THE STANISŁAW WYSPIAŃSKI MUSEUM
Protesilas costume design for the drama "Protesilas and Laodamia", 1903
To the right of the relief depicting Apollo as an archer, we can see two of Wyspiański’s costume and set designs. Let’s take a closer look at the one featuring a man in a golden suit of armour. This is the main character of a drama titled Protesilaus and Laodamia set during the time of the Trojan war. Protesilaus was one of the first Greek warriors to stand on enemy land and the first to perish there. His wife, Laodamia, faithfully waited for him at home until the news arrived about his demise -- and she committed suicide. At the premiere of the play, the actors wore costumes inspired by the Greek fashions of Homer’s time. In designing arms for the main character, Wyspiański took his cues from the collection of the Altes Museum in Berlin and made a dedicated effort to come as close to historical accuracy as possible. The greatest attention was paid to the enigmatic patterns on the warrior’s shield. All the metalworkers of Krakow refused the commission, so it was ordered from Berlin for a price that surpassed the entire budget for the set and costume design. To make matters worse, the lighting was so low on the stage that the shield couldn’t even be seen very well by the audience. The head of the theatre then allegedly shouted out: ‘That Protesilaus could have taken a doormat, not a shield, no one would have been the wiser -- a doormat that would have cost 40 cents!’
Apollo- Copernicus' astral system. Design of a stained glass window for the Cracow Medical Society
Let’s take a look at the largest work in this room -- the figure of a yellow-tinted man on a blue background. This is another sketch for a stained-glass window. The work is titled Apollo -- Copernicus’s System. Wyspiański completed his work on the piece in as little as seven weeks. It depicts Apollo, who was honoured, among other things, as the god of beauty and light, the patron of doctors and the arts. Here, Apollo is depicted as the personification of the Sun and of the Arts. He stands rigid, his back seemingly held up by a lyre. He’s surrounded by the planets, which have been endowed with human characteristics, divided between male and female. There are seven planets depicted, including the moon, which is how the Solar System was viewed in the time of Copernicus. In this way, the artist pays tribute to the heliocentric arrangement of our universe that was revealed by the great astronomer. Of course, the piece is injected with Wyspiański’s own etymology. Based on an account from Julian Nowak, who was the president of the Doctor’s Association and a friend of the artist, we have gained an insight into the idea behind this work. Namely, Wyspiański viewed the suffering of the pagan god Apollo as an allegory for the suffering of Christ on the cross. We can see the god ruling over all the universe, with his feet grounded in the earth, intended as a symbol of salvation. This stained-glass window design is among the most modern, unique and synthesised of all of Wyspiański’s works. Alas, the original window was destroyed after a mine exploded beneath a nearby railway bridge in 1945 and it was recreated after the war. Today the window can be seen in the House of the Doctor’s Association in Krakow, located at 4 Radziwiłłowska Street. Wyspiański was awarded the commission for its design in 1904. This was another highly intensive period in the artist’s life, and he worked fervently -- in spite of his illness.
Self-portrait, 1903
Let’s stand with our backs to the way we came in and look the right, towards the portrait in the middle of the room. This is a self-portrait of Wyspiański dating back to 1903. We can see artist at the age of 34, at the height of his fame. In the portrait, his body is turned slightly to the right. He is wearing his favourite jacket, known as a ‘tużurek’, which is a bit longer than a traditional men’s suit jacket. The background is bare on purpose -- the goal is to centre the viewer’s gaze on the subject. We see a slender face framed by waves of soft hair and a neatly trimmed beard. The most striking part of the portrait is Wyspiański’s gaze, revealing the great sensibility he held within. There is also a sense of confidence and pride in what he has already achieved. As if he was to cite the letters of his youth to declare once again: ‘This is what life is for, to accomplish something’.
Polonia, design for a stained glass window for the Cathedral in Lvov, 1894
Here, we have Polonia, which is a fragment of a stained-glass window design that goes by the broader title of Stained-glass design King John II Casimir Vasa’s Oath for Lviv Cathedral, which was meant to be hung in the very cathedral of the title and which depicts the king as the veritable founder of the cathedral itself. Wyspiański presented his proposal for this work in collaboration with his friend, the brilliant painter Józef Mehoffer. The project is based on the structure of the Gothic windows in the presbyterium of the cathedral. We can see this very well in the picture to the right. The composition is split up into two parts. The bottom one reveals a realistic vision of the vows, with the ruler bowing down to the figure of God the Father. At the top, we see Poland (or, as you will, Polonia) personified. She is depicted as the martyr, with the Holy Mary hovering above her. The message of this work was crystal clear: when the very existence of Poland was under threat, one had to submit to the protection of the Holy Mother. Nonetheless, his depiction of the subject matter was highly controversial. Let’s take a closer look at Polonia. Her face is pale blue. Her hands are slack against her body and she is dressed in a long black gown. She appears to be fainting, as if she were about to fall upon the scarlett, fur-lined cloak spread out on the floor. Below her, there are clumps of sinister bushes that are winding around in a foreboding manner. She is surrounded by mourners, their faces full of sorrow. Among them there are clear folk references, such as the girl dressed in traditional Krakow attire and naked boys who are stretching their arms towards the heavens in prayer.
Self-portrait, 1903
Motherhood, 1905
Let’s move over to the pictures up on the right. These portraits depict the members of Wyspiański’s immediate family. The largest work, titled Motherhood presents the artist’s wife Teodora feeding their beloved son Staś. There are two other figures in the picture -- two identical girls who represent a single person -- the couple’s daughter, Helenka. The painter would informally refer to it as Wife with the Helens. Teodora Teofila Pytko came from the village of Konary, outside of Tarnów. As a country woman, she didn’t receive the warmest welcome from Wyspiański’s family. But for Wyspiański himself, she was his most trusted companion in everyday affairs as well as someone who possessed a key to the treasures of the region’s folk culture. Needless to say, Wyspiański was fascinated by the details of these legends and traditions. One of his relatives once wrote: ‘Wyspiański loved his wife a great deal, he was enchanted by her primitivism and her songs that were full of folkish simplicity. He spent hours in the kitchen sketching her. Of all of his relatives near and far, he loved his wife and children above all’. The tender motif of a nursing mother and the motherly embrace appeared in Wyspiański’s works with the arrival of his children. Over the course of several years, he painted a few pieces under the theme and title of Motherhood. All of these works contained an expression of awe for the selfless nature of a mother’s love. In this picture, we can also see hints of the artist’s fascination with folk art and the natural landscapes of the Polish countryside. Teodora’s green caftan is embroidered in bright fuchsia flowers, with the entire background filled with foliage and the white petals of pelargoniums.
Motherhood, 1905
Helenka, 1900
Let’s have a look at the portraits to the left of the Motherhood painting. We may consider them as a complement to that very painting. It depicts the artist’s two older children: Mietek and Helena. In his personal journal of 1904-1905, which he referred to as a ‘raptularz’, Wyspiański would often make notes along the lines of ‘I’m sketching the children at the table’, ‘I’m continuing to paint the picture of my wife and Staś’, ‘In the morning I keep trying to draw, but I can’t keep up with Helena’. These notes show how important it was for him to make these family portraits and how his children were his most frequent and most favourite subjects. All of his works are characterised by a remarkable sense of ease and a natural approach to the depiction. Wyspiański typically framed his pictures up close, usually focusing on the face -- which he believed was meant to serve a reflection of the child’s inner life. He avoided artificial poses and did his best to capture impromptu moments when his children were casually sitting at the table or sleeping in bed. This laid-back approach to painting is evident in the portrait of Helenka. The face of the child, framed by tufts of hair, is modelled with contours and soft splotches of colour throughout. All the artist’s attention is focused on the expression in the eyes and the grimace that plays upon her lips. We see a sleepy, dreamy Helenka that is staring ahead without really seeing what is in front of her. She probably isn’t even aware that anyone is observing her at that moment.
Helenka, 1900
View from the window of the artist's flat of the Kosciuszko Mound in Cracow
Now we will shift our attention to the three rural landscapes to the right. The artist’s home city was Krakow -- once the historic capital of Poland and also a provincial city of the Habsburg Monarchy between the 19th and 20th centuries. He spent his entire life here. The people and places of this city and nearby areas had a strong impact on his work as an artist. The landscapes we see before us all carry the same title: View of Kościuszko Mound in Krakow from a Window. They were all painted between 1904-1905. At the time, Wyspiański lived with his family in a townhouse along Krowoderska Street, which then lay on the north-western edge of the city. Because of his illness, he wasn’t able to leave his residence. But he did enjoy the company of a great number of visitors. Among them was Feliks ‘Manggha’ Jasieński, a critic, patron of the arts and collector. During one of his visits, he noted that Wyspiański seemed a bit withdrawn and jaded and the two men had a conversation -- which was later reproduced in a fictionalised biography of the artist’s life by the writer Władysław Bodnicki. Their conversation went something like this: “What if you started painting landscapes?” “I’m not a landscape painter.” “I wouldn’t agree. What about your Wawel? Your Vistula, your Planty park? They’re remarkable.” “Like any neurasthenic patient I react strongly to changes in the weather. So, the doctor recommended me remain at home.” [Narrator] Jasieński would sit across from the balcony doors, through which he could see the horizon dipped in the rays of the setting sun on the small hill of Kościuszko Mound. It was a sight that would delight most any impressionist. Jasieński pointed to the sight beyond the window and called out: “What about that Mound there?” “That’s fine for once and then what?” “Why just once? How about the façade of the Rouen Cathedral that Monet painted more than a dozen times?” [Narrator] The painter’s gaze froze as he focused on these words. “You’re right… I often sit there, right where you’re sitting now. And I sit there in wonder about how this view just continues to change all the time.” In effect, Wyspiański made over several dozen pictures in a relatively short period of time, of which about a dozen remain. Let’s take a look at the three pictures in front of us -- which Wyspiański and Jasieński both considered to be the ‘best of the bunch’. All three depict the same view, but they vary in terms of their mood and ambiance. The first landscape from the left was painted in grey tones that reflects the mood of a silent, sombre day. In the foreground, we can see fields covered in a thick, wet layer of snow. The tracks of a railway line cut through the white. The tops of trees stretch high towards the sky. In the distance, we can see the hills, crowned by the famous ‘Mound’, which is, in fact, an artificial construction raised in tribute to the national hero Tadeusza Kościuszko. The second perspective depicts the mound in the midst of a snowstorm -- the view barely visible behind a curtain of snowflakes. From the window of the Wyspiański residence, we can see only the closest trees in the foreground and just part of the railway tracks, the wind raging in the sky. The third and final view is set on a sunny winter’s day. The raised horizon builds the impression of depth, in which the foreground plays host to a fork in the road, along with a tree and the railways tracks that share the same mood and style. The rest of the nearly empty space is criss-crossed by winding roads and stripey shadows cast by the trees. Far in the distance, the mound rises above the horizon.
View from the window of the artist's flat of the Kosciuszko Mound in Cracow
Apollo- Copernicus' astral system. Design of a stained glass window for the Cracow Medical Society
God the Father - Become, stained glass design, 1904
Let’s take a look at the enormous work on the wall, which is only partially unfurled. In 1895, Wyspiański began cooperating with the Franciscan monks of Krakow. Over the next few years, he contributed his talents to decorating the Gothic church with painterly accents and magnificent stained-glass windows. At first, people weren’t quite sure what to think of these decorations -- but they have gained a true appreciation in our times. Right before us, there is a replica of a pastel sketch of a stained-glass window. The actual window takes up a broad swathe of the church’s western facade. The depiction carries the title: God the Father. Its first title, however, was: God creating the world out of chaos. It serves as an illustration of the first words of the Book of Genesis: In the beginning God created heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. This dynamic depiction of the Creator escapes the bounds of the period’s cannons of sacral art. The majestic figure, dressed in flowing robes, conducts each note of the symphony that is the birth of the world with grace and confidence. Researchers have indicated that the inspiration for this piece was the depiction of Christ in the fresco ‘The Last Judgement’ by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel. Wyspiański became familiar with the art of the Renaissance greats during his studies of Art History at Jagiellonian University. He would also travel to Italy to see many of these works up close. The hands of God have been cast in a very particular manner. The left hand is raised and cast in warm, yellow hues. The right hand is down and its veins and pointed fingers are deliberately overstated. To see it, we have to get closer to the scroll -- closer to the left -- where it has just begun to unfurl. According to one theory, in depicting the hand in this way, the artist was taking inspiration from a recent invention -- the X-ray. Around this time, he had indeed received a sample X-ray from his friend, the scholar Stanisław Estreicher.
God the Father - Become, stained glass design, 1904
Polonia, design for a stained glass window for the Cathedral in Lvov, 1894
Protesilas costume design for the drama "Protesilas and Laodamia", 1903
Own book collection
We’re on the lowest level of the museum now. This is the first of two exhibition rooms we are going to be visiting down here. Both of them are devoted to the role of books and writing in the life of Stanisław Wyspiański. We have a hint of how much these subjects meant to him in the sentiments he shared with his close friend, Henryk Opieński: ‘(...) because you see, my dear Henry, I am suffering from an incurable mental illness that requires a constant stream of literary sustenance.’ Straight ahead, we can see the writer’s personal collection of books. The bulk of it comes from the family library of his uncle’s family (of the surname Stankiewicz). From 1880, Wyspiański was under their guardianship. This library is supplemented with Wyspiański’s own bountiful acquisitions. Nearly all of them are dated and signed on the cover by Wyspiański’s own hand. Some of them even include his pencil sketches. The books range from classics of literary fiction to the works of his contemporaries, along with books on history and the arts. Overall, it gives us a glimpse into the inspirations that drove Wyspiański’s own literary inclinations and writings.
Own book collection
Self-portrait, 1890
Let’s have a look at the pencil drawing on the right. Stanisław Wyspiański was born in 1869 in Krakow, in a house along Krupnicza Street -- just two streets away from where we are standing. He left his home city quite a few times to travel and discover art in other cities and countries, along with a short academic stint in Paris. This portrait comes from the artist’s time in the French capital. We see Wyspiański as a 21-year-old man, with an inkling of a beard on his face. Yet the gaze already has the same intensity as in his later paintings -- his eyes bold and daring.
Self-portrait, 1907
When we look at the very next self-portrait, which dates back to 1907, it’s actually quite hard to believe it’s the same person. This is because the face has been altered by the onset of paralysis. When he made this work, he also had trouble holding on to the pastel. The paralysis was a symptom of a syphilis infection. Alas, Wyspiański died not long after finishing this picture at the ripe age of 38 years old. His last words were: ‘I see Staś’. In Polish, Staś is short for Stanisław. And who might he have been thinking of as he uttered this name?
Archers, 1896
To the left, we can see the piece titled Archers. To the right, we have Fallen Angels. Within the space of the church, they would comprise two parts of a whole. We can see that in the relief hanging right beside them, which depicts their intended composition. The angels with their bows soar high in the blue, starry sky, aiming their weapons at the three Fallen Angels below. This is Wyspiański’s rendition of the Judeo-Christian story of angels who rebelled after the world was created. Those who went against the will of God were chased into the depths of hell. The Archers are, of course, faithful to the Creator. They follow all his commands. The rebelling angels, depicted in the figures of three women, are falling head-first, which highlights the impression of powerlessness. The speed at which they are falling is also seen in their wind-blown hair, which is flying around in defiance of the laws of physics. While these youthful, lovely faces are peaceful, but their twisted arms reveal their distress.
The Element of Water, 1897
Let’s look at the first work to the left, which has been split up into eight parts. Its title is The Element of Water. It’s a 1:1 scale drawing intended for a stained-glass window, which is technically known as a ‘cartoon’. It is decorated with irises, however, in the finished window, there are other plants as well (namely, various varieties of water lilies) that appear to be floating on the water. The contours of the plants create a series of winding lines. The whole composition is kept in a cool colour palette. It’s worth taking a closer look at the ‘cartoon’ to observe the markings left by Wyspiański in pencil. They create a pattern of letters and numbers that indicate the intended colours for each element of the composition. He had a great sensibility for the language and symbols of colours.
Wyka i kamonica, 1895
Now let’s have a look at the two paintings to our right. These are pastel sketches of a painting that was also intended as a decoration for the Franciscan church. The plants that are woven into the composition may appear familiar. For instance, to the left, there are two varieties of the flower known as a ‘vetch’: Vicia cracca and Vicia sativa. The first one has reddish-pink flowers and the latter blue-violet ones. The execution is light and soft, but also quite precise. The swift movements of the artist’s pastel are characteristically irregular in terms of the way pastels were typically used, but it endows the painting with life.
Designs for Illustrations to Homer's Iliad, 1890
To the left, we can see a collection of sketches and drawings that Wyspiański made as part of a larger project to illustrate the greatest literary masterpiece in Ancient History, namely, Homer’s Illiad. These works accompanied published excerpts of the epic novel in the press, which had been translated by the artist’s friend, Lucjan Rydel. They were later published in the completed book. Wyspiański was extremely well-versed in all matters to do with Homer and the Illiad. He based his interpretation on the original Greek text, as well as studies of the art history of Greece and archaeology, including the latest discoveries by the likes of Heinrich Schliemann in the ruins of Troy.
Model of Akropolis
Let’s take a look at the scale model of Wawel Castle. It’s not quite the Wawel we know but, rather, one that originated in the artist’s own imagination. Wyspiański spent a great deal of his childhood and youth right beside this royal castle on the hill. The seat of kings, coronations and royal tombs was where he gained his knowledge of history and deep feeling of patriotism. For him, Wawel was a metaphor for Poland itself and shaped the way he thought and spoke of his homeland -- from the perspective of the past, present and even the future. Wyspiański designed a series of spectacular stained-glass windows just for the cathedral. He set many of his dramatic works within the walls of the castle. Towards the end of his life, he was finally privy to the joyous sight of Austrian soldiers finally abandoning their posts on Wawel Hill after ten years of occupation. This is when he began collaborating with the architect Władysław Ekielski on a plan to rebuild the structure. We can see the concept for this redesign in this very model, which is based on a vision of Wawel as a Polish Acropolis -- in other words the spiritual, cultural and politicalcentre of the nation. The historic main structure of the castle was to remain untouched but his plans for the rest of it were quite revolutionary. The most dramatic change would have been the enormous semicircular dome towering over all the buildings on the west side of the hill. These buildings were meant to host an array of political institutions, including the Parliament, Academy of Sciences or a National Museum. Below them, there would be an amphitheatre and a stadium. On the square between the domed structure and the castle, two Gothic churches were planned, along with a symbolic column topped by the winged figure of Nike -- the goddess of victory.
Wanda, 1900
Let’s turn around to face the wall, where there is a heavy wooden chair placed in front of it. Next let’s take a look at the wall to the right, where we can see a painting of women in blue-green hues, with its canvas divided into quarters. Let’s get closer to it. This is another unfinished project for a stained-glass window in the cathedral, painted by Wyspiański in 1900. The young, 30-year-old artist had found himself among the most brilliant artists of his generation, all of whom were vying for a chance to give the most important houses of worship in Poland a fresh gleam. It’s worth noting that this artistic rivalry was in part fed by the determination to avoid ordering stained glass windows from German artists. Wyspiański decided he would create designs for nine windows of the choir section of the cathedral. His concepts drew from historical and legendary figures from Polish history. These compositions were broad and sweeping, with smaller sections planned for more realistic scenes. His contemporaries were shocked by his approach. In this particular composition, we see Wanda, the daughter of King Krak, the legendary founder of the city. According to the founding myth, the young woman threw herself in the Vistula to avoid marrying a German prince and to shield her country from being invaded by his army. In his novel depiction, Wyspiański strayed from the conventional imagining of this scene. The figure of the princess is not easy to decipher, as she is nearly merged with the element of water surrounding her. Her hazy, pale face is like that of a ghost, crowned with waves of hair. Her shoulders and breasts have not yet begun to decompose; however, the rest of the body appears to have disintegrated. The most striking features of this work are the fluid lines and harmony in the cold hues.
Chair, 1904
His approach to furniture design -- as we can see in the example of the chair -- was straightforward. It might even be described as raw. This chair is made out of solid wood and its natural texture is retained. The simplicity of this design is reminiscent of the medieval approach to royal architecture or even the folk traditions of Krakow as well. What is also quite striking about this piece is that it is almost purely an art object and doesn’t provide any real semblance of comfort for the person who ends up sitting in it.
Display case with publications
Before we go on to the next stop on our tour, let’s take a look at the bookcase behind us. Wyspiański was known as a ‘total artist’ which is meant to say that he expressed himself through any and every field of art. Here, in the bookcase we can see the plays he wrote, which were set here in Krakow -- and most often at Wawel Hill. We don’t have enough time to go into the specifics of these works, but let’s make note of the format of the books as they are also the fruit of the artist’s creative efforts. Each element of each physical book was thoroughly thought through. All the elements are streamlined, with every title written in the same location and with the same font. Wyspiański even designed the font himself, basing it on the paragon of ‘antiqua’ lettering of Ancient Rome. He also applied a specific arrangement of the text within, respecting a special order for the page breaks and columns. There is more information about Wyspiański’s typographical achievements in the cellar rooms of the museum.
Typography for "Życie" 1898-1899
Of particular note is the issue of the magazine titled ‘Życie’ (Polish for: Life). It was published both in Krakow and in Lviv. Wyspiański served as the magazine’s art director between 1898–1899. During this time, he dedicated all his efforts to raising the publication standard of the magazine to the level of other prestigious European titles -- which resulted in a number of heated arguments with his co-workers. In his view, every page of a magazine ought to be a unique and beautifully composed work of art. Right beside the magazine, we can see a series of books on science and tomes of poetry that were decorated by Wyspiański. The most striking feature that all of them share is an uncanny approach to light and shadow. In other words, his masterful approach to contrasting the blank expanses of the page with the printed matter upon it. He also paid special attention to how accents and illustrations -- for instance in the form of a leaf or a geometric pattern -- can effectively embellish a written text.
Fragments of post-war productions of Wyspiański's plays
The four monitors along the wall across from the entryway feature fragments of his plays performed in more recent decades. To listen to the audio accompanying each recording, just point your audio device towards the headphones symbol on the wall and press the round button in the middle.
Self-portrait, 1890
Self-portrait, 1907
Archers, 1896
The Element of Water, 1897
Wyka i kamonica, 1895
Chair, 1904
Model of Akropolis
Wanda, 1900
Display case with publications
Designs for Illustrations to Homer's Iliad, 1890
Typography for "Życie" 1898-1899
Fragments of post-war productions of Wyspiański's plays
Portraits
The four pastel-on-paper portraits in front of you depict close friends of Stanisław Wyspiański. The bearded man in glasses on the top-left is Adam Chmiel, a historian and the Director of the Kraków Historical Records Archives. He and Wyspiański knew each other from high school and kept in touch until Wyspiański’s death. Chmiel assisted Wyspiański with archival materials and Kraków history, as well as supporting him financially. After Wyspiański’s death, Chmiel tended his legacy and was the legal guardian of his children for a time. Julian Nowak’s portrait is to the right of Chmiel’s. Nowak was a physician and a veterinary surgeon who later became Prime Minister of Poland. He was a patron of Wyspiański, and assisted him financially. Nowak also let Wyspiański use his telephone whenever he had to suddenly contact his doctor or lawyer. Wilhelm Feldman and his son Józef are in the bottom row. Wilhelm was a literary critic and publicist, who served as editor of Dziennik Krakowski and other publications. He delivered several lectures on Wyspiański’s work. As he put it: ‘Neither I nor anyone else he met was his friend. Wyspiański did not really have any friends. He was a loner […]. He was dozens of floors above those around him. There was such a stupendous, commanding superiority in everything he said and did […]. I’ve always been wary of getting close to great people. I’m afraid that seeing their trivial everyday sketches could diminish their greatness, as expressed in their work, in my eyes. To not decline, even in illness, even during that long, unrelenting, debilitating disease, was something that virtually stands alone. I have never met anyone like him.’
Christ on Seraph’s wings
The stained glass window with the images of St. Francis and Christ on Seraph’s wings is in the presbytery of the St. Francis of Assisi Church. This monumental work, which consists of two parts, is almost seven metres in height, and was inspired by the life of the saint. You have the top part in front of you. This is the image of Christ Crucified, who appeared to St. Francis on Mount La Verna. As the chronicler recounts, while he was praying one night, St. Francis ‘… saw a seraph with six fiery wings descend from heaven. As it quickly flew towards him, St. Francis could clearly see that it had the form of a crucified man […] After the miraculous apparition had disappeared […], the same nail marks as those in the body of the crucified Jesus began to appear in the hands and feet of St. Francis’. The symbolic depiction of the moment of receiving the stigmata is contrasted with the miracle of the roses in the bottom part of the work. St. Francis, wishing to mortify his body, once threw himself into a rosebush, but the bush was suddenly bathed in light and a myriad of roses blossomed. Wyspiański, in his artistic vision, depicts St. Francis in a monk’s habit against a backdrop of terrifying rosebushes with several rose petals.
Reconstructions
The four designs before you are reconstructions of the stained glass panels from the Dominican Church in Kraków. They depict St. Stanisław, the Madonna and Child, St. Mary Magdalene, and the Crucifixion. The panels were initially in the Church itself, but were later moved to the monastic cloisters. They were partly destroyed by fire in the mid-19th century. Wyspiański was commissioned to recreate their original appearance and sketch in any missing elements. The artist commenced work in 1895. At first, he was very pleased to have the work. He even wanted to base a doctoral thesis on it. He told his friend, Lucjan Rydel: ‘I’ve just thought through an original work. I’m going to write it about the Dominican stained glass windows, while raising and presenting the entire workshop of mediaeval art from the 14th, 15th and 16th [centuries].’ But the reconstruction turned out to be onerous, tedious and painstaking work that, as he put it, gave him a ‘sore neck’. In another letter, he wrote: ‘Something awful is happening to me. I can’t cope with this abominable stained glass window work. I loathe it so much that I could smash all the glass to pieces without batting an eye.’ The designs were completed in the spring of 1896 and the windows were restored by Teodor Zajdzikowski
Designs
Here you can see works that Wyspiański designed for two Gothic churches in Kraków. The bottom row shows the designs for four stained glass panels for the west window in the church porch, i.e. in the vestibule of St. Mary’s Church. Altogether, there are sixteen panels depicting scenes from the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Wyspiański and Józef Mehoffer each designed eight of them. The artists were peers and had been high-school classmates. They assisted Jan Matejko in the renovation of St. Mary’s Basilica by decorating it with polychrome paintings. The two worked on the project while staying in Paris in 1891. They were 22 years old at the time. The window designs were exhibited by the Kraków Society of Friends of Fine Arts without their knowledge. These were the first works of Wyspiański shown publicly. Although they were enthusiastically received, the artist’s own assessment was harsh, declaring them not worthy of being exhibited. The horizontal watercolour in the top row, by contrast, shows the walls and presbytery of Holy Cross Church in Kraków. Wyspiański was charged with the painting decorations when the church was renovated in 1896. But the renovation had barely begun when traces of previous decorative paintings were uncovered inside. Wyspiański therefore became more a cataloguer of the church polychrome, which was uncovered piecemeal, than a painter. He made accurate drawings of the polychrome and redrew the figurative and floristic murals. A substantive portion of this collection of drawings and pastels has been preserved.
Dramatic works
The display case in front of you contains editions of Wyspiański’s dramas inspired by antiquity. The only one staged during his lifetime is Protestilaus and Laodamia. Curiously, the play was performed in 1903 at the request of Helena Modrzejewska, who also supported the production financially – she donated her fee for one performance towards new decorations. Modrzejewska played Laodamia in what was to be her last role in Poland. Wyspiański wrote twenty plays. Some, such as The Wedding and Liberation, made him quite popular. These works cover a wide range of subjects – from modern themes, through discursions on Polish romanticism, to invoking the history and legends of Poland. At the same time, Wyspiański was a theoretician of the theatre, which he saw as the quintessential synthesis of many arts. His poetry captures the momentum of the ‘gigantic theatre’ he dreamed of: ‘I see my great theatre, enormous spaces in the air, people fill them and shadows, I am conscious of their play. As their art is my art, I hear choral music, as they grow into a torrential storm, arming themselves with thunder and winds. They play – the tragedy of the soul’s torment in a tragic theatrical bow, the holy flame in tripods burns, and the shepherd’s flute founders.’ Wyspiański’s nomination for the post of Municipal Theatre Director remained in the realm of dreams and ambitions. It pained him to have Ludwik Solski beat him in this contest. Wyspiański had an outstanding theatrical imagination. He sought out new means of expression and realised his talent in many different areas. His conceptions were embodied in the plastic arts, but similar motifs recur in his literary writings and theatrical productions.
Embroidered curtain
The embroidered curtain, or decorative strip of material, belonged to a group of fabrics that Wyspiański designed to decorate the ‘common room’ at the Jubilee Exhibition of the ‘Sztuka’ Society of Polish Artists, which was held in the Kraków Art Palace in 1904. The design with the geranium motif was registered as ‘Ducky Cracovians’ in the accompanying catalogue. Wyspiański often used this folk designation for these flowers. By ‘ducky’ was meant ‘in a row’, as ducks walk in Indian file, and Cracovians are nicknamed ‘geraniums’. The flowers were depicted in shades of beige, pink and red. The embroidered curtain was decorated with a flat embroidery using wool from Antoni Sikorski’s workshop in nearby Czernichów. Wyspiański had a stormy working relationship with the workshop. One of his letters expresses immense dissatisfaction with the colours of the threads used, which he branded ‘sugary’ and ‘brilliantined’. This reaction shows his devotion to his work and his meticulous attention to the minutest detail in the end result. These same flowers that adorn the Medical Society House walls also appear in Wyspiański’s portraits, albeit in various colour combinations.
"Bolesław the Bold"
This is a portrait of Władysława Ordon-Sosnowska in the role of Krasawica (Beauty) in Wyspianski’s play Bolesław the Bold. The plot is strictly historical (and relates to the conflict between St. Stanisław and King Bolesław the Bold), but it also features fictional figures, including Krasawica, described as the ‘Song of Pagan Poland’. The world premiere was held in the Municipal Theatre (Now the Słowacki Theatre) in Kraków in 1903. Adam Chmiel provided academic and historical support, recalling that: ‘We spent many an evening in my flat discussing the dress, weaponry, devices and furnishings of the courts of Bolesław and the church in great detail.’ The reviews show that the first staging of Bolesław the Bold was a great success. The author’s name was shouted a dozen or more times amid growing applause. The reassessment of the conflict between St. Stanisław and King Bolesław seems to have been the play’s greatest virtue. Tradition and history had unequivocally condemned the king, but now, in the cold light of day, the facts were laid out in a broader context. This was owing to Wyspiański’s insightful studies of sources and historical documents. It is worth mentioning that Bolesław the Bold gave Wyspiański an opportunity to showcase his integral vision of the theatre. The scenery, props and costumes were designed by the artist. The crown the king wore in the play is on the throne to the left of the portrait. It was made according to Wyspiański’s instructions. The painter drew the six costume designs to the right of the portrait with chalk immediately after the performance. These are known as ‘Bolesław dolls’.
Tracings
In this part of the exhibition you are going to see sketches prepared by Wyspiański when he was young. The artist had practised drawing since he was at school. Afterwards he improved his skills in Paris and later on, when he returned to Poland. This is how pencil, crayons, charcoal and ink became the basis of his later artistic work. Specialists claim he mastered these techniques to perfection. In the glass cabinet we can see drawings prepared in 1888-1891, when Wyspiański made a series of artistic and academic trips across Małopolska. These tours were organised by Władysław Łuszczkiewicz, a professor at the Krakow School of Fine Arts, who was one of Wyspiański’s lecturers. In his sketchbooks the young artist drew historical buildings, architectural details and city landscapes. Under the cabinet you will see his drawings from earlier years. On the left you can see the redrawn portrait of King John III Sobieski. Wyspiański prepared it when visiting an exhibition of mementoes from the reign of King John III Sobieski, organised by the Kraków museum. The artist’s aunt, Joanna Stankiewiczowa, made an interesting comment on this: ‘As a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old student, he spent every free day, and practically every hour outside school, at the National Museum. The director, Władysław Łuszczkiewicz, a friend of my husband willingly took care of the talented youngster. Under his guidance, Staś drew portraits, armour, and decorations. Everything was an opening for him, as Łuszczkiewicz was happy to see him there, and delighted in his love of the past and his sense of great beauty.’
Caricatures
Caricatures constitute a small part of Wyspiański’s work. They were most often created while socialising in cafés, sitting in editorial offices, or spending time with friends. He would draw a single line with a pen or pencil on a card, restaurant menu, or pricelist, accentuating the person’s defining features with consummate virtuosity. Several of his caricatures were published in satirical magazines. Wyspiański’s eye for satire is evident in the historical figures of Napoleon, Mickiewicz and Chopin on the wall in front of you. An annotation by his friend and fellow artist, Adam Chmiel, proclaims: ‘CARICATURES drawn at my place by Stanisław Wyspiański on 6 November 1901, while we were discussing the play November Night, which he had just begun writing.’
Poster
Young Poland artist, Stanisław Przybyszewski delivered his famous ‘Mysticism and Maeterlinck’ lecture on 20 February 1899 before a performance of Maeterlinck’s The Interior. The cast numbered such luminaries as Irena Solska, Gabriela Zapolska and Maria Przybyłko-Potocka. Wyspiański created the playbill with the ‘girl behind the window’. This was extraordinarily innovative by the standards of the day, as it contained an illustration that alluded to the gist of the play in addition to the title, cast, and where and when of the performance. Sources have revealed that the model was Lucjan Rydel’s fifteen-year-old younger sister, Anna, who was also the prototype for Haneczka in The Wedding. The audience found The Interior bewildering, as they were not accustomed to the sort of theatrical atmosphere or symbolism it employed.
Acropolis
We are now looking at the poster advertising the play titled “Acropolis”, directed by Jerzy Grotowski. The première took place in the Laboratorium Theatre in Opole in 1962. The show was regarded as one of the most important events in the history of the Polish, or maybe even European, theatre art. Originally, the plot is set in the Wawel Castle. The thing is, the castle becomes the setting for a story unfolding in a concentration camp. In the final scene, the prisoners march towards the altar, which happens to be a crematory, and their ecstatic song announces the arrival of the saviour. This and many other solutions designed by the director and stage designer – such as making the actors move around among the audience rather than on stage – proved to be a gamechanger and rendered a new meaning to Wyspiański’s play. You may want to stop by the director’s script with Grotowski’s handwritten inserts - it’s placed in the first cabinet on the right. This is a great opportunity to explore the director’s comments intended for individual actors.
November Night
The renowned film director, Andrzej Wajda, also directed for the stage, and initially studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts. It is not surprising, then, that the poster here, which bears his signature, announces a production of the play November Night and credits the direction and scenography (these last were created with his wife Krystyna Zachwatowicz-Wajda). The cognoscenti claimed Wajda’s 1974 production at the Teatr Stary in Kraków came closest to capturing the artistic spirit of Wyspiański. Four years later, Wajda filmed the work, or more accurately, adapted it for television theatre. It was shot in actual Warsaw locations from the play: Łazienki Park, next to Belweder Palace, and in the Old Town. This gave a special atmosphere to the individual scenes.
