Neohistoryzm konserwatorski

• Authors: Kurzątkowski Mieczysław

Title variants

EN

Conservation neohistoricism

• Languages of publication: PL EN

Abstracts

EN

The phenomenon of the exploitation of historical forms — recreated, copied or newly designed (pastiches) — in undertakings justified by the protection of monuments and cultural landscape is so frequent, that one can speak about a definite trend in Polish conservation. The author describes this phenomenon as neohistoricism since similarly to historicism from the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century it compiles forms borrowed from the storehouse of the architecture and plastic arts of the past. Conservation neohistoricism appears in newly raised edifices, in the supplementation of historical monuments with components that were lost or were assumed to have existed, in the addition of psuedostylistic elements to outer and inner decoration, in the introduction of pseudostylistic fittings into interiors, and in the granting of pseudostylistic shapes to elements of town interiors. Polish neohistoricism stems from several sources: 1. The feeling of dissatisfaction with the forms, decoration and outfitting of a building which are regarded as inadequate to the rank of a historical monument. They simply do not correspond to the vision of the way in which the monument should appear. 2. The avoidance of all risks on the part of the designer. Forms taken from the repertoire of historical styles are acknowledged, unquestioned and uncontroversial. 3. The avoidance of creative effort. The discovery of a form which harmonizes with the monument or its surrounding and, at the same time, carries „the brand of our times” calls for setting into motion invention, creative effort and work incolving means of expression. By borrowing ready patterns or compiling historical forms, it is possible to refrain from the hardships of creation. 4. Insufficient talent. When invention fails, the only solution is to reach for ready models. 5. The predilections of the commissioner. Money both one’s own and entrusted — rarely goes hand in hand with the mentality of a sophisticated patron. The system of aesthetic values cherished by the latter is usually helpless in the face of artistic phenomena which have not yet been verified by time, and have not yet been placed among recognized values. Conservation neohistoricism is a departure from the principles of the Charter of Venice, and produces obvious negative effects. 1. Conservation neohistoricism endows monuments and their interiors with an appearance which will never be authoritative for the historian of art. 2. It is a mystification, the deception of the trusting recipient who believes that realizations executed under the auspices of conservators are reliable. 3. It produces deformations in the universal thought about historical monuments. It leads to a depreciation of authentic relics, and creates the conviction that a historical monument can be made „more historical”. 4. If undertakings which disclose all the features oi conservation neohistoricism are financed at least partially by funds intended for the protection of authentic historical monuments, then the resultant situation is detrimental for the original relics.

• Publisher: Narodowy Instytut Dziedzictwa
• Journal: Ochrona Zabytków
• Year: 1993
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 225-227

Dates

published

1993

Contributors

author

Kurzątkowski Mieczysław

References

• A. Tomaszewski, Konserwatorstwo pomiędzy „estetyką” i autentyzmem, „Ochrona Zabytków”, 1988, ni- 3, s. 152.

Identifiers

ISSN

0029-8247