in motifs, themes, and threads, painted by historians of litera-
turę, first and foremost Maria Janion whose works present an image of Polish Romanticism
which "was most faithful not to empiric reality but to the spiritual reality of a nation that has
lost independence but has never lost faith in the inevitability of regaining it. That is why the
universal and the national symbolism of Polish Romanticism are organized round the concept
of freedom."13
It may be quite fascinating for historians of literaturę and art to tracę back to, and follow, the
transformations and the wanderings of motifs and themes. Never before had literary and visual
culture been linked in a similar fashion and never again have the tragic fetters been restored.
We thought that museum which by their very naturę gathers an extensive visual materiał,
should use their specific forms of activity to participate in the research initiated by art historians.
This, apart from purely occasional reasons, was the main motive for organizing the exhibition.
We showed themes and motifs that inspired the imagination and the hearts of Polish painters,
draughtsmen, and graphic artists during the period of partitions. The themes presented express
the nation's striving for independence, reflection on the past, both remote and immediate, the
drama of life in a subjugated state. The exhibition did not include non-visual documentation of
historie events, such as excerpts from literaturę or prints. We tried to illustrate how certain
problems were presented in a visual form, what thematic groups and what artistic means were
were used to convey the thoughts of freedom and the bitterness of the period when the nation
was deprived of it. The exhibition did not include works made after 1918 even if they dealt with
the same subjects, sińce they differed in expression : they were no longer weapons in a political
combat. Thus the exhibition comparised works of elassies, romanticists, realists, and symbolists —■
to use the traditional terminology; however, it was our intention to overcome the barriers of
formal divisions. We assumed that all the artists remain in the same sphere, at least as regards
their socio-political ideals. The title of the exhibition giew from the basie historico-philosophic
formuła according to which the sense of history lies in continual pursuit of freedom along a path
leading — for all the failures and sufferings, persecutions and sacrifices — to the ultimate goal:
independence.
3. M. Porębski, Malowane Dzieje, Warszawa, 1961.
4. M. Porębski, Interregnum. Studia z historii sztuki polskiej XIX i XX u1., Warszawa, 1975.
5. J. Białostocki,,,Romantyzm malarski w Polsce i w Europie",Refleksje i syntezy ze świata sztuki, Warszawa, 1978, pp. 80—
89.,,Malarstwo romantyczne w Polsce i w Europie" was first printed in the Twórczość monthly, XXXII, 1976, No. 3,
pp. 74—81.
ć. A. Ryszkiewicz, „Alegorie i satyry na kilka momentów z historii Polski przełomu XVIII i XIX w.", Ikonografia Roman-
tyczna, Warszawa, 1977, pp. 227—249.
7. Z. Żygulski jun.,,,Z ikonografii ks. Józefa — narodziny i wędrówka mitu bohatera", Ikonografia Romantyczna, op cit.t
pp. 251—283.
8. M. Rostworowski, ,,'Jutrznia' — obraz Cypriana Norwida" Ikonografia Romantyczna, op.cit., pp.285—298.
9. J.Białostocki, ,,Od heroicznych pogrzebów do pogrzebu chłopa", Ikonografia. Re/nautyczna, op.cit., pp. 117—114, German
edition: Vom heroischen Grabmal zum Bauernbegrabnis. Tolesmolive in der Kunst des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts. Mainz-
Wiesbaden, 1977 (Akademie der Wissenschaft und Literatur, Abhandlungen der Geistcs-und Sozialwiss senschaftlichen
Klasse, 1977, No. 5)
10. M. Poprzęcka, Kuźnia. Mit. Alegoria Symbol, Warszawa, 1972.
11. J. Woźniakowski, Góry niewzruszone, Warszawa, 1974.
12. Romantyzm i Romantyczność w sztuce polskiej XIX i XX wieku. Catalogue to the cxhibition (Romanticism and Romantic
Sprit in Polish 19th and 20th century Art). CBWA (Central Office for Temprary Exhibitions) Warszawa, 1975.
13. M. Janion, M. Żmigrodzka, op.cit., p. 571.
55