Romanticism in Poland, a literary, artistic and intellectual period in the evolution of

Polish culture The culture of Poland ( pl, Kultura Polski ) is the product of its geography and distinct historical evolution, which is closely connected to an intricate thousand-year history. Polish culture forms an important part of western civilization and ...

, began around 1820, coinciding with the publication of Adam Mickiewicz's first poems in 1822. It ended with the suppression of the January 1863 Uprising against the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War ...

in 1864. The latter event ushered in a new era in Polish culture known as ''Positivism''.

Czesław Miłosz Czesław Miłosz (, also , ; 30 June 1911 – 14 August 2004) was a Polish-American poet, prose writer, translator, and diplomat. Regarded as one of the great poets of the 20th century, he won the 1980 Nobel Prize in Literature. In its citation, ...

''The history of Polish literature.''
IV. ''Romanticism.'' Pages 195–280.

Google Books Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical ...

. ''

University of California Press The University of California Press, otherwise known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish scholarly and scientific works by facul ...

'', 1983. Polish Romanticism, unlike

Romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

in some other parts of Europe, was not limited to

literary Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to includ ...

and artistic concerns. Due to specific Polish historical circumstances, notably the

partitions of Poland The Partitions of Poland were three partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania for 12 ...

, it was also an ideological, philosophical and political movement that expressed the ideals and way of life of a large portion of Polish society subjected to foreign rule as well as to ethnic and religious discrimination.

History

Polish

had two distinct periods in terms of its literary forms: 1820–1832, and 1832–1864. In the first period, Polish Romantics were strongly influenced by other European Romantics. Their art featured

emotion Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is currently no scientific consensus on a definitio ...

alism and irrationality, fantasy and imagination, personality cults,

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, rangin ...

and country life, and the propagation of ideals of freedom. The most famous writers of the period were Adam Mickiewicz, Seweryn Goszczyński, Tomasz Zan and Maurycy Mochnacki. In the second period, many of the Polish Romantics worked abroad, often banished from Poland by the occupying powers due to their politically subversive ideas. Their work became increasingly dominated by the ideals of political struggle for freedom and their country's

sovereignty Sovereignty is the defining authority within individual consciousness, social construct, or territory. Sovereignty entails hierarchy within the state, as well as external autonomy for states. In any state, sovereignty is assigned to the perso ...

. Elements of mysticism became more prominent. There developed the idea of the '' poeta wieszcz'' (the prophet). The ''wieszcz'' (bard) functioned as spiritual leader to the nation fighting for its independence. The most notable poet so recognized was Adam Mickiewicz. His famous verse epic '' Pan Tadeusz'' describes his love for the partitioned homeland and people of his native country:

"O
Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
, my country, thou
Art like good health; I never knew till now
How precious, till I lost thee. Now I see
Thy beauty whole, because I yearn for thee."
(— Opening stanza of ''Pan Tadeusz'', Kenneth R. Mackenzie translation)

Other notable Polish Romantic writers active abroad included

Juliusz Słowacki Juliusz Słowacki (; french: Jules Slowacki; 4 September 1809 – 3 April 1849) was a Polish Romantic poet. He is considered one of the "Three Bards" of Polish literature — a major figure in the Polish Romantic period, and the father of mod ...

, Zygmunt Krasiński and Cyprian Kamil Norwid. A number of Romantics remained active in divided and occupied Poland, including Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, Wincenty Pol,

Władysław Syrokomla Ludwik Władysław Franciszek Kondratowicz (29 September 1823 – 15 September 1862), better known as Władysław Syrokomla, was a Polish romantic poet, writer and translator working in Vilnius and Vilna Governorate, then Russian Empire. Bi ...

, and Narcyza Żmichowska. One of Polish Romanticism's unique qualities was its relation to and inspiration from Polish history from before the invasion. Polish Romanticism revived the old " Sarmatic" traditions of Polish nobility, the szlachta.Andrzej Wasko
"Sarmatism or the Enlightenment: The Dilemma of Polish Culture"
'' The Sarmatian Review'' XVII.2., 1997 Old traditions and customs were portrayed favourably in the Polish messianic movement and in the leading works of virtually all Polish national poets, most notably in '' Pan Tadeusz'', but also in the epic works of prose writers including Henryk Sienkiewicz's '' Trylogia''. This close connection between Polish Romanticism and the past became one of the defining qualities of the literature of Polish Romantic period, differentiating it from that of other countries who did not suffer the loss of statehood as was the case with Poland. Romantic ideas informed not only

literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to ...

but also

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and a ...

and

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...

. Polish Romantic painting is exemplified in the work of

Artur Grottger Artur Grottger (11 November 1837 – 13 December 1867) was a Polish Romantic painter and graphic artist, one of the most prominent artists of the mid 19th century under the foreign partitions of Poland, despite a life cut short by incurable ill ...

Henryk Rodakowski Henryk Hipolit Rodakowski (; 1823–1894) was a Polish painter. Biography He came from a well-known family of lawyers. Continuing the family tradition between 1841 and 1845, he studied law in Vienna. Later he studied painting under Joseph Danha ...

, or the equestrian master artist

Piotr Michałowski Piotr Michałowski (July 2, 1800 – June 9, 1855) was a Polish painter of the Romantic period, especially known for his many portraits, and oil studies of horses. Broadly educated, he was also a social activist, legal advocate, city administr ...

(now at Sukiennice), and

Jan Nepomucen Głowacki Jan Nepomucen Głowacki (1802 – July 28, 1847) was a Polish realist painter of the Romantic era, regarded as the most outstanding landscape painter of the early 19th century in Poland under the foreign partitions. Głowacki studied painting ...

considered the father of Polish school of landscape painting, as well as the renowned historical painter Leopold Loeffler invited to

Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula, Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland un ...

by Matejko to teach the future luminaries of the Young Poland movement including Wyspiański,

Tetmajer Tetmajer may refer to: * Ludwig von Tetmajer (1850–1905), Hungarian/Swiss engineer * Włodzimierz (Przerwa-)Tetmajer (1861–1923), Polish painter, half brother of Kazimierz * Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer (12 Februar ...

, Malczewski and Weiss among others. The music of Frédéric Chopin and

Stanisław Moniuszko Stanisław Moniuszko (; May 5, 1819 – June 4, 1872) was a Polish composer, conductor and teacher. He wrote many popular art songs and operas, and his music is filled with patriotic folk themes of the peoples of the former Polish–Lithuania ...

inspired the development of Polish Romantic movement in all fields of creative expression.

Notable Polish Romantic writers and poets

* Feliks Bernatowicz (1786–1836) * Ryszard Berwiński (1819–1879) * Stanisław Bogusławski (?–d. 1870) * Kazimierz Brodziński (1791–1835) * Antoni Czajkowski (1816–1873) *

Michał Czajkowski Michał Czajkowski ( uk, Mykhailo Chaikovsky; 29 September 180418 January 1886), also known in Turkey as Mehmet Sadyk Pasha ( tr, Mehmet Sadık Paşa), was a Polish writer and political émigré of distant Cossack heritage who worked both for the ...

(1804–1886) * Adam Jerzy Czartoryski (1770–1861) * Jan Czeczot (1796–1846) *

Franciszek Salezy Dmochowski Franciszek Salezy Dmochowski (1801–1871) was a Polish writer, poet, translator, critic, journalist and publisher. He studied at the University of Warsaw. He took part in the distribution of illegal ''bibuła'' press and publications in partition ...

(1801–1871) * Gustaw Ehrenberg (1818–1895) * Aleksander Fredro (1791–1876) * Antoni Gorecki (1787–1861) * Seweryn Goszczyński (1801–1876) * Klementyna Hoffmanowa (1798–1845) * Teodor Tomasz Jeż (Zygmunt Miłkowski, 1824–1915) * Kajetan Koźmian (1771–1856) * Zygmunt Krasiński (1812–1859) * Józef Ignacy Kraszewski (1812–1887) * Teofil Lenartowicz (1822–1893) *

Jadwiga Łuszczewska Jadwiga Łuszczewska (pen name: ''Deotyma'' (Diotima Diotima may refer to: People * Diotima of Mantinea, an ancient female philosopher and tutor of Socrates * Pen-name of Esme Wynn-Tyson, British author. * Pseudonym of Susette Borkenstein Gont ...

(1834–1908) * Antoni Malczewski (1793–1826) * Adam Mickiewicz (1798–1855) * Maurycy Mochnacki (1803–1834) * Cyprian Kamil Norwid (1821–1883) * Wincenty Pol (1807–1882) * Mieczysław Romanowski (1834–1863) *

Henryk Rzewuski Henryk Rzewuski (3 May 1791 – 28 February 1866) was a Polish nobleman, Romantic-era journalist and novelist. Life Count Henryk Rzewuski was a scion of a Polish magnate family in Ukraine. He was the son of Adam Wawrzyniec Rzewuski, a Russian s ...

(1791–1866) *

Lucjan Siemieński Lucjan Hipolit Siemieński (13 August 1807 in Kamienna Góra near Żółkiew – 27 November 1877 in Kraków) was a Polish Romantic poet, prose writer, translator and literary critic. See also *List of Poles This is a partial list of notab ...

(1807–1877) *

(1809–1849) *

(1823–1862) * Kornel Ujejski (1823–1897) *

Maria Wirtemberska Princess Maria Czartoryska (formerly Duchess Louis of Württemberg; 15 March 1768, Warsaw – 21 October 1854, Paris), was a Polish noble, writer, musician and philanthropist. Life Maria Anna was a daughter of Prince Adam Kazimierz Czartory ...

(1768–1854) *

Józef Bohdan Zaleski Józef Bohdan Zaleski (14 February 1802 in Bohatyrka, Kiev guberniya – 31 March 1886 in Villepreux, near Paris) was a Polish Romantic poet. A friend of Adam Mickiewicz, Zaleski founded the " Ukrainian poetic school." Life Zaleski was a m ...

(1802–86) * Tomasz Zan (1796–1855) * Narcyza Żmichowska (1819–1876)

Other notable figures

* Aleksander Borkowski Dunin (1811–1896) * Józef Borkowski Dunin (1809–1843) * Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849), composer *

Edward Dembowski Edward Dembowski (25 April or 31 May 1822 – 27 February 1846) was a Polish philosopher, literary critic, journalist, and leftist independence activist."Dembowski, Edward," ''Encyklopedia Polski'' (Encyclopedia of Poland), p. 128. Life Edward D ...

(1822–1846), philosopher, journalist and activist *

(1800–1855), painter *

(1819–1872), composer * Stanisław Kostka Potocki (1755–1821), art patron, philosopher and intellectual * Andrzej Towiański (1799–1878), philosopher and Messianist religious leader * Kazimierz Władysław Wójcicki (1807–1879)

References

External links

Poland's Unique Take on Romanticism: Why Is It So Different?
Culture.pl {{DEFAULTSORT:Romanticism In Poland Cultural history of Poland 19th century in Poland Romanticism