DOI Artikel:
Getka-Kenig, Mikołaj: Traktat Sebastiana Sierakowskiego a problem popularyzacji wiedzy architektonicznej w Księstwie Warszawskim
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44918#0107
In his opinion, domestic wealth, being the heritage of many generations, did not
serve the development of the homeland, but on the contrary, it contributed to the
deepening of its civilizational lapse.
Arguably, the durability of good habits in the field of building was to depend on
the widespread dissemination of knowledge, which Sierakowski postulated. Siera-
kowski associated the fact that in previous centuries, good architecture occurred
only periodically, not only with political changes, but also with the limitations of
its social rangę: “the edifices during the times of the Sigismund kings left traces of
their taste and goodwill, but these lights faded, because the taste and popular science
were not properly popularized”. This in turn resulted from the fact that architecture
“was neither counted among Sciences, nor included in education”.59 Sierakowski,
regretting that architecture has not yet been “counted” universally and officially
among the “regiment” of scientific and scholarly subjects, tried to emphasize its
scientific naturę. He particularly stressed its close relationship with mathematics,
which “disposes the natural genius, introduces the right order of cognition and
arrangement, leads from one conclusion to another, and clearly sheds light on
discovering the truths to the others unknown”. He also mentioned the principles
on which classical taste is founded, in contrast to all others. It was precisely these
strict rules that were supposed to constitute the determinant of science. It is worth
noting here that for Sierakowski, the visualization of architecture could mean its
automatic politicization, and morę strictly, the harnessing of it in the service of the
Napoleonie system. Admittedly, these conclusions do not stem from the treatise
itself, but one can put forward such a thesis in the light of other statements by the
author, dating to the period in question, such as the speech given by Sierakowski
to welcome Frederick Augustus, who was paying a visit to the Kraków Academy
in 1810. Sierakowski then emphasized the special significance of education and
science for political life and, moreover, he put forward the thesis that eighteenth-
century events in this field contributed to the subsequent widespread acceptance
of the hereditary (and therefore strong) monarchy of the Duchy: “that two years
ago, the part of the Duchy of Warsaw and today another one was attached thereto,
is the happiest feeling, recognizing His Majesty as its Ruler, and I shall not cease to
raise my hands to God and worship that moment, when the enlightened nation in
most part, the oldest House in Europę, the most beloved family in Poland, the most
pious and the best of Monarchs, gave the throne and the sceptre as inheritance to
his most beloved Majesty and his descendants”.60 In pointing towards naturę and
the objectively fathomed truth, science helped legitimize the current regime. In
this context, it is not surprising that the frontispiece drawing should include the
picture of the “science-loving kings” (as well as an object crowned with the symbol
of wisdom, albeit somehow enigmatic). The prosperity of Poles in Sierakowski s
vision was closely related to the wisdom of kings and their support for the growth
of social enlightenment.
The publication of Architecture treatise was to be “the first [...] step”61 towards
disseminating scientifically established standards of proper building, in a broadly
understood social community (that is, in the modern sense). Although Sierakowski
59 Ibidem, p. ii.
60 “Gazeta Krakowska”, 30 v 1810, issue 43, p. 510.
61 S. Sierakowski, Architektura, vol. 1, p. v.
Sebastian Sierakowskie treatise and the question of disseminating architectural knowledge... 105
serve the development of the homeland, but on the contrary, it contributed to the
deepening of its civilizational lapse.
Arguably, the durability of good habits in the field of building was to depend on
the widespread dissemination of knowledge, which Sierakowski postulated. Siera-
kowski associated the fact that in previous centuries, good architecture occurred
only periodically, not only with political changes, but also with the limitations of
its social rangę: “the edifices during the times of the Sigismund kings left traces of
their taste and goodwill, but these lights faded, because the taste and popular science
were not properly popularized”. This in turn resulted from the fact that architecture
“was neither counted among Sciences, nor included in education”.59 Sierakowski,
regretting that architecture has not yet been “counted” universally and officially
among the “regiment” of scientific and scholarly subjects, tried to emphasize its
scientific naturę. He particularly stressed its close relationship with mathematics,
which “disposes the natural genius, introduces the right order of cognition and
arrangement, leads from one conclusion to another, and clearly sheds light on
discovering the truths to the others unknown”. He also mentioned the principles
on which classical taste is founded, in contrast to all others. It was precisely these
strict rules that were supposed to constitute the determinant of science. It is worth
noting here that for Sierakowski, the visualization of architecture could mean its
automatic politicization, and morę strictly, the harnessing of it in the service of the
Napoleonie system. Admittedly, these conclusions do not stem from the treatise
itself, but one can put forward such a thesis in the light of other statements by the
author, dating to the period in question, such as the speech given by Sierakowski
to welcome Frederick Augustus, who was paying a visit to the Kraków Academy
in 1810. Sierakowski then emphasized the special significance of education and
science for political life and, moreover, he put forward the thesis that eighteenth-
century events in this field contributed to the subsequent widespread acceptance
of the hereditary (and therefore strong) monarchy of the Duchy: “that two years
ago, the part of the Duchy of Warsaw and today another one was attached thereto,
is the happiest feeling, recognizing His Majesty as its Ruler, and I shall not cease to
raise my hands to God and worship that moment, when the enlightened nation in
most part, the oldest House in Europę, the most beloved family in Poland, the most
pious and the best of Monarchs, gave the throne and the sceptre as inheritance to
his most beloved Majesty and his descendants”.60 In pointing towards naturę and
the objectively fathomed truth, science helped legitimize the current regime. In
this context, it is not surprising that the frontispiece drawing should include the
picture of the “science-loving kings” (as well as an object crowned with the symbol
of wisdom, albeit somehow enigmatic). The prosperity of Poles in Sierakowski s
vision was closely related to the wisdom of kings and their support for the growth
of social enlightenment.
The publication of Architecture treatise was to be “the first [...] step”61 towards
disseminating scientifically established standards of proper building, in a broadly
understood social community (that is, in the modern sense). Although Sierakowski
59 Ibidem, p. ii.
60 “Gazeta Krakowska”, 30 v 1810, issue 43, p. 510.
61 S. Sierakowski, Architektura, vol. 1, p. v.
Sebastian Sierakowskie treatise and the question of disseminating architectural knowledge... 105