DOI Artikel:
Wójcik, Agata: „Myśl artystyczna”, która przeniknęła do „knajp”: Wnętrza restauracyjne w Starym Teatrze w Krakowie projektu artystów związanych z Towarzystwem Polska Sztuka Stosowana
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44918#0150
disdainfully wrote about the Drobnerions interior: “wherefore the peacocks, turkeys,
and other exotic fowl imported to Europę from overseas continue as the favourite
motif of‘Polish applied art’??? [...] And how about these belladonnas of yours, all
these orchids, palm trees, philodendrons and the whole subtropical flora, which
you have planted so patriotically in the Zakopane ladles (!) on the vaults of the
‘Drobnerion’ ??!!”.3 8
Examples can also be found of inspirations, copying, and maybe even plagiariz-
ing interior designs originally madę by the artists associated with the tpss in Kraków.
Stanisław Węgierkiewicz, a Warsaw decorator, tried different ways of emulating
the style of Krakovian artists. In a ladies’ cafe, founded by Jan Jakub Lardelli, he
designed two rooms - one was furnished in the Egyptian style, while the second
in its way of interior arrangement and decoration in one colour tonę, and using
a floral motif, referred to Kraków projects. They were described as follows: “As his
basie motif, Węgierkiewicz used a rowan branch, with yellowed leaves and blood-
red corals. This motif is repeated everywhere, both on the stained glass in large
Windows [...] and on the friezes running along the walls, and finally, on the furniture
in the form of inerustations madę of copper combined with silver. The furniture of
darkened ash, coordinated with the tonę of a withered leaf, and covered with red
matter, is also in harmony with the rowanberries. The style is strictly consistent.
Such are comfortable chairs and a large mirror, allowing guests to observe their
entire form; the library closet; and so forth. There is ash-wood panelling running
along the walls, frames filled with golden fabric. The floor is completely covered
with a soft, red carpet”.38 39 Węgierkiewicz also designed Warsaw s Słowiańska cafe,
where the furniture was modelled on the equipment from the Żeleńskis’ dining
room, designed by Stanisław Wyspiański. The Warsaw decorator claimed that his
project for the Słowiańska cafe is “an adaptation of the so-called Wyspiański style to
actual practical use.” The Warsaw designer has retained the “characteristic ‘rosę and
a blunt, semi-circular and ever-recurring serrations, leaving the buffet sideboard in
the immaculate purity of style, with the frieze (of peacock feathers), also conforming
to the style, and the wainscot; whereas the seats and tables have been modified - so
that they could serve for the contemporary use”.40 Such activities, to be surę, met
with the opposition of artists from the tpss. Trojanowski spoke on this matter in
the following way: “Ideas of important artists are assimilated without the slightest
ceremony by a mediocre ‘nobodies’, and they are inflated, botched, and twisted at
will... and they go... distort the public taste and sensitivity, instead of refining and
informing them. If you go so far as to copy someone elses idea - faithfully, then...
you forget about its creator and assimilate it for yourself like a privateer... ad ma-
jorem gloriam of your own person”.41
The interior design of the restaurant interiors at the Stary Teatr was the first
significant commission entrusted to the artists associated with the tpss. First of
all, it allowed them to present the stylistic Solutions proposed by the Society. This
was not a simple way of finding inspiration only in folk art, but instead, it meant
38 Library of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, portfolio of Jerzy Warchałowski, 20029,
J. Zawiejski, Architektus transurbanus, “Reforma”, 28 August 1907, pp. 173-177.
39 Kawiarnia dla kobiet, “Świat”, 1912, issue 4, p. 20.
40 Cz. Jankowski, W sprawie swojskiego zdobnictwa, “Kurier warszawski”, 1912, issue 27, p. 13.
41 Idem, My i „styl współczesny”, “Kurier warszawski”, 1912, issue 18, pp. 2-3.
148
ARTICLES
Agata Wójcik
and other exotic fowl imported to Europę from overseas continue as the favourite
motif of‘Polish applied art’??? [...] And how about these belladonnas of yours, all
these orchids, palm trees, philodendrons and the whole subtropical flora, which
you have planted so patriotically in the Zakopane ladles (!) on the vaults of the
‘Drobnerion’ ??!!”.3 8
Examples can also be found of inspirations, copying, and maybe even plagiariz-
ing interior designs originally madę by the artists associated with the tpss in Kraków.
Stanisław Węgierkiewicz, a Warsaw decorator, tried different ways of emulating
the style of Krakovian artists. In a ladies’ cafe, founded by Jan Jakub Lardelli, he
designed two rooms - one was furnished in the Egyptian style, while the second
in its way of interior arrangement and decoration in one colour tonę, and using
a floral motif, referred to Kraków projects. They were described as follows: “As his
basie motif, Węgierkiewicz used a rowan branch, with yellowed leaves and blood-
red corals. This motif is repeated everywhere, both on the stained glass in large
Windows [...] and on the friezes running along the walls, and finally, on the furniture
in the form of inerustations madę of copper combined with silver. The furniture of
darkened ash, coordinated with the tonę of a withered leaf, and covered with red
matter, is also in harmony with the rowanberries. The style is strictly consistent.
Such are comfortable chairs and a large mirror, allowing guests to observe their
entire form; the library closet; and so forth. There is ash-wood panelling running
along the walls, frames filled with golden fabric. The floor is completely covered
with a soft, red carpet”.38 39 Węgierkiewicz also designed Warsaw s Słowiańska cafe,
where the furniture was modelled on the equipment from the Żeleńskis’ dining
room, designed by Stanisław Wyspiański. The Warsaw decorator claimed that his
project for the Słowiańska cafe is “an adaptation of the so-called Wyspiański style to
actual practical use.” The Warsaw designer has retained the “characteristic ‘rosę and
a blunt, semi-circular and ever-recurring serrations, leaving the buffet sideboard in
the immaculate purity of style, with the frieze (of peacock feathers), also conforming
to the style, and the wainscot; whereas the seats and tables have been modified - so
that they could serve for the contemporary use”.40 Such activities, to be surę, met
with the opposition of artists from the tpss. Trojanowski spoke on this matter in
the following way: “Ideas of important artists are assimilated without the slightest
ceremony by a mediocre ‘nobodies’, and they are inflated, botched, and twisted at
will... and they go... distort the public taste and sensitivity, instead of refining and
informing them. If you go so far as to copy someone elses idea - faithfully, then...
you forget about its creator and assimilate it for yourself like a privateer... ad ma-
jorem gloriam of your own person”.41
The interior design of the restaurant interiors at the Stary Teatr was the first
significant commission entrusted to the artists associated with the tpss. First of
all, it allowed them to present the stylistic Solutions proposed by the Society. This
was not a simple way of finding inspiration only in folk art, but instead, it meant
38 Library of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, portfolio of Jerzy Warchałowski, 20029,
J. Zawiejski, Architektus transurbanus, “Reforma”, 28 August 1907, pp. 173-177.
39 Kawiarnia dla kobiet, “Świat”, 1912, issue 4, p. 20.
40 Cz. Jankowski, W sprawie swojskiego zdobnictwa, “Kurier warszawski”, 1912, issue 27, p. 13.
41 Idem, My i „styl współczesny”, “Kurier warszawski”, 1912, issue 18, pp. 2-3.
148
ARTICLES
Agata Wójcik