Department XIII - European decorative art
Department XIII - European decorative art
The collection of decorative arts is one of the most superb in Poland. A majority of the objects come from the Puławy collection: the Temple of Sybil and the Gothic House.
It was the intention of the founder of the first Polish museum to present the history of Poland from time immemorial up to these days through an appropriate selection of historical objects, memorabilia and relics. Alongside objects of high artistry or historical value culled from the family treasures, Izabela Czartoryska acquired memorabilia and relics of kings, hetmans and statesmen who rendered inestimable services for Polish culture.
A group of objects that once belonged to emperors, kings, poets, writers, academics, philosophers and other illustrious protagonists of general history is an impressive collection in its own right. Derived from the Gothic House resources, it contains, for example, relics of famous lovers of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Apart from the Puławy Collections, Department XIII stores decorative works amassed in the second half of the 19th century by Władysław Czartoryski, predominantly through purchases at art auctions in Paris, Rome, Florence and London.
Among this stored collection are medieval and Renaissance enamels, most of them from workshops in Limoges, but also some of Lorrain and Catalan provenance. A noteworthy set are ivory artefacts made by Byzantine, French, German and Italian artists between the 11th and 18th centuries. Strongly represented are Italian majolicas, most of them dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, the heyday of Italian pottery. Geographically, this collection covers nearly the whole of Italy, highlighting all the most important centres such as Florence, Faenza, Urbino, Deruta, Gubbio, Castelli, Siena or Venice. During the Paris period, Władysław Czartoryski bought also items of Spanish and Mauretanian majolica, Meissen porcelain, early Venetian glass, fabrics and carpets. The numerous objects of Oriental art, mostly Persian and Turkish, were acquired in Istanbul.
In 1897 the holdings grew when a collection of Far Eastern art (Japanese porcelain, ivory and lacquer artefacts) was added to it thanks to a distinguished bequest from Bolesław Wołodkowicz.
In addition, the Department has remarkable holdings of medals (1150 items) and numismatics (2,000 items).
It was the intention of the founder of the first Polish museum to present the history of Poland from time immemorial up to these days through an appropriate selection of historical objects, memorabilia and relics. Alongside objects of high artistry or historical value culled from the family treasures, Izabela Czartoryska acquired memorabilia and relics of kings, hetmans and statesmen who rendered inestimable services for Polish culture.
A group of objects that once belonged to emperors, kings, poets, writers, academics, philosophers and other illustrious protagonists of general history is an impressive collection in its own right. Derived from the Gothic House resources, it contains, for example, relics of famous lovers of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Apart from the Puławy Collections, Department XIII stores decorative works amassed in the second half of the 19th century by Władysław Czartoryski, predominantly through purchases at art auctions in Paris, Rome, Florence and London.
Among this stored collection are medieval and Renaissance enamels, most of them from workshops in Limoges, but also some of Lorrain and Catalan provenance. A noteworthy set are ivory artefacts made by Byzantine, French, German and Italian artists between the 11th and 18th centuries. Strongly represented are Italian majolicas, most of them dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, the heyday of Italian pottery. Geographically, this collection covers nearly the whole of Italy, highlighting all the most important centres such as Florence, Faenza, Urbino, Deruta, Gubbio, Castelli, Siena or Venice. During the Paris period, Władysław Czartoryski bought also items of Spanish and Mauretanian majolica, Meissen porcelain, early Venetian glass, fabrics and carpets. The numerous objects of Oriental art, mostly Persian and Turkish, were acquired in Istanbul.
In 1897 the holdings grew when a collection of Far Eastern art (Japanese porcelain, ivory and lacquer artefacts) was added to it thanks to a distinguished bequest from Bolesław Wołodkowicz.
In addition, the Department has remarkable holdings of medals (1150 items) and numismatics (2,000 items).