DOI Artikel:
Kasperowicz, Ryszard: Ksawery Piwocki (1901 - 1974)
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16827#0119
112
RYSZARD KASPEROWICZ
ABSTRACT
Ksawery Piwocki, (1901 1974) whose scholarly activities occurred during a particularly difficult period in Polish history,
1935 1970. w as one ofthe most interesting Polish art historians and organizers of académie life. In his work, he combined an interest
in methodolog) I for instance, as an expert on the concepts of Alois Riegl. and on ail the complexities ofthe nearly century old dispute
abont its proper interprétation), with many years of research on non -professional artists, areas of artistic creativity which remained
partly on the margins of traditional art history and partly in the 'no man's land' of such disciplines as art history, ethnography and
eu 1 turaI anthropology. Armed with a thorough knowledge of methodology, and starting from the fairly widespread belief in the I920s
and I930Ś that the study ofthe art ofthe so-called 'primitives' would facilitate exploration ofthe principles of artistic development
m generał, uncovering the psychological and anthropological origins of creativity, Piwocki researched 'primitive' art, revealing a
fascinating and often surprising relationship between the proposais of modem artists and the trends ofthe 'primitives'. It should be
emphasized that thèse studics, which began even before World War II. were complctely devoid of any attempt to support them with the
théories of race, w hich w as not so obvions at the time. In some ways Piwocki's popular book "A strange world of modem primitives"
was a summary of his investigations, playing in its time a very important role.
We must not forget that Ksawery Piwocki was also a well-known organizer of académie life. He w as involved in the practice
of conservation, becoming an eminent expert on the theory of conservation and restoration of works of art. and greatly contributing to
the increase in awareness of thèse issues in Poland. It is thanks to his efforts that the National Ethnographie Muséum was established
in Warsaw, whose role in promoting interest in folk, 'primitive' and amateur art cannot be overestimated. Combining in his activities
the compétence of an art restorer, art historian and methodologist. Piwocki remains in the memory of our discipline as a rare example
of a researcher for whom there w as no gap between the study of art history for its own sake and its embodiment as a living aesthetic
and artistic message.
(translated by Katarzyna Krzyżagórska-Pisarek)
RYSZARD KASPEROWICZ
ABSTRACT
Ksawery Piwocki, (1901 1974) whose scholarly activities occurred during a particularly difficult period in Polish history,
1935 1970. w as one ofthe most interesting Polish art historians and organizers of académie life. In his work, he combined an interest
in methodolog) I for instance, as an expert on the concepts of Alois Riegl. and on ail the complexities ofthe nearly century old dispute
abont its proper interprétation), with many years of research on non -professional artists, areas of artistic creativity which remained
partly on the margins of traditional art history and partly in the 'no man's land' of such disciplines as art history, ethnography and
eu 1 turaI anthropology. Armed with a thorough knowledge of methodology, and starting from the fairly widespread belief in the I920s
and I930Ś that the study ofthe art ofthe so-called 'primitives' would facilitate exploration ofthe principles of artistic development
m generał, uncovering the psychological and anthropological origins of creativity, Piwocki researched 'primitive' art, revealing a
fascinating and often surprising relationship between the proposais of modem artists and the trends ofthe 'primitives'. It should be
emphasized that thèse studics, which began even before World War II. were complctely devoid of any attempt to support them with the
théories of race, w hich w as not so obvions at the time. In some ways Piwocki's popular book "A strange world of modem primitives"
was a summary of his investigations, playing in its time a very important role.
We must not forget that Ksawery Piwocki was also a well-known organizer of académie life. He w as involved in the practice
of conservation, becoming an eminent expert on the theory of conservation and restoration of works of art. and greatly contributing to
the increase in awareness of thèse issues in Poland. It is thanks to his efforts that the National Ethnographie Muséum was established
in Warsaw, whose role in promoting interest in folk, 'primitive' and amateur art cannot be overestimated. Combining in his activities
the compétence of an art restorer, art historian and methodologist. Piwocki remains in the memory of our discipline as a rare example
of a researcher for whom there w as no gap between the study of art history for its own sake and its embodiment as a living aesthetic
and artistic message.
(translated by Katarzyna Krzyżagórska-Pisarek)