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Stanisław Wyspiański - God the Father stained glass window
Stained glass window "God the Father - become" design by Stanisław Wyspiański in 1897 is one of his finest works, inspired by the frescos of Michelangelo from the Sistine Chapel and can be the equal. An original name of this artwork “God carrying the worlds of chaos". For a picture of God posed Adam Rogowski, the artist’s uncle who came back mad from exile to Siberia where he was deported for his participation in January Uprising in 1864. Wyspiański personally dealt with the selection of coloured glass for its stained glass windows, made by the glassworks from Innsbruck. He determined the one of the tones as a primary color and then assorted other colors in such a way as to harmonize them. Stained glass window with dimensions of 846 x 390 cm was placed in 1904 in St. Franciscans church in Kraków in western window above the choir by the installer from Austria whilst Wyspiański supervised all works. Depending on the time of a day and the sunlight different colors dominate.
Cracow - House under the Globe
House under the Globe in Cracow built in the period 1904-1906 according to Tadeusz Stryjeński and Franciszek Mączyński's design as the seat of the Cracow Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The sculptural decor of the portal was made by Konstanty Laszczka. The building occupies a plot at the corner of Długa and Basztowa streets. The elevations are faced with brick with stone details. The elevation facing Długa Street is thirteen axes and from the side of Basztowa Street there is a tower with a clock covered with a high dome of a pyramidal shape topped with an openwork globe. The Meeting Chamber according to Józef Mehoffer's design, one of the most magnificent interiors of the Art Nouveau period in Cracow is situated inside. At present, the building houses the seat of the Literary Press.
Łódź - 31/33 Wólczańska Str. (Kindermann villa)
The villa at 31/33 Wólczańska Street in Łódź, built in 1903 for Leopold Rudolf Kindermann according to Gustaw Landau-Gutenteger's design. The original design provided for building a neo-Romantic palace in the English style. Eventually, it was decided to use the rich Art Nouveau decor, and as a result one of Poland’s most interesting national heritage sites of this style was built. The body of the villa is irregular and asymmetric. The area of the real estate from the street side is separated by the railing with a gate. Windows of various shapes are surrounded by floral decor. The richly decorated outbuilding, in which there are relief trees with roots and crowns placed round the windows, is the distinguishing feature. The entrance is preceded by a portico supported by columns in the form of apple tree trunks, with capitals in the form twigs with fruit and leaves. At present, the City Art Gallery, in which collections of contemporary Polish arts are displayed, has its seat in the building.
Frieze by Jacek Malczewski
The Cracovian seat of the Society of Friends of Fine Arts referred to as the Palace of Fine Arts, built in the years 1898-1901 according to Franciszek Mączyński’s design. The construction of the edifice is to some extent modelled on the exhibition pavilion of the Viennese Secession but it is more traditional. Two storeys are erected on the stone pedestal separated by pilasters in the giant order. The facade is located in the western part. A type of a portico surrounded by Ionic columns and topped with a gable is in front of the main entrance. The frieze around the building presenting an artist's changing fortunes constitutes the most original element. It was designed by Jacek Malczewski and made by Jan Iwan from Vienna under Włodzimierz Tetmajer's supervision. The frieze appears on the northern wall where two marches spread into two directions - one on the eastern side depicting the life of an artist being a success and the other one on the western side showing the life of an artist broken and defeated by the Arts. The busts of prominent Polish artists including Jan Matejko and Stanisław Wyspiański added in 1957 were placed on the elevations in the niches.
Chopin Statue, Warsaw
The large bronze statue of Frederic Chopin from the Warsaw Royal Baths Park (Łazienki) was designed in 1907 by Wacław Szymanowski to commemorate the centenary of Chopin's birth in 1910. However its execution was delayed because of the tsar ban for putting up monuments in Poland. The statue was finally cast and erected in 1926 after getting independence by Poland after the IWW. In May 31,1940 German occupying forces blew up the monument. It was reconstructed in 1958 according to the Wacław Szymanowski;s design. The monument casting was done by company "Bronze decorative" (Brąz dekoracyjny) whilst the entire work was supervised by professor Wacław Wasiewicz. This most impressive Art Nouveau masterpiece is probably the world’s largest monument in this style.
Trzebiechów - former tuberculosis sanatorium
The Nursing House’s in Trzebiechów interior designed by Henry van de Velde. The design includes the door woodwork, staircase, glazing, pieces of furniture, fireplace, polychromy and other elements of the furnishings as well as decorations.
The Nursing House was built in 1903 – 1905 by the Duchess Maria Aleksandra von Reuss as Tuberculosis Santorium. She designated for that purpose ca 2,5 hectares of her properties, and invited architect Max Schondler from Zwickau to build the complex in the trendy Art Nouveau style. For the interior decoration and furnishings she managed to hire Henry van de Velde. The local physician, Dr. Muller was in charge of the construction and the building site.
The complex consists of a main building, doctor's house, and additional buildings. Originally it included also a bowling alley and tennis court. The doctor’s house with his offices was connected with the main building designed for 30 patients. Among the interiors stands out a glazed winter garden, dining room and billiard room.
Sanatorium deteriorated at a short time after its completion and was changed to a village boarding school. After World War I, with a high incidence of tuberculosis among the locals, the original idea of a health resort revived. After World War II the real estate was taken over by the State. Till 1965 the old sanatorium was used in accordance with its primary function for patients suffering from tuberculosis. Then the sanatorium was used as a ward for neurotics and convalescents of the Provincial Hospital in Zielona Góra. Since 1974 it has housed the Welfare and Nursing House.
Just in 2002 it was discovered that the interior was designed by Henry van de Velde, one of the main creators of Art Nouveau,
Wrocław - tenement house at 5 Prusa Str.
The tenement house at 5 Bolesława Prusa Street in Wrocław. The building erected in 1902 according to Wilhelm Heller's design for the architect Brunon Löffelholz. It is a five-storey building with a garret of the asymmetrically planned facade with two staircases situated on both sides. The tenement house is distinguished by the unusual for Wrocław structure of an innovatory composition on the plan of a soft arch. The ground floor of the tenement house with commercial and service premises is decorated with rustic quoins. The facade is fragmented with three two-storey bays on an arc plan, to which balconies with forged metal balustrades are adjacent from one side. The elevation is topped with a wide eaves cornice, protruding from the façade, with polychrome presenting the sun's disc and the horizon enclosed by an ivy twig from two sides. Two entrance portals closed with a round arch, with stuccos of floral motifs, which also decorate the bays and windows, lead to the interior of the tenement house. Restored stucco ornaments and woodcarving with the prevailing motif of a chestnut tree have been preserved in the interior.
Poznań, 8 Grudzieniec Str. villa
The Art Nouveau villa at 8 Grudzieniec Str. in Poznań was built in the early 20th century. The author of the design remains unknown. However, according to J. Skuratowicz one may suppose that the villa was erected by Hermann Böhmer and Paul Preul's architectonic partnership. According to the other sources the house was designed by a builder Walter Czygan for his own purposes. Each storey had a different purpose. Guest rooms, a study, a dining room, and a living room were placed on the ground floor, bedrooms and a learning room were on the first floor, whilst the kitchen with an interior lifts as well as rooms for maids, cooks, and nannies were situated in the basement. The motif of an orange tree prevails in the decor on the entrance door (just as on the already destroyed stained glass). Sante Zanetti, an Italian artist, made the stuccos. The building is the most outstanding example of Art Nouveau of this type in Poznań.
Powązkowski Cemetery in Warsaw - tombstone of Wacław Szymanowski
Waclaw Szymanowski tombstone at Powązki cemetery in Warsaw. The author of the tomb is Waclaw Szymanowski, son (1859-1930) - Polish sculptor, creator of the Frederic Chopin monument in Warsaw's Royal Baths. Cast in bronze composition depicts two weeping women in long robes with the image of the deceased. Mourners give an impression they are floating in the wind.
Bydgoszcz – the tenement house at 23 Trójcy Św. Str.
The tenement house at Świętej Trójcy 23 Str. designed by German architect Ernst Peters for Polish master builder Ciechanowski. In the decor he applied typical for Berlin Art Nouveau details such as masks and heads. There are also included some scenes presenting workers at work.
An important part of design was an interior – polychromes by Brunon Gęstwicki, an artist who made this work in 1907 for his uncle, the house owner. Originally, the whole staircase, including vault had been covered by paintings. Unfortunately during renovations the majority of paintings has been destroyed. Some preserved fragments refer to Vienna Secession style, Jacek Malczewski’s and Wlastimil Hofman’s at the same time. The house till today is still owned by the family.
Bruno Adam Gęstwicki (1882-1969), the polychrome author was born in Kwidzyń. He graduated from high school in Toruń where he moved. To learn paintings he went to Magdeburg and to Berlin where at the Royal Academy of Arts he was trained by the post-Impressionist painter Werner Weistock and cartoonist Konrad Bose. During 1906-1910 he stayed in Paris, later on (1910-1912) in London. From there he moved again to Berlin, where he worked as a cartoonist for the "Lustige Blatter". In 1919, after getting independence by Poland, he came back to Toruń where he was active in organization creative environment. He was one of co-funders of Confraternity of Artists (Konfraternia Artystów). And after the WWII he again was active in organization creative environment in Toruń.