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Vol. 96 (2001): Our Past

Articles

Paintings of Wincenty Kadłubek by Aleksander Lesser (1814-1884)

  • Dariusz Dąbrowski
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52204/np.2001.96.601-617  [Google Scholar]
Published: 2001-12-30

Abstract

This article reviews a catalogue of portraits of the Blessed Wincenty Ka­dłubek painted by the Warsaw artist Aleksander Lesser (1814-1884). A graduate of the Munich Academy of Arts, where he studied under Profes­sors Heinrich Maria Hess and Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Lesser became a leading representative of the ‘archaeological’ strand of the historical schooland biedermeier in the Congress Kingdom. The author brings to light some hitherto unknown facts about Lesser’s portraits of Wincenty Kadłubek. By adding them to what has been known already he is able to complete and order our information about the original painting, which can be found in St Waw­rzyniec (Laurence) parish church at Stolec near Sieradz. The article also ex­plores the links between the three portraits produced by the Warsaw artist and his iconographic model. An iconographic analysis of Lesser’s work shows that he paid hardly any attention to the painterly impressions of Kadłubek (at prayer) which had become widespread in the 18th century in connection with his beatification. Lesser used as his model Jan Liegber’s drawing of a portrait of Wincenty Kadłubek from the collections of King Stanisław August Ponia­towski. It is, however, impossible to say whether Lesser did actually lay his hands on Liegbert’s drawing or used its reproduction in Józef Maksymilian Ossoliński’s "Vincent Kadłubek. Ein Historisch-Kritischer Beitrag...", Warschau 1822.

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