Nowego Apolla, O Cnotach Herkulesowych, Który Byłby Godzien
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nowego Apolla, o cnotach herkulesowych, który zagwarantowa y wybór Stanis awa Poniatowskiego, by by godzien korony Rzeczpospolitej. Wprawdzie rodzonego brata jego bony Izabeli – to architektura polityczny projekt wyniesienia hetmana na tron kró- pa acu utrwali a niew =tpliwie pami B4 po hetmanie lewski przekre Vli y wojska carycy Katarzyny, które jako wielkim mi oVniku pi Bkna. Tomasz Dziubecki, dr, adiunkt Wydzia Architektury Politechniki Bia ostockiej THE ROLE OF SCULPTURE IN THE ARCHITECTURE OF 18 th C. PALACES AND GROUNDS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE PALACES IN BIA YSTOK AND RADZY K PODLASKI TOMASZ DZIUBECKI Generally, we can say that research into the archi- An analysis of the decoration of the 18 th c. palaces tecture of palaces from the modern era concentrates of Jan Klemens Branicki (1689-1771) in Bia ystok mainly on describing the chronology of building and Eustachy Potocki (1720-1768) in Radzy L Pod- processes, analyses of plans, establishing the names laski shows the ways in which sculpture functioned of architects. This means that such a history of archi- in the residential architecture of the epoch. 1 Though tecture becomes a history of technical solutions and the two residences – as many in Poland – have not their historical determinants. Historians of architec- avoided pillage and devastation over the centuries, ture rarely notice sculptures, treating them rather in both cases sculptures by the Warsaw artist Jan as an ornament or an abstract decoration – simply Chryzostom Redler have been preserved in situ . an “addition”. Studies of the sculptures on façades Based on an analysis of selected components of such and in interiors or in the surroundings of residences a Gesamtkunstwerk as the two baroque residences, are left to art historians, specialists in painting and there can be traced in their structures the essential sculpture. The academic practice of dividing the re- role played by sculptures. search into separate areas of history of art, history of sculpture and history of architecture (not to men- Palace of Jan Klemens Branicki in Bia ystok tion further divisions) results in a failure to notice the complexity of an object of art. Already Vitru- Crossing the triumphal arch of the Clock Gate of vius wrote that an architect, combining theory and the palace one can see between the avant cour and practice, should master the art of writing, be a per- cour d’honneur two sculptures dated 1758, show- fect draftsman, know geometry, possess historical ing Hercules [ ghting with the dragon Ladon and knowledge, should also listen to philosophers and with the Hydra (il. 1). Among the twelve labours of know music. The creativity of an architect is based Hercules the two presented here were the most of- on his ability to enter into relationships with the ten seen in European art. 2 The rich symbolism of most important phenomena of culture. The same re- the Herculean iconography was related to a ruler’s quirements refer to historians of architecture, espe- virtues: fortitude, deliberation, reason and constan- cially those who deal with such extensive objects of cy. As an example we can take a medal by Heinrich art as the modern age palace residences in Europe. Peter Groskurth made for king August II, which, 1 The paper is based on research presented in the author’s had its source in the sculptures of Roman sarcophagi and altars; book: Programy symboliczne i funkcje ceremonialne rezydencji an example is the altar in the Lateran Museum known from magnackich. Pu awy-Bia ystok-Radzy L Podlaski-Lubartów w prints Hercules ethnicorum ex variis antiquitatum reliquiis.... latach 1730-1760 , Warszawa 2010. edited in Berlin in 1705. See also A. Boczkowska, Gemine 2 The twelve labours of Hercules were sculptured in the freeze of Veneres. Motywy neoplato Lskie w dekoracji reliefowej Kaplicy the Zeus temple in Olimpia, which determined their iconography Zygmuntowskiej, “Biuletyn Historii Sztuki” vol. LXVII, 2005 in antique art. In the art of the modern age that iconography no.1-2, p. 119. 137 on the reverse, presents Hercules [ ghting with the enemies or passions, also wisdom, thus representing Hydra, and the inscription Adversis resistentum pru- a perfect ruler. 6 Also, as a source of interpretation dentia. An important factor in \ uencing the Hercu- could be indicated the Adagia by Erasmus of Rotter- lean iconography in European art was the political dam, who also referred to the letters and Carmina of propaganda of Louis XIV. On the medal struck to Horace, where [ ghting the Hydra was a symbol of mark the Treaty of Westfalen the king can be seen as struggle with those who were jealous – this was the conquering the Hydra. Also, two [ gures of Hercules case of Branicki, owner of such a beautiful palace. were designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini for the main Last but not least was the negative propaganda he, façade of the Louvre, where they were to signify that like every great nobleman, had to face; this required anybody entering the residence should pass by cour- appropriate activities to create a positive image, so age and labour. 3 important in the political, economic and social envi- The struggle between Hercules and the Hydra be- ronment of the Commonwealth of Poland. The [ g- longed to those scenes that most inspired the imagi- ures of victorious Hercules struggling against vari- nation of both artists and patrons. In the modern age, ous enemies – whoever they were – were adequate the antique myths were not a direct iconographical symbols of a ruler, furthermore they could be under- source; that role was played by the iconographical stood on various levels of interpretation. tradition related to later literature. Besides Ovid’s In the vestibule of the palace in Bia ystok, at the Metamorphoses ,4 we can point to such commentar- entrance to the representational stairs to the piano ies and compendiums as the famous work by Maciej nobile , there is a marble statue of half naked men Sarbiewski Dii Gentium , where he wrote: “All that sharpening a knife (il. 2). It was created by J.Ch. we have said on monsters defeated by Hercules we Redler in September of 1755 after the antique sculp- can perfectly relate to the duties of a good ruler, that ture called the Arrotino or Il Rotatore from the Uf [ zi is repressing rebellions, punishment of malefactors, Gallery in Florence. 7 The Arrotino was purchased by observing justice in the state.” 5 the Medicis in 1567 and, since 1677, apart from the In European art, the [ gure of Hercules expressed period of the Napoleonic wars, has been exhibited a variety of meanings. In Bia ystok, the struggle in the Gallery. 8 It was frequently copied, mainly to with the Hydra represents the [ ght against false ora- be located in residential gardens such as Versailles tors. Branicki, locating the sculptural representation or Blenheim. The original was known in Europe of the struggle on the entrance to the cour d’honneur from numerous prints, as was also the case of the wanted to demonstrate - among other meanings Bia ystok sculpture. – that he is able to speak beautifully, without deceiv- There was no single interpretation of whom the ing his listeners. In Poland’s ‘democracy of the no- sculpture presented: the names simply described the bility’, where speeches in Parliament, local councils action of the [ gure. The prevailing description re- and tribunals were important for exercising author- ferred to the history of Rome and – depending on the ity, this feature of the Herculean iconography was chronicles – said the man was a slave overhearing a essential propaganda. Furthermore, the sculpture plot against the State. This is obviously not the case seems to present Branicki as arbiter elegantiae – as of the Rotateur in Bia ystok (named by Branicki Ro- he thought of himself. We should also refer to the tator ). In 1686, Leonardo Agostini, comparing the book of the Jesuit Jacobus Masen ( [ rst edition in Arrotino to an antique gem, said it presents a slave 1650 and frequently re-edited until 1714), who in the who is awaiting instructions from Apollo to begin chapter entitled On Giants, Semigods and Certain \ aying alive Marsyas, who had been defeated by Other Gods of Lower Rank wrote that Hercules sym- the god in a musical conquest. 9 Essential here is the bolizes the power of a brave man who can conquer Apollonian symbolism referring to Jan Klemens 3 J. Banach, Herkules Polonus . Studium z ikonogra [ i sztuki iustitia in re publica conservanda. - M. Sarbiewski, Dii gentium. nowo bytnej , Warszawa 1984, p. 55-56; 80-82. Bogowie pogan, ed. K. S awecka, Wroc aw-Warszawa-Kraków- 4 Besides Latin or French texts, various Polish translations Pozna L 1972, p. 520-521. were available, e.g. by Jakub aebrowski (1636) or Walerian 6 J. Banach, op. cit, p. 93. Otwinowski (1638). 7 T. Dziubecki, op. cit., p. 90-93 5 Illa omnia, quae hactenus de domitis monstris ab Hercule 8 P.P. Pray Bober, R. Rubinstein, Renaissance Artists & Antique diximus egregie applicari possunt ad of [ cium boni principis Sculpture , London 1986, p. 75 seditiones comprimendi, de male [ cis poenas sumendi, de 9 Ibidem. 138 Branicki, whom the Bia ystok [ gure is looking for, (VIII, 611-724). They were also attributes of the directing his head towards the stairs (not like the an- goddess Fortuna and this last meaning was referred tique sculpture). The idea of the drastic punishment to when vases were placed on the top of palaces. The of Marsyas was easily understood in the times when, arrangement of the sculptures in Bia ystok followed not only ordinary subjects but also members of the the arrangement of [ gures along the Allée Royale in lesser nobility were afraid of a magnate’s revenge.