New Information Regarding the Interior Furnishings of the Pałace at Krystynopol in the Light of an Unknown Inventory of 1775

• Authors: Nestorow Dagny

Title variants

PL

Nowe wiadomości dotyczące wyposażenia wnętrz pałacu w Krystynopolu w świetle nieznanego inwentarza z roku 1775

• Languages of publication: PL EN

Abstracts

EN

The present paper is concerned with the pałace at Krystynopol, owned by Franciszek Salezy Potocki (1700-1772), the Voivode of Kiev, which in the eighteenth century was one of the most sumptuous aristocratic residences located in Crown Ruthenia. The pałace, built in 1691 by Szczęsny Kazimierz Potocki (1630-1720), who had founded also the city, was later expanded, probably by his son, Józef Felicjan, the Great Guard of the Crown. In the next stage, begun on the initiative of Franciszek Salezy Potocki before 1755, the old edifice was completely remodelled, likely according to the plans of the architect Pierre Ricaud de Tirregaille, and transformed into a magnificent aristocratic residence. After Franciszek Salezy Potockis death, his son, Stanisław Szczęsny, continued the expansion. The paper offers an attempt at recreating the layout of the apartments in the residence at Krystynopol, as well as their interior decoration and furnishings, on the basis of a hitherto unknown and unpublished inventory of 1775, preserved in the Central State Historical Archives in Kiev. Very few objects from the once rich furnishings of the Krystynopol pałace have survived. Among them are: the stately bed of Anna Elżbieta Potocka, now on show in the permanent exhibition at the castle in Pieskowa Skała, apparently identical which the one mentioned in the inventory, as well as four tapestries in the same collection, from a series depicting The History of Alexander the Great (Battle ofthe Granicus, Battle of Arbela [Gaugamela], Triumphal Entry of Alexander the Great into Babylon, and King Porus before Alexander the Great). The Krystynopol pałace may have possessed also another set of tapestries, this time representing the episodes from The Trojan War, sińce the inventory mentions wali hangings depicting such themes. It may be assumed with some degree of confidence that also the two tapestries from The Trojan War series, from the collection of the Potocki family at Peczara and now part of the holdings of the Wawel Castle in Cracow (The Abduction of Helena and the Battle ofGreeks and Trojans), initially decorated the walls of the Krystynopol.

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Jagielloński
• Journal: Modus. Prace z historii sztuki
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 14
• Pages: 139-156

Contributors

author

Nestorow Dagny

• Instytut Historii Sztuki UJ