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DOI Artikel:Morawińska, Agnieszka: Exhibition of Polish Painting in the Detroit Institute of Arts
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18901#0062
Agnieszka Morawińska
EXHIBITION OF POLISH PAINTING
IN THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
From 30 July till 23 September 1984 the Detroit Institute of Arts held the exhibition Symbo-
lism in Polish Painting: 1890 — 1914, prepared in cooperation with the National Museum in
Warsaw. The two institutions had worked on this project since 1978 when, during a visit to
Poland of Dr. Frederick Cummings, then the director of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the subject
of the exhibition as well as organizational and financial conditions had been agreed upon. In
1981, I had an opportunity of announcing the exhibition in a public lecture „Symbolism and
Early Expressionism in Polish Painting” presented in the Detroit Institute of Arts. In 1982 the
Detroit Institute entrusted the organization of the exhibition on American side to Mr. J. Patrice
Marandel, Curator of Early European Painting. The latter’s three visits to Poland, his lively
interest in Polish painting and experience in mounting international art shows made it possible
to carry through this project that had taken long to mature.
The aim of both the Polish and American organizers of the exhibition was much more ambi-
tious than merely acquainting American public with a collection of well-travelled masterpieces
dating from various epochs and produced under different circumstances. What we aspired to
was to present a single period in the development of Polish art, one that we considered most
interesting, best represented and most impressive. This requirement was met by a short —
barely more than twenty years long — period of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, which
in Polish history of art is referred to as Young Poland or else Modernism. Both these terms,
however, could hardly be applied in an English title of the exhibition: the term Young Poland
would remain incomprehensible, while Modernism carries a different meaning in English-language
history of art and thus its use could cause confusion and misunderstanding. Eventually, fol-
lowing much deliberation, we agreed upon the term Symbolism in the title of the exhibition
since its significance still remains barely outlined in world history of art. As it happened, neither
American historians of art nor critics questioned our use of this term, but it gave rise to much
controversy among Polish art historians.
Polish art, which throughout the 19th century had developed on the peripheries of Europe,
experienced a period of sudden enlivening toward the end of that century with the appearance
of a whole spate of talented individuals. Devoid of academic tradition Polish art lacked formal
refinement, perfectionist drawing technique or elaborately developed modelling, but its charac-
teristic feature was a considerable emotional load. Since it developed in peculiar historic condi-
tions, Polish art had to assume various functions serving the nation which at the time was depri-
ved of its own state. Therefore it evolved its own rich and still current language of symbols.
Towards the end of the 19th century the symbolic tendencies inherent in Polish art coincided
fruitfully with emergent European symbolism.
52
EXHIBITION OF POLISH PAINTING
IN THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
From 30 July till 23 September 1984 the Detroit Institute of Arts held the exhibition Symbo-
lism in Polish Painting: 1890 — 1914, prepared in cooperation with the National Museum in
Warsaw. The two institutions had worked on this project since 1978 when, during a visit to
Poland of Dr. Frederick Cummings, then the director of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the subject
of the exhibition as well as organizational and financial conditions had been agreed upon. In
1981, I had an opportunity of announcing the exhibition in a public lecture „Symbolism and
Early Expressionism in Polish Painting” presented in the Detroit Institute of Arts. In 1982 the
Detroit Institute entrusted the organization of the exhibition on American side to Mr. J. Patrice
Marandel, Curator of Early European Painting. The latter’s three visits to Poland, his lively
interest in Polish painting and experience in mounting international art shows made it possible
to carry through this project that had taken long to mature.
The aim of both the Polish and American organizers of the exhibition was much more ambi-
tious than merely acquainting American public with a collection of well-travelled masterpieces
dating from various epochs and produced under different circumstances. What we aspired to
was to present a single period in the development of Polish art, one that we considered most
interesting, best represented and most impressive. This requirement was met by a short —
barely more than twenty years long — period of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, which
in Polish history of art is referred to as Young Poland or else Modernism. Both these terms,
however, could hardly be applied in an English title of the exhibition: the term Young Poland
would remain incomprehensible, while Modernism carries a different meaning in English-language
history of art and thus its use could cause confusion and misunderstanding. Eventually, fol-
lowing much deliberation, we agreed upon the term Symbolism in the title of the exhibition
since its significance still remains barely outlined in world history of art. As it happened, neither
American historians of art nor critics questioned our use of this term, but it gave rise to much
controversy among Polish art historians.
Polish art, which throughout the 19th century had developed on the peripheries of Europe,
experienced a period of sudden enlivening toward the end of that century with the appearance
of a whole spate of talented individuals. Devoid of academic tradition Polish art lacked formal
refinement, perfectionist drawing technique or elaborately developed modelling, but its charac-
teristic feature was a considerable emotional load. Since it developed in peculiar historic condi-
tions, Polish art had to assume various functions serving the nation which at the time was depri-
ved of its own state. Therefore it evolved its own rich and still current language of symbols.
Towards the end of the 19th century the symbolic tendencies inherent in Polish art coincided
fruitfully with emergent European symbolism.
52