Lorentz, Stanisław; Rottermund, Andrzej: Neoclassicism in Poland (Warsaw, 1986)

Warsaw, Royal Castlc, draft design for expansion, J. Kubicki, 1816-18

by Stanisław Zamoyski in 1816, was an artist who exerted the greatest influence on
neoclassical decorative sculpture in Poland. His first work in Poland was the frieze “Bacchus’
Triumph” on the fronton of the Blue Pałace. Subseąuently he executed the Apollo group with
the Muses of Art and Science in the old Kazimierzowski Pałace, decorated with a frieze, the
session room of the Society of the Friends of Science in the Staszic Pałace, founded by Staszic,
decorated with sculptures, the old pałace of the Mostowski family, designed another frieze in
the rotunda of the Polish Bank, and also - apart from a large number of his sculpted
architectural decorations - he designed a large frieze over the entrance to the Grand Theatre,
composed of morę than 62 figures and representing Oedipus returning from the Olympic
Games. It would be difficult to mention all the sculptures of architectural decoration with
which he ornamented Warsaw buildings. These sculptures were not only related to State and
reception buildings, but also to private houses and churches: the former Piarist church in
Długa Street and Charles Boromeus’ Church in Chłodna Street. Maliński also executed
a number of sculpted tombstones for Warsaw cemeteries. One should give separate mention
to the reliefs on the roadside obelisk, called the Monument of Labour, in Grochowska Street
in Warsaw, and on a similar monument at Terespol. In the reliefs on these monuments
Maliński managed to break with neoclassical traditions in favour of realistic trends in
a representation of common people, workers and peasants, typical of the panorama of
Warsaw, Siedlce and Brześć. Portrait sculpture of neoclassical character, but also with
realistic expression, was a special field in his work. The sculptures with which Maliński
decorated Warsaw complemented excellentły the neoclassical architecture, particularly the
work of Corazzi.
One should also mention Ludwik Kaufmann, the author of the frieze on the Pac Pałace in
Miodowa Street, representing Titus Quintus Flaminius in the act of declaring the independ-
ence of Greek cities; he was also the author of the female figurę on the monument of Natalia
Potocka at Natolin and of the sculptures representing the Vistula and Bug Rivers on the
terrace of the Łazienki Pałace. Among Polish artists the major place should go to Jakub
Tatarkiewicz who after his studies in Warsaw completed his education in Romę with Bertel
Thorvaldsen. Tatarkiewicz created outstanding neoclassical reliefs, numerous busts, a beau-

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