DOI article:
Wójcik, Agata: Inspiracje sztuką ludową w meblarstwie artystów kręgu Towarzystwa Polska Sztuka Stosowana
Citation link:https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/modus2020/0230
the first generał meeting (held on 23 October 1901) was accompanied by a smali
exhibition of folk arts and crafts. The display, housed in the Sukiennice (the Cloth
Hall), featured folk fabrics, chests, ceramics, as well as drawings and watercol-
ours by Tetmajer and Warchałowski, documenting folk crafts, especially from
the areas of Kraków and Silesia.4 In the same location, from 28 January to 17 March
1902, a larger exhibition was presented, with one section devoted to folk art. The
organizers explained that it was not addressed to ethnographers, but rather to
artists and craftsmen, and its goal was to dazzle the latter with unknown motifs,
colours, and forms, in order to distract them from foreign art, and indicate that by
studying Polish art, their own work would be fresh and original. In the exhibition
arrangement, objects from different regions of the country were mixed and juxta-
posed against one another to create picturesąue compositions that were meant to
stimulate the imagination of the artists. The exhibition included over 150 objects,
drawings and photographs from the Beskid Śląski, Podhale, Kraków and Sącz area,
as well as from areas under the Russian partition - Kujawy, Kurpie and Łowicz
lands. For the purposes of the exhibition, the Museum of Dr. T. Chałubiński in
Zakopane, Zygmunt Gnatowski, Maria Dembowska, Seweryn Udziela and other
collectors of folk art madę their collections available on loan.5
The Kraków exhibition was then presented in a slightly changed format in
Warsaw in the building of the Society for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts,
from 30 September to 17 November 1902).6 Thanks to the larger exhibition space
and the acąuisition of new materials, the folk art section was expanded and di-
vided into regions. Compared to the Kraków exhibition, much morę numerous
objects from the Russian partition were displayed in Warsaw. This time also items
from the Vilnius Region were included. Two collections - drawings showing Raster
eggs by Tadeusz Dowgird and objects from Żmudź by Michał Brenstejn - madę
an interesting ensemble.7 The presentation of folk crafts in the building where
paintings were usually exhibited stirred up very divergent opinions in Warsaw.
Some critics admired the variety of folk ornaments, the richness of colours, and
the strength emanating from them,8 but there were also many overwhelmingly
negative opinions. The works of folk artists were seen as primitive, which as
the critics argued proved the backwardness of Polish craftsmanship. Those who
perceived works of folk art in this way concluded that the latter could not become
the basis for the development of Polish applied art.9 The correspondent of the
womens magazine, who reported on the exhibition, wrote: “Among these folk
craft designs are objects of such dreadfully monstrous form and garish colour,
or so na‘ive in their concept and its execution, that it would be inconceivable that
4 Towarzystwo „Polska Sztuka stosowana”, “Głos Narodu”, 1901, no. 244, p. 4.
5 See: Katalog 1. Wystawy Towarzystwa „Polska Sztuka Stosowana”, Kraków 1902; Sprawozdanie
Towarzystwa, pp. 17-21.
6 See: I. Huml, Zachęta eksponuje sztukę stosowaną (wokół wystawy 1902 roku), in: Towarzystwo
Zachęty Sztuk Pięknych. Materiały z sesji, J. Sosnowska (ed.), Warszawa 1993, pp. 59-67.
7 See: Katałog 11-ej wystawy krakowskiego Towarzystwa Sztuki Stosowanej, Warszawa 1902.
8 K. Broniewski, Z Towarzystwa Zachęty Sztuk Pięknych. Druga wystawa krakowskiego Towarzystwa
Połska Sztuka Stosowna, “Biblioteka Warszawska”, 4,1902, pp. 349-360; J. Bandrowski, Połska
Sztuka Stosowana w Pałacu Sztuki, “Słowo Polskie”, 1902, no. 250, pp. 1-2; Ze sztoki, “Tygodnik
Mód i Powieści”, 1902, no. 41, pp. 485-486.
9 Styl połski, „Wędrowiec”, 1902, 44, p. 867; Albertus, Z Pałacu Sztuki Polskiej. Wystawa sztuki
stosowanej, “Życie i Sztuka”, 1902, no. 43, pp. 451-452.
230
ARTICLES
Agata Wójcik
exhibition of folk arts and crafts. The display, housed in the Sukiennice (the Cloth
Hall), featured folk fabrics, chests, ceramics, as well as drawings and watercol-
ours by Tetmajer and Warchałowski, documenting folk crafts, especially from
the areas of Kraków and Silesia.4 In the same location, from 28 January to 17 March
1902, a larger exhibition was presented, with one section devoted to folk art. The
organizers explained that it was not addressed to ethnographers, but rather to
artists and craftsmen, and its goal was to dazzle the latter with unknown motifs,
colours, and forms, in order to distract them from foreign art, and indicate that by
studying Polish art, their own work would be fresh and original. In the exhibition
arrangement, objects from different regions of the country were mixed and juxta-
posed against one another to create picturesąue compositions that were meant to
stimulate the imagination of the artists. The exhibition included over 150 objects,
drawings and photographs from the Beskid Śląski, Podhale, Kraków and Sącz area,
as well as from areas under the Russian partition - Kujawy, Kurpie and Łowicz
lands. For the purposes of the exhibition, the Museum of Dr. T. Chałubiński in
Zakopane, Zygmunt Gnatowski, Maria Dembowska, Seweryn Udziela and other
collectors of folk art madę their collections available on loan.5
The Kraków exhibition was then presented in a slightly changed format in
Warsaw in the building of the Society for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts,
from 30 September to 17 November 1902).6 Thanks to the larger exhibition space
and the acąuisition of new materials, the folk art section was expanded and di-
vided into regions. Compared to the Kraków exhibition, much morę numerous
objects from the Russian partition were displayed in Warsaw. This time also items
from the Vilnius Region were included. Two collections - drawings showing Raster
eggs by Tadeusz Dowgird and objects from Żmudź by Michał Brenstejn - madę
an interesting ensemble.7 The presentation of folk crafts in the building where
paintings were usually exhibited stirred up very divergent opinions in Warsaw.
Some critics admired the variety of folk ornaments, the richness of colours, and
the strength emanating from them,8 but there were also many overwhelmingly
negative opinions. The works of folk artists were seen as primitive, which as
the critics argued proved the backwardness of Polish craftsmanship. Those who
perceived works of folk art in this way concluded that the latter could not become
the basis for the development of Polish applied art.9 The correspondent of the
womens magazine, who reported on the exhibition, wrote: “Among these folk
craft designs are objects of such dreadfully monstrous form and garish colour,
or so na‘ive in their concept and its execution, that it would be inconceivable that
4 Towarzystwo „Polska Sztuka stosowana”, “Głos Narodu”, 1901, no. 244, p. 4.
5 See: Katalog 1. Wystawy Towarzystwa „Polska Sztuka Stosowana”, Kraków 1902; Sprawozdanie
Towarzystwa, pp. 17-21.
6 See: I. Huml, Zachęta eksponuje sztukę stosowaną (wokół wystawy 1902 roku), in: Towarzystwo
Zachęty Sztuk Pięknych. Materiały z sesji, J. Sosnowska (ed.), Warszawa 1993, pp. 59-67.
7 See: Katałog 11-ej wystawy krakowskiego Towarzystwa Sztuki Stosowanej, Warszawa 1902.
8 K. Broniewski, Z Towarzystwa Zachęty Sztuk Pięknych. Druga wystawa krakowskiego Towarzystwa
Połska Sztuka Stosowna, “Biblioteka Warszawska”, 4,1902, pp. 349-360; J. Bandrowski, Połska
Sztuka Stosowana w Pałacu Sztuki, “Słowo Polskie”, 1902, no. 250, pp. 1-2; Ze sztoki, “Tygodnik
Mód i Powieści”, 1902, no. 41, pp. 485-486.
9 Styl połski, „Wędrowiec”, 1902, 44, p. 867; Albertus, Z Pałacu Sztuki Polskiej. Wystawa sztuki
stosowanej, “Życie i Sztuka”, 1902, no. 43, pp. 451-452.
230
ARTICLES
Agata Wójcik