DOI article:
Getka-Kenig, Mikołaj: Traktat Sebastiana Sierakowskiego a problem popularyzacji wiedzy architektonicznej w Księstwie Warszawskim
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44918#0098
development of the Polish culture in the period of partitions has long been the
subject of historical studies - also in the field of fine arts, including architecture
(though not, incidentally, its theory)14. This article therefore continues to explore the
origin of Sierakowski s treatise - the first Polish-language publication of aggregate
naturę, the sum of building knowledge, comprehensively discussing artistic and
technical issues - following the path of research into the political implications of
its publication. Going deeper, down to the level of a morę detailed and contextual
analysis of the content of the treatise, and especially its preliminary part, the author
of the present article argues that specific political circumstances were not insig-
nificant (in fact, they may have been crucial, even) for the mere fact of the book
in question appearing at the specific time that it did, in the specific place (specific
country), and comprising its specific content.
X- X- X-
Sierakowski - who is featured on the title page in all the splendour of his public
titulary15 - has dedicated his treatise to “the brightest king” Frederick Augustus, who
was the ruler of the Duchy of Warsaw (as the Duke of Warsaw, but also the King
of Saxony) by the grace of its creator, Napoleon i. “The fruit has not yet ripened
which promises us the taste of our futurę destiny”, wrote Sierakowski in the first
sentence, referring to the expected successful effects of political changes within the
Polish monarchy, revived by Napoleon. The changes, as he suggested, were meant
to relate to the pre-partition ideas of State reform, which found its consummation
in the legislative work of the Sejm Wielki (parliament) with the Constitution of
May 3,1791 at its apex. “The seedling [...] in the lush soil, though poorly cultivated,
was muffled by the weed of discord”, by which he probably meant the Targowica
Confederation, and so it “could neither decorate the land nor bring benefit to its
inhabitants, the fruit it borę was bitter, and neighbours were encouraged to occupy it
[i.e. our homeland] ”, and thus it led to the partition of the Commonwealth between
its invaders. This “form of government” that Napoleon offered the Poles, placing
them in 1807 under the sceptre of Frederick Augustus (the “owner” of the Polish
land under the May Constitution), was supposed to “correct the old mistakes” and
prevent the repetition of the former “disasters suffered”, and subsequently lead to
“multiplying the national happiness”.16 This “form of government” that Sierakowski
14 See for example: R. Skręt, Życie literackie w Krakowie w okresie Księstwa Warszawskiego, in:
Kraków w czasach Księstwa Warszawskiego. Materiały sesji naukowej z okazji Dni Krakowa
w roku 1988, Kraków 1989, pp. 59-64; J. Banach, Michała Stachowicza prace o Krakowie w la-
tach Księstwa Warszawskiego, in: ibidem, pp. 77-98; M. Mycielski, “Miasto ma mieszkańców,
wieś obywateli” - Kajetana Koźmiana koncepcje wspólnoty politycznej (do 1830 roku), Wrocław
2004, pp. 34-133; J. Polaczek, Sztuka i polityka w Księstwie Warszawskim. Dzieje, formy, treść
i dziedzictwo, Rzeszów 2005 (the author basically omitted the problem of architectural theory,
mentioning only the fact of the publication of Sierakowskis treatise, and mentioning the il-
lustrations contained therein on several occasions); A. Witkowska, R. Przybylski, Romantyzm,
Warszawa 2007, pp. 94-135.
15 “Pfriest] Sebfastian] Cofunt] Sierakowski, once a custodian of the Crown, the parish priest
at the Kraków Cathedral, rector of the Kraków Academy, knfight] of the Ordfer] of Sfaint]
Stanjislaus]”.
16 S. Sierakowski, Architektura obeymuiąca wszelki gatunek murowania i budowania, vol. 1, Kraków
1812, unpaged.
96
ARTICLES
Mikołaj Getka-Kenig
subject of historical studies - also in the field of fine arts, including architecture
(though not, incidentally, its theory)14. This article therefore continues to explore the
origin of Sierakowski s treatise - the first Polish-language publication of aggregate
naturę, the sum of building knowledge, comprehensively discussing artistic and
technical issues - following the path of research into the political implications of
its publication. Going deeper, down to the level of a morę detailed and contextual
analysis of the content of the treatise, and especially its preliminary part, the author
of the present article argues that specific political circumstances were not insig-
nificant (in fact, they may have been crucial, even) for the mere fact of the book
in question appearing at the specific time that it did, in the specific place (specific
country), and comprising its specific content.
X- X- X-
Sierakowski - who is featured on the title page in all the splendour of his public
titulary15 - has dedicated his treatise to “the brightest king” Frederick Augustus, who
was the ruler of the Duchy of Warsaw (as the Duke of Warsaw, but also the King
of Saxony) by the grace of its creator, Napoleon i. “The fruit has not yet ripened
which promises us the taste of our futurę destiny”, wrote Sierakowski in the first
sentence, referring to the expected successful effects of political changes within the
Polish monarchy, revived by Napoleon. The changes, as he suggested, were meant
to relate to the pre-partition ideas of State reform, which found its consummation
in the legislative work of the Sejm Wielki (parliament) with the Constitution of
May 3,1791 at its apex. “The seedling [...] in the lush soil, though poorly cultivated,
was muffled by the weed of discord”, by which he probably meant the Targowica
Confederation, and so it “could neither decorate the land nor bring benefit to its
inhabitants, the fruit it borę was bitter, and neighbours were encouraged to occupy it
[i.e. our homeland] ”, and thus it led to the partition of the Commonwealth between
its invaders. This “form of government” that Napoleon offered the Poles, placing
them in 1807 under the sceptre of Frederick Augustus (the “owner” of the Polish
land under the May Constitution), was supposed to “correct the old mistakes” and
prevent the repetition of the former “disasters suffered”, and subsequently lead to
“multiplying the national happiness”.16 This “form of government” that Sierakowski
14 See for example: R. Skręt, Życie literackie w Krakowie w okresie Księstwa Warszawskiego, in:
Kraków w czasach Księstwa Warszawskiego. Materiały sesji naukowej z okazji Dni Krakowa
w roku 1988, Kraków 1989, pp. 59-64; J. Banach, Michała Stachowicza prace o Krakowie w la-
tach Księstwa Warszawskiego, in: ibidem, pp. 77-98; M. Mycielski, “Miasto ma mieszkańców,
wieś obywateli” - Kajetana Koźmiana koncepcje wspólnoty politycznej (do 1830 roku), Wrocław
2004, pp. 34-133; J. Polaczek, Sztuka i polityka w Księstwie Warszawskim. Dzieje, formy, treść
i dziedzictwo, Rzeszów 2005 (the author basically omitted the problem of architectural theory,
mentioning only the fact of the publication of Sierakowskis treatise, and mentioning the il-
lustrations contained therein on several occasions); A. Witkowska, R. Przybylski, Romantyzm,
Warszawa 2007, pp. 94-135.
15 “Pfriest] Sebfastian] Cofunt] Sierakowski, once a custodian of the Crown, the parish priest
at the Kraków Cathedral, rector of the Kraków Academy, knfight] of the Ordfer] of Sfaint]
Stanjislaus]”.
16 S. Sierakowski, Architektura obeymuiąca wszelki gatunek murowania i budowania, vol. 1, Kraków
1812, unpaged.
96
ARTICLES
Mikołaj Getka-Kenig