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#0112
published the proclamation by General Wincenty Krasiński about the enlistment
to the army, in which he mentioned Napoleon as the one currently “returning to us
our life and existence” as well as describing Warsaw celebrations of the coronation
anniversary of “the monarch, whose magnitude is extolled throughout the world,
whereas Poles proclaim His generosity for themselves and high esteem towards
Him”.85 In this context, all praises for Napoleon as the “reviver” of Poland were all
the morę justified, because they suited the widely shared faith in the success of the
Moscow campaign, which was expected to complete the process of rebuilding the
Polish State, that had began with the establishment of the Duchy
It is a somewhat puzzling that Sierakowski decided to publish his work in such
turbulent time, instead of waiting until the end of the war. It must have been obvi-
ously very important for him to get ahead of the patriotic euphoria, resulting from
the expected victory (as it is now known, that victory never came - and the same
people who believed in Napoleons “lucky star” had to settle for another substitute
of statehood, in the shape of the so-called Kingdom of Poland, “resurrected” by the
Russian Emperor Alexander i in 1815, a conqueror of the French and invader of the
Duchy, following the defeat of the Moscow campaign by Napoleon). He probably
wanted his ground breaking work to form the new architectural landscape of fully
“resurrected” Poland from the very beginning, so as to prevent the continuation of
bad habits - and above all, so that it would focus the attention of the educational
authorities from the very start. Sierakowski originally intended to publish his work
not at the last moment, but earlier, as evidenced by the fact that the treatise was
ready - already printed, but not yet sewn together - at least in June 1812 if not earlier.
Barring the way to its proper publication, there were “difficulties of correspondence
and transports” resulting from the preparations for war.86 Sierakowski, however,
did not give up, and despite the unfavourable “present circumstances”, which he
mentioned at the beginning of December87, he completed his plans. At this point,
it is worth noting that, in spite of its strongly political bent, Sierakowskis treatise
was not intended only for the residents of the Duchy, but as a result of the author s
efforts, it was also to influence the territories under the Russian partition. Already
back in 1810, Sierakowski asked the rector of the Vilnius University, Jan Śniadecki,
for his help in this matter.88 When two years later, in the spring, the work on the
publication was about to be completed, he did not fail to address his superior, the
curator of the Vilnius scientific district Adam Jerzy Czartoryski.89 Significantly,
Sierakowski madę contact with the latter, who was not only a high dignitary of the
Russian State, but also the main ideologist of the pro-Russian vision of Polands
resurrection, three months before the outbreak of war with Russia, which had been
hanging in the air for a long time. For this purpose, he used the stay in Kraków
of another Russian official of Polish descent, senator Seweryn Potocki (“who has
already seen the nearly-ready edition that I have shown him”; the latter was a dis-
tant cousin, and also a close kinsman of Stanisław Kostka), who agreed to mediate
in these contacts. His efforts to make his opus “the first work in the country, and
85 “Gazeta Krakowska”, 13 xn 1812, issue 100, p. 1211; issue 100 (supplement), p. 1217.
86 “Gazeta Warszawska”, 23 vi 1812, issue 50 (supplement), p. 884.
87 “Gazeta Krakowska”, 13 xn 1812, issue 100 (supplement), pp. 1218-1219.
88 Śniadeckis letter to Sierakowski of 5/1711811, in: M. Baliński (ed.), Pamiętniki o Janie Śniadeckim,
jego życiu prywatnym i publicznym i dziełach jego, vol. 2, Wilno 1865, pp. 376-377.
89 Biblioteka xx Czartoryskich, ms 5466 iv, Sierakowski s letter to Czartoryski of 5 iv 1812, p. 341.
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Mikołaj Getka-Kenig
to the army, in which he mentioned Napoleon as the one currently “returning to us
our life and existence” as well as describing Warsaw celebrations of the coronation
anniversary of “the monarch, whose magnitude is extolled throughout the world,
whereas Poles proclaim His generosity for themselves and high esteem towards
Him”.85 In this context, all praises for Napoleon as the “reviver” of Poland were all
the morę justified, because they suited the widely shared faith in the success of the
Moscow campaign, which was expected to complete the process of rebuilding the
Polish State, that had began with the establishment of the Duchy
It is a somewhat puzzling that Sierakowski decided to publish his work in such
turbulent time, instead of waiting until the end of the war. It must have been obvi-
ously very important for him to get ahead of the patriotic euphoria, resulting from
the expected victory (as it is now known, that victory never came - and the same
people who believed in Napoleons “lucky star” had to settle for another substitute
of statehood, in the shape of the so-called Kingdom of Poland, “resurrected” by the
Russian Emperor Alexander i in 1815, a conqueror of the French and invader of the
Duchy, following the defeat of the Moscow campaign by Napoleon). He probably
wanted his ground breaking work to form the new architectural landscape of fully
“resurrected” Poland from the very beginning, so as to prevent the continuation of
bad habits - and above all, so that it would focus the attention of the educational
authorities from the very start. Sierakowski originally intended to publish his work
not at the last moment, but earlier, as evidenced by the fact that the treatise was
ready - already printed, but not yet sewn together - at least in June 1812 if not earlier.
Barring the way to its proper publication, there were “difficulties of correspondence
and transports” resulting from the preparations for war.86 Sierakowski, however,
did not give up, and despite the unfavourable “present circumstances”, which he
mentioned at the beginning of December87, he completed his plans. At this point,
it is worth noting that, in spite of its strongly political bent, Sierakowskis treatise
was not intended only for the residents of the Duchy, but as a result of the author s
efforts, it was also to influence the territories under the Russian partition. Already
back in 1810, Sierakowski asked the rector of the Vilnius University, Jan Śniadecki,
for his help in this matter.88 When two years later, in the spring, the work on the
publication was about to be completed, he did not fail to address his superior, the
curator of the Vilnius scientific district Adam Jerzy Czartoryski.89 Significantly,
Sierakowski madę contact with the latter, who was not only a high dignitary of the
Russian State, but also the main ideologist of the pro-Russian vision of Polands
resurrection, three months before the outbreak of war with Russia, which had been
hanging in the air for a long time. For this purpose, he used the stay in Kraków
of another Russian official of Polish descent, senator Seweryn Potocki (“who has
already seen the nearly-ready edition that I have shown him”; the latter was a dis-
tant cousin, and also a close kinsman of Stanisław Kostka), who agreed to mediate
in these contacts. His efforts to make his opus “the first work in the country, and
85 “Gazeta Krakowska”, 13 xn 1812, issue 100, p. 1211; issue 100 (supplement), p. 1217.
86 “Gazeta Warszawska”, 23 vi 1812, issue 50 (supplement), p. 884.
87 “Gazeta Krakowska”, 13 xn 1812, issue 100 (supplement), pp. 1218-1219.
88 Śniadeckis letter to Sierakowski of 5/1711811, in: M. Baliński (ed.), Pamiętniki o Janie Śniadeckim,
jego życiu prywatnym i publicznym i dziełach jego, vol. 2, Wilno 1865, pp. 376-377.
89 Biblioteka xx Czartoryskich, ms 5466 iv, Sierakowski s letter to Czartoryski of 5 iv 1812, p. 341.
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ARTICLES
Mikołaj Getka-Kenig