An exhibition organized by the Réunion des musées nationaux, the Musées et domaine nationaux du Palais imperial de Compiègne and the Royal Castle, Warsaw.
It will be presented at the Royal Museum, Warsaw from 14 November 2011 to 5 February 2012.
Stanislaw II August (1732-1798), the last king of Poland, was a key figure in European political and artistic life in the second half of the eighteenth century.
He was an intelligent, educated sovereign, very close to France. Although his political misfortunes tarnished his royal image, he was nonetheless a remarkable collector and the arts flourished in Poland during his reign.
Nearly 150 works have been brought together for the exhibition, presenting part of Stanislaw August’ collection and his patronage of the arts.
Born in 1732, Stanislaw Poniatowski received a princely education. Like many nobles he did the “grand tour” (1750-1754), travelling through Saxony, Prussia, Austria, the United Provinces (Holland) and as far as Paris and London. In 1755-1758, he found himself in St Petersburg where he became the lover of the future Russian empress, Catherine II.
Through her influence, he was elected king of Poland in 1764 and took the name of Stanislaw II August. He wanted to make Poland a modern country, recognised throughout Europe, and undertook major reforms. In 1793, four months before France, he promulgated Europe’s first constitution. In 1795, after three successive partitions, Poland ceased to exist as an independent state in Europe; the noble republic was divided between the three great powers who had coveted it for decades. Stanislaw August was forced to abdicate and ended his days in exile in St Petersburg.
The exhibition is divided into four sections:
- The King: the story of his life and important personalities who played a role in his ascension to the throne, Catherine II, Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, the English ambassador to Russia, who introduced him to the future empress.
Stanislaw August’s collections: Stanislaw August collected over 2,200 paintings which included works by the French artists Hubert Robert, Natoire and Vernet as well as Norblin de la Gourdaine, who worked in Warsaw for thirty years. Noteworthy figures among the northern European schools are Rembrandt and Jan Victors, and Dietrich for the German school. Stanislaw August was also interested in drawings and engravings and collected works by Fragonard, Rubens and Piranesi. Several sculptures and numerous objets d’art complete this rich panorama. This exhibition demonstrates the king’s taste for old masters and his commissions to contemporary artists, such as Houdon’s bust of Alexander the Great.
Art Patron: Stanislaw August commissioned various artists to work on architectural projects and interior design. The French architect Victor Louis, known for the great theatre in Bordeaux, carried out major work on his royal residences, particularly the Warsaw Castle, the seat of his power. Jean-Baptiste Pillement produced four huge murals for the king’s first summer palace at Ujazdów, a mix of Chinese influences, landscape and animal painting, on loan from the Musée du Petit Palais. Next the King turned his attention to his residence at Łazienki, a palace by the water rather reminiscent of the French castle of Marly. A set of drawings and pieces of furniture conjure up these residences. Six works by the famous Italian vedute painter, Bernardo Bellotto, now in the Royal Castle, Warsaw, indicate his presence in the royal court. Medals, belts, plates, vases and weapons are evidence of the king’s support for Polish manufactories. Through his education reform and his action in favour of politics, the press and the arts, Stanislaw August made Warsaw a centre of cultural activity during the Enlightenment.
Epilogue: exile in St Petersburg, meeting with Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun in 1797. The exhibition closes with her portrait, Stanislaw August in an Ermine Cloak, (Musée et domaine national de Versailles et de Trianon).
