DOI Artikel:
Sosnowska, Joanna: Juliusz Starzyński (1906 - 1974)
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16827#0162
JULIUSZ STARZYŃSKI (1906 1974)
155
wyraz bogatej osobowości Michała Walickiego: wierność i oddanie w przyjaźni, serdeczność i wyrozumia-
łość dla podwładnych, chęć bezinteresownego pomagania ludziom, a nade wszystko umiłowanie młodzieży,
wszystkiego, co rośnie i żyje, troska o dobro i piękno na co dzień w życiu własnym i narodowyirT143.
Juliusz Starzyński jest postacią domagającą się dogłębnego omówienia. Narosło wokół niego zbyt wiele
kontrowersji, a w krótkim szkicu nie sposób przedstawić wszystkich skomplikowanych relacji historycznych
i wynikających z nich decyzji podejmowanych w odniesieniu do różnych osób i zamierzeń o bardzo zróżni-
cowanej wadze. Przede wszystkim nie sposób uchwycić złożonej osobowości badacza i organizatora życia
naukowego. Panuje przekonanie, potwierdzone teoretycznymi rozważaniami, że historia sztuki uprawiana
przez naukowców pracujących w muzeach i tych, którzy wykładają na uniwersytetach różni się w sposób
zasadniczy w podejściu do przedmiotu badań144. Starzyński zdawał się temu zaprzeczać, pracował w obu dzie-
dzinach, a przy tym powołał do życia kolejną, mającą na celu wytwarzanie nowego typu wiedzy. Była oder-
wana od praktyk akademickich i muzealnych, oparta na dokumentacji, a więc o świadomie konstruowanych
archiwach, ale nastawiona na teoretyzowanie w powiązaniu ze sztuką dawną jak i tą powstającą aktualnie.
Zamierzenia tego projektu są wciąż realizowane, a rezultaty odczuwalne daleko poza niegdysiejszym polem
działania Starzyńskiego, jednak jego ocena, nie należy już do zadań niniejszego tekstu, nie może bowiem
dotyczyć samego tylko pomysłodawcy.
ABSTRACT
Juliusz Starzyński (1906-1974) was an art historian, poet, playwright and actor, as wcll as director of three institutes of art; for
almost forty years he hcld numerous académie and administrative positions and yet, today. he is almost unknown. So many far-reach-
ing political. cultural and académie methodological changes have oceurred sińce his death that his works are not read today. He was
boni in Lviv and attended one of the best secondary schools there. He studied history of art at the University of Warsaw and simulta-
neously attended the famous Reduta Théâtre Institute to study acting. appearing on stage ail over Warsaw. After finishing his studies,
he concentrated on his académie work, quickly advancing to higher levels. By the time war broke out, he had already been awarded a
doetorate and was director of the Institute of Art Propaganda and curator at the National Muséum in Warsaw, as well as lecturing in the
Department of Architecture at the Polytechnic of Warsaw and at the National Institute of Theatrical Art. He spent the war in a Prisoner
of War camp for Polish officers in Muniau near Munich. He retumed to Poland in 1946 and almost immcdiately started work at the
University of Warsaw and at the Ministry of Art and Culture. In 1949 he initiated the founding of the State Institute of Art. which was
transformed in 1959 into the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IS PAN). Starzyński was director from 1949-1960
and again from 1968-1974. During the Stalin years, he was a supporter of socrealism. but as soon as political pressure began to wane,
he abandoned his own published points of view. Internationally, he was very active as a member and deputy chairperson of the In-
ternational Association of Art Critics. He organised exhibitions of Polish art abroad, among other places, at Art Biennale in Veniee.
After being dismissed from the position of director of the IS PAN as a resuit of political conflict with the management, he continued
to work there. living in France on scholarships, giving lectures there about correspondance des arts during the Romantic Period, and
publishing three books on the subject, two in Polish and one in French. From 1950 -1970 he was the director of the Institute of the Art
History at the University of Warsaw. where he regularly lectured. From 1966, he was member of the Polish Academy of Sciences. His
last book Polska droga do nowoczesności w sztuce {The Polish Road to Modernitv in Art), published in 1973. is proof that his viewe
on art and the methods he applied were already, at that time. considered anachronistic. He believed in the romantic-patriotic ethos of
national art and sought enduring values in it. Starzyński is today remembered by sonie as a démagogue of socrealism. by others as a
distinguished organiser of académie life during the communist years and above all as someone who helped others. often in difficult
matters rcsulting from the political situation.
Archiwum .1. Starzyńskiego, J. Starzyński, Wspomnienie o Michale Walickim, mps.
144 The Two Art Historiés. The Muséum and the University, ed. ( 'li. W. Haxthausen, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institut. William-
Stown, Massachusetts, Yale University Press, New Ilaven and London 1999.
155
wyraz bogatej osobowości Michała Walickiego: wierność i oddanie w przyjaźni, serdeczność i wyrozumia-
łość dla podwładnych, chęć bezinteresownego pomagania ludziom, a nade wszystko umiłowanie młodzieży,
wszystkiego, co rośnie i żyje, troska o dobro i piękno na co dzień w życiu własnym i narodowyirT143.
Juliusz Starzyński jest postacią domagającą się dogłębnego omówienia. Narosło wokół niego zbyt wiele
kontrowersji, a w krótkim szkicu nie sposób przedstawić wszystkich skomplikowanych relacji historycznych
i wynikających z nich decyzji podejmowanych w odniesieniu do różnych osób i zamierzeń o bardzo zróżni-
cowanej wadze. Przede wszystkim nie sposób uchwycić złożonej osobowości badacza i organizatora życia
naukowego. Panuje przekonanie, potwierdzone teoretycznymi rozważaniami, że historia sztuki uprawiana
przez naukowców pracujących w muzeach i tych, którzy wykładają na uniwersytetach różni się w sposób
zasadniczy w podejściu do przedmiotu badań144. Starzyński zdawał się temu zaprzeczać, pracował w obu dzie-
dzinach, a przy tym powołał do życia kolejną, mającą na celu wytwarzanie nowego typu wiedzy. Była oder-
wana od praktyk akademickich i muzealnych, oparta na dokumentacji, a więc o świadomie konstruowanych
archiwach, ale nastawiona na teoretyzowanie w powiązaniu ze sztuką dawną jak i tą powstającą aktualnie.
Zamierzenia tego projektu są wciąż realizowane, a rezultaty odczuwalne daleko poza niegdysiejszym polem
działania Starzyńskiego, jednak jego ocena, nie należy już do zadań niniejszego tekstu, nie może bowiem
dotyczyć samego tylko pomysłodawcy.
ABSTRACT
Juliusz Starzyński (1906-1974) was an art historian, poet, playwright and actor, as wcll as director of three institutes of art; for
almost forty years he hcld numerous académie and administrative positions and yet, today. he is almost unknown. So many far-reach-
ing political. cultural and académie methodological changes have oceurred sińce his death that his works are not read today. He was
boni in Lviv and attended one of the best secondary schools there. He studied history of art at the University of Warsaw and simulta-
neously attended the famous Reduta Théâtre Institute to study acting. appearing on stage ail over Warsaw. After finishing his studies,
he concentrated on his académie work, quickly advancing to higher levels. By the time war broke out, he had already been awarded a
doetorate and was director of the Institute of Art Propaganda and curator at the National Muséum in Warsaw, as well as lecturing in the
Department of Architecture at the Polytechnic of Warsaw and at the National Institute of Theatrical Art. He spent the war in a Prisoner
of War camp for Polish officers in Muniau near Munich. He retumed to Poland in 1946 and almost immcdiately started work at the
University of Warsaw and at the Ministry of Art and Culture. In 1949 he initiated the founding of the State Institute of Art. which was
transformed in 1959 into the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IS PAN). Starzyński was director from 1949-1960
and again from 1968-1974. During the Stalin years, he was a supporter of socrealism. but as soon as political pressure began to wane,
he abandoned his own published points of view. Internationally, he was very active as a member and deputy chairperson of the In-
ternational Association of Art Critics. He organised exhibitions of Polish art abroad, among other places, at Art Biennale in Veniee.
After being dismissed from the position of director of the IS PAN as a resuit of political conflict with the management, he continued
to work there. living in France on scholarships, giving lectures there about correspondance des arts during the Romantic Period, and
publishing three books on the subject, two in Polish and one in French. From 1950 -1970 he was the director of the Institute of the Art
History at the University of Warsaw. where he regularly lectured. From 1966, he was member of the Polish Academy of Sciences. His
last book Polska droga do nowoczesności w sztuce {The Polish Road to Modernitv in Art), published in 1973. is proof that his viewe
on art and the methods he applied were already, at that time. considered anachronistic. He believed in the romantic-patriotic ethos of
national art and sought enduring values in it. Starzyński is today remembered by sonie as a démagogue of socrealism. by others as a
distinguished organiser of académie life during the communist years and above all as someone who helped others. often in difficult
matters rcsulting from the political situation.
Archiwum .1. Starzyńskiego, J. Starzyński, Wspomnienie o Michale Walickim, mps.
144 The Two Art Historiés. The Muséum and the University, ed. ( 'li. W. Haxthausen, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institut. William-
Stown, Massachusetts, Yale University Press, New Ilaven and London 1999.