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#0117
discussed. What is morę, the scientific stamp could encourage educational authori-
ties to become morę interested in the work. Therefore, it is not surprising that Siera-
kowski undertook efforts for his work to be recognized in the academic community,
particularly by the (then already Royal) Warsaw Society of Friends of Learning.
This “useful and expensive work on architecture” was meant to crown his “long-
standing merits in the scientific works of our country”, for which the author was
distinguished with the title of the Society s honorary member in 1815109, on behalf
of the Department of Sciences.110 Expressing his “warm wish to belong to this as-
sembly”, Sierakowski received the recommendation of the educational activist and
dignitary (incidentally, a close collaborator of Stanisław Kostka Potocki) Wawrzyniec
Surowiecki, who in particular praised his “perseverance, with which among nu-
merous difficulties and obstacles, he endeavoured to complete the aforementioned
work”.111 Surowiecki also mentioned “illustrious references” on the subject of the
treatise, which already appeared then in “foreign magazines”.112 Demonstrably, this
was important for the “friends of learning” and raised the rank of the work, which in
turn advanced the acceptance of Sierakowski s candidacy. One such reviews appeared
in French in the Bibliographie etrangere (Journal generał de la litterature etrangere)
and in the Magasin encyclopediąue ou journal des Sciences, des lettres et des arts in
1813, whereas its English version followed in The Philosophical Magazine and Journal
in 1814. However, these were not original texts, but - as was explicitly stated in the
latter journal - translations taken from the unspecified “periodical works [that were]
published in Poland”.113 It is impossible to dismiss the hypothesis that the authorship,
or at least the inspiration of these praiseworthy opinions, came from Sierakowski
himself. It was probably not an accidental that these notes included a relatively ex-
tensive passage devoted to Potocki, who “a short time previous to the last partition
of the kingdom [... ] had formed an architectural society, with the view of publishing
a Polish work on architecture”.114 Thanks to this, Sierakowski had the opportunity
to remember himself to Potocki, certainly not in a disinterested way, as the latter
sińce September 1814 was again in charge of public education on the territory of the
former Duchy of Warsaw115, which remained under the control of Tsar Alexander,
seeking the “resurrection” of the Kingdom at the Congress of Vienna. Sierakowski
then informed Potocki about the “recollection” of his “person” in the French and
English press, while emphasizing extensively that he was “the first in our country
to introduce the science of architecture, and for me the most beloved patron and
benefactor, to whom [...] I will remain grateful till my dying day”.116
109 “Roczniki Towarzystwa Królewskiego Warszawskiego Przyjaciół Nauk”, 10,1817, p. 447.
110 Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie / The Main Archive of Historical Records
in Warsaw [henceforth: ag ad], Akta Towarzystwa Królewskiego Warszawskiego Przyjaciół
Nauk/ Records of the Royal Warsaw Society of the Friends of Learning [henceforth: tkwpn],
sign 17, Address of J.P. Woronicz of 4 xn 1814 on behalf of the Department of Sciences on the
candidates for the Society s members, p. 128.
111 agad, tkwpn, sign 17, W. Surowieckis address of 2 xn 1814 regarding Sierakowski, p. 201.
112 agad, tkwpn, sign 17, Address of W. Surowiecki of 2 xn 1814, p. 201.
113 “The Philosophical Magazine and Journal”, 44,1814, p. 65.
114 Ibidem, pp. 65-66. See also: “Journal generał de la litterature etrangere”, 8,1813, pp. 231-232;
“Magasin encyclopediąue ou journal des Sciences, des lettres et des arts”, 6,1813, pp. 400-401.
115 A. Winiarz, Szkolnictwo Księstwa Warszawskiego, p. 32.
116 agad, Archiwum Publiczne Potockich / The Potocki Public Archive [henceforth: app], sign
271, Sierakowskis letter to Potocki of 13 xi 1814, p. 12.
Sebastian Sierakowskie treatise and the ąuestion of disseminating architectural knowledge... 115
ties to become morę interested in the work. Therefore, it is not surprising that Siera-
kowski undertook efforts for his work to be recognized in the academic community,
particularly by the (then already Royal) Warsaw Society of Friends of Learning.
This “useful and expensive work on architecture” was meant to crown his “long-
standing merits in the scientific works of our country”, for which the author was
distinguished with the title of the Society s honorary member in 1815109, on behalf
of the Department of Sciences.110 Expressing his “warm wish to belong to this as-
sembly”, Sierakowski received the recommendation of the educational activist and
dignitary (incidentally, a close collaborator of Stanisław Kostka Potocki) Wawrzyniec
Surowiecki, who in particular praised his “perseverance, with which among nu-
merous difficulties and obstacles, he endeavoured to complete the aforementioned
work”.111 Surowiecki also mentioned “illustrious references” on the subject of the
treatise, which already appeared then in “foreign magazines”.112 Demonstrably, this
was important for the “friends of learning” and raised the rank of the work, which in
turn advanced the acceptance of Sierakowski s candidacy. One such reviews appeared
in French in the Bibliographie etrangere (Journal generał de la litterature etrangere)
and in the Magasin encyclopediąue ou journal des Sciences, des lettres et des arts in
1813, whereas its English version followed in The Philosophical Magazine and Journal
in 1814. However, these were not original texts, but - as was explicitly stated in the
latter journal - translations taken from the unspecified “periodical works [that were]
published in Poland”.113 It is impossible to dismiss the hypothesis that the authorship,
or at least the inspiration of these praiseworthy opinions, came from Sierakowski
himself. It was probably not an accidental that these notes included a relatively ex-
tensive passage devoted to Potocki, who “a short time previous to the last partition
of the kingdom [... ] had formed an architectural society, with the view of publishing
a Polish work on architecture”.114 Thanks to this, Sierakowski had the opportunity
to remember himself to Potocki, certainly not in a disinterested way, as the latter
sińce September 1814 was again in charge of public education on the territory of the
former Duchy of Warsaw115, which remained under the control of Tsar Alexander,
seeking the “resurrection” of the Kingdom at the Congress of Vienna. Sierakowski
then informed Potocki about the “recollection” of his “person” in the French and
English press, while emphasizing extensively that he was “the first in our country
to introduce the science of architecture, and for me the most beloved patron and
benefactor, to whom [...] I will remain grateful till my dying day”.116
109 “Roczniki Towarzystwa Królewskiego Warszawskiego Przyjaciół Nauk”, 10,1817, p. 447.
110 Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie / The Main Archive of Historical Records
in Warsaw [henceforth: ag ad], Akta Towarzystwa Królewskiego Warszawskiego Przyjaciół
Nauk/ Records of the Royal Warsaw Society of the Friends of Learning [henceforth: tkwpn],
sign 17, Address of J.P. Woronicz of 4 xn 1814 on behalf of the Department of Sciences on the
candidates for the Society s members, p. 128.
111 agad, tkwpn, sign 17, W. Surowieckis address of 2 xn 1814 regarding Sierakowski, p. 201.
112 agad, tkwpn, sign 17, Address of W. Surowiecki of 2 xn 1814, p. 201.
113 “The Philosophical Magazine and Journal”, 44,1814, p. 65.
114 Ibidem, pp. 65-66. See also: “Journal generał de la litterature etrangere”, 8,1813, pp. 231-232;
“Magasin encyclopediąue ou journal des Sciences, des lettres et des arts”, 6,1813, pp. 400-401.
115 A. Winiarz, Szkolnictwo Księstwa Warszawskiego, p. 32.
116 agad, Archiwum Publiczne Potockich / The Potocki Public Archive [henceforth: app], sign
271, Sierakowskis letter to Potocki of 13 xi 1814, p. 12.
Sebastian Sierakowskie treatise and the ąuestion of disseminating architectural knowledge... 115