DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23229#0034
WARSAW IN THE TIME OF FREDERICK CHOPIN
Jacek August Dziarkowski, Pawet Szymariski and Michal Szubert. The
composition of both paintings obviously reflects the same convention; but
did the events they show take place in reality? Not at all. The constitution
of the Duchy, although signed by Napoleon on 22nd July 1807 in Dres-
den, was nevertheless handed to the delegates not by the emperor him-
self, but by the same Hugo-Bernard Maret who is featured in the pain-
ting. When on 19th November 1816 Alexander I was signing in St. Peters-
burg the document of foundation of the University, Szweykowski was not
its rector yet. The monarch was also not present at the ceremonial inau-
guration of the University, which took place in Warsaw on 14th May 1818,
although he had visited the city in the last days of April and had been con-
ducted round the University grounds48. The scenes featured in both the
paintings should not be interpreted as recording actual events.
The supplement to no. 35 of Gazeta Warszawska [Warsaw Gazette] an-
nounced:
On the same day [28th April] around noon His Highness condescen-
ded to visit the local public Library, which is located in the Kazimierzow-
ski Palace. The members of the Warsaw University, apprised of this in-
tention beforehand, having gathered in the main hall of the said Libra-
ry, awaited His arrival: when it had taken place, the Monarch, received
at the entrance to the palace by His Excellency Stanistaw Count Potoc-
ki, Minister of Denominations and Public Enlightenment, with the assi-
stance of Their Excellencies Staszic, Sierakowski, Lipihski and Linde,
Members of the Governmental Commission, viewed the peristyle and
the marble plaque, placed on the wall above the stairs, with the Latin in-
scription: Regnante Alexandro I. Consilium Institutionis publicae, aedes
has, vetustate etflammis dirutas, restituit, auxit, Musis dicavit 1817 ["Du-
ring the reign of Alexander I this building, despoiled by time and flames,
the Council of Public Institutions has rebuilt, enlarged and given to the
Muses for their residence in the year 1817"]. Having passed through
the first room, which is assigned for the use of readers, he viewed the
room where there is a collection of Slavic and Polish books encompas-
sing also the incunabula and manuscripts; from there he passed into
the Great Room, which was made of three rooms joined together and
which houses foreign literature. There the Rector of the Warsaw Univer-
sity, His Excellency the Dean Father Szweykowski was introduced to
the Monarch by the Minister, and so the Professors, in the order of the
five Academic Faculties49.
Thus, Bacciarelli's painting is of a symbolic character, whereas Brodow-
ski's canvas shows a situation which may have taken place during the
event described in the above passage. Nevertheless, both works share a
similar composition and a similarly dramatic history. Their originals did not
survive to the present day. Bacciarelli's painting is known from a reduced-
size copy extant in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, whi-
le Brodowski's work from an oil sketch in the National Museum in Poznah.
The finished version of the latter, of a much larger format, used to hang
in various halls of the University; unfortunately, taken to Russia in the year
1915, it was destroyed by fire during the Bolshevik Revolution.
Jacek August Dziarkowski, Pawet Szymariski and Michal Szubert. The
composition of both paintings obviously reflects the same convention; but
did the events they show take place in reality? Not at all. The constitution
of the Duchy, although signed by Napoleon on 22nd July 1807 in Dres-
den, was nevertheless handed to the delegates not by the emperor him-
self, but by the same Hugo-Bernard Maret who is featured in the pain-
ting. When on 19th November 1816 Alexander I was signing in St. Peters-
burg the document of foundation of the University, Szweykowski was not
its rector yet. The monarch was also not present at the ceremonial inau-
guration of the University, which took place in Warsaw on 14th May 1818,
although he had visited the city in the last days of April and had been con-
ducted round the University grounds48. The scenes featured in both the
paintings should not be interpreted as recording actual events.
The supplement to no. 35 of Gazeta Warszawska [Warsaw Gazette] an-
nounced:
On the same day [28th April] around noon His Highness condescen-
ded to visit the local public Library, which is located in the Kazimierzow-
ski Palace. The members of the Warsaw University, apprised of this in-
tention beforehand, having gathered in the main hall of the said Libra-
ry, awaited His arrival: when it had taken place, the Monarch, received
at the entrance to the palace by His Excellency Stanistaw Count Potoc-
ki, Minister of Denominations and Public Enlightenment, with the assi-
stance of Their Excellencies Staszic, Sierakowski, Lipihski and Linde,
Members of the Governmental Commission, viewed the peristyle and
the marble plaque, placed on the wall above the stairs, with the Latin in-
scription: Regnante Alexandro I. Consilium Institutionis publicae, aedes
has, vetustate etflammis dirutas, restituit, auxit, Musis dicavit 1817 ["Du-
ring the reign of Alexander I this building, despoiled by time and flames,
the Council of Public Institutions has rebuilt, enlarged and given to the
Muses for their residence in the year 1817"]. Having passed through
the first room, which is assigned for the use of readers, he viewed the
room where there is a collection of Slavic and Polish books encompas-
sing also the incunabula and manuscripts; from there he passed into
the Great Room, which was made of three rooms joined together and
which houses foreign literature. There the Rector of the Warsaw Univer-
sity, His Excellency the Dean Father Szweykowski was introduced to
the Monarch by the Minister, and so the Professors, in the order of the
five Academic Faculties49.
Thus, Bacciarelli's painting is of a symbolic character, whereas Brodow-
ski's canvas shows a situation which may have taken place during the
event described in the above passage. Nevertheless, both works share a
similar composition and a similarly dramatic history. Their originals did not
survive to the present day. Bacciarelli's painting is known from a reduced-
size copy extant in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, whi-
le Brodowski's work from an oil sketch in the National Museum in Poznah.
The finished version of the latter, of a much larger format, used to hang
in various halls of the University; unfortunately, taken to Russia in the year
1915, it was destroyed by fire during the Bolshevik Revolution.