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#0113
in our language, widely disseminated in the Warsaw Duchy itself and beyond”90
would indicate that the problem of architectural development of Polish lands, from
Sierakowskis perspective, was not strictly related to a particular political option
(in this case, a pro-Napoleonic or a pro-Russian vision of Polands “resurrection”).
Wherever he could promote his ideas, he tried to do so, seeing in them the tools
of national advancement, which in itself had a “resurrection” dimension. It did
not matter who would do the “resurrecting” of Poland, but it would matter that
someone finally brought this to a successful conclusion.91
It goes without saying that the work on the treatise must have continued for
some time. Sierakowski himself mentioned in his preface that it had lasted for about
twelve years, that is sińce about 1800. On another occasion, when in 1818 he thanked
Stanisław Kostka Potocki for “inspiration, encouragement and enlightened counsel”,
which gave rise to his activities in the field of dissemination of architectural knowl-
edge, he quoted precisely the year 1801 as the beginning of his efforts.92 This was in his
eyes the “time of mild tranquillity,” which “did not leave” him “any other consolation
through his State and duties” than the one to make “a work useful to his compatriots,
wherever they may be found”.93 The fact that he had thought about resuming the
pre-partition efforts to disseminate architectural knowledge in the period of stateless
suspension, and the lack of any substitute for Polish statehood, does not mean that
it was an idea abstracted from the resurrection context that was so intensely felt at
the time of the works publication. The faith in the “resurrection” of Poland did not
appear suddenly with the Napoleonie occupation of the Prussian partition, and the
90 Ibidem, p. 341.
91 On the subject of this type of attitude at that time: J. Czubaty, Zasada „dwóch sumień”: normy
postępowania i granice kompromisu politycznego Polaków w sytuacjach wyboru (1795-1815),
Warszawa 2005.
92 Biblioteka Narodowa, Iconographic Collection, Portfolio waf. 21, Sierakowski s dedication
to Potocki of 30 January 1818 on the portfolio of catalogue drawings of royal tombstones
and sarcophagi in the Kraków cathedral by Michał Stachowicz. Content in extenso: “Your
Luminous Lordship Count Stanisław Potocki, Minister of Religious Affairs and Public En-
lightenment! The example and the enterprise that Your Benevolent Lordship gives to our
age, your Love of Sciences and of Fine Arts, the Nation will remember and adore even in
the most remote Descendancy. Ignacy Potocki, his true Brother, respectable Man of memo-
rable Famę, a member of the Education Commission, and the President of the Society for
Elementary Books, had laid a cornerstone to raise the Building of Education and National
Taste. Yet the Destiny, envious of Polands fortunę, did not allow Him to see his Work done
in this Profession. It even began to approach the fali, when propitiated Heaven, looked with
a kinder eye on our Fatherland, and brought us the Government of the Brightest Saxon King,
today happily reigning, the Brightest Emperor and King Alexander 1, and to our joy madę
your Lordship the head of Public Education, and placed Him at the hełm of the Ministry of
Enlightenment and Religious Rites. By your direction, your work, your costs and your own
example, your Honourable Lordship supports our Homeland, and brings it to the splendour
equal to the Foreign lands, at your own guidance. What the learned Republic in the Slavic
countries should feel and do for him, shall I, in the smallest dimension of my opportunity,
impart with all my reverence, praise and gratitude, by making the offering of drawings of
these most important memorabilia, found among the graves of Polish kings in the cathedral
church of Kraków, and of the tempie itself, and for centuries almost forgot, thus I pay hom-
age to Your Lordship with a deep respect and a gift. I can do no morę than in the subject
of Architecture, remembering that my work in this Profession, from inspiration, from the
encouragement and advice of Your Enlightened Lordship, that in the Year 1801 took their
origin. I implore Your Lordship to receive my intentions kindly, my devotion and homage to
the highest authority.”
93 S. Sierakowski, Architektura, vol. 1, p. i.
Sebastian Sierakowskie treatise and the question of disseminating architectural knowledge... 111
would indicate that the problem of architectural development of Polish lands, from
Sierakowskis perspective, was not strictly related to a particular political option
(in this case, a pro-Napoleonic or a pro-Russian vision of Polands “resurrection”).
Wherever he could promote his ideas, he tried to do so, seeing in them the tools
of national advancement, which in itself had a “resurrection” dimension. It did
not matter who would do the “resurrecting” of Poland, but it would matter that
someone finally brought this to a successful conclusion.91
It goes without saying that the work on the treatise must have continued for
some time. Sierakowski himself mentioned in his preface that it had lasted for about
twelve years, that is sińce about 1800. On another occasion, when in 1818 he thanked
Stanisław Kostka Potocki for “inspiration, encouragement and enlightened counsel”,
which gave rise to his activities in the field of dissemination of architectural knowl-
edge, he quoted precisely the year 1801 as the beginning of his efforts.92 This was in his
eyes the “time of mild tranquillity,” which “did not leave” him “any other consolation
through his State and duties” than the one to make “a work useful to his compatriots,
wherever they may be found”.93 The fact that he had thought about resuming the
pre-partition efforts to disseminate architectural knowledge in the period of stateless
suspension, and the lack of any substitute for Polish statehood, does not mean that
it was an idea abstracted from the resurrection context that was so intensely felt at
the time of the works publication. The faith in the “resurrection” of Poland did not
appear suddenly with the Napoleonie occupation of the Prussian partition, and the
90 Ibidem, p. 341.
91 On the subject of this type of attitude at that time: J. Czubaty, Zasada „dwóch sumień”: normy
postępowania i granice kompromisu politycznego Polaków w sytuacjach wyboru (1795-1815),
Warszawa 2005.
92 Biblioteka Narodowa, Iconographic Collection, Portfolio waf. 21, Sierakowski s dedication
to Potocki of 30 January 1818 on the portfolio of catalogue drawings of royal tombstones
and sarcophagi in the Kraków cathedral by Michał Stachowicz. Content in extenso: “Your
Luminous Lordship Count Stanisław Potocki, Minister of Religious Affairs and Public En-
lightenment! The example and the enterprise that Your Benevolent Lordship gives to our
age, your Love of Sciences and of Fine Arts, the Nation will remember and adore even in
the most remote Descendancy. Ignacy Potocki, his true Brother, respectable Man of memo-
rable Famę, a member of the Education Commission, and the President of the Society for
Elementary Books, had laid a cornerstone to raise the Building of Education and National
Taste. Yet the Destiny, envious of Polands fortunę, did not allow Him to see his Work done
in this Profession. It even began to approach the fali, when propitiated Heaven, looked with
a kinder eye on our Fatherland, and brought us the Government of the Brightest Saxon King,
today happily reigning, the Brightest Emperor and King Alexander 1, and to our joy madę
your Lordship the head of Public Education, and placed Him at the hełm of the Ministry of
Enlightenment and Religious Rites. By your direction, your work, your costs and your own
example, your Honourable Lordship supports our Homeland, and brings it to the splendour
equal to the Foreign lands, at your own guidance. What the learned Republic in the Slavic
countries should feel and do for him, shall I, in the smallest dimension of my opportunity,
impart with all my reverence, praise and gratitude, by making the offering of drawings of
these most important memorabilia, found among the graves of Polish kings in the cathedral
church of Kraków, and of the tempie itself, and for centuries almost forgot, thus I pay hom-
age to Your Lordship with a deep respect and a gift. I can do no morę than in the subject
of Architecture, remembering that my work in this Profession, from inspiration, from the
encouragement and advice of Your Enlightened Lordship, that in the Year 1801 took their
origin. I implore Your Lordship to receive my intentions kindly, my devotion and homage to
the highest authority.”
93 S. Sierakowski, Architektura, vol. 1, p. i.
Sebastian Sierakowskie treatise and the question of disseminating architectural knowledge... 111