Stanisław Wyspiański , a great artist from Cracow

Born in 1869 in Krakow, Stanislaw Wyspiański had rather eclectic art: painting, architecture, poetry, music, translation of great french writers in Polish french (Proust, Flaubert, Corneille ...), sculpture and theatre (texts, decoration and scenarist). He is the most famous artist from the movement of the Young Poland.

Among the oil paintings, can be found many representations of the city of Krakow (Barbican, St Florian Gate, Planty and the Wawel), its suburbs and many Polish landscapes. 

Barbacan and Planty

The Planty with Wawel castle on background

It also conducts many portraits in pastels and watercolors. He painted himself (the first photo of this article), but also his wife on many paintings (1st table below, left).

 
Stanisław travelled a lot and lived in Paris for some time and attempted to enter the Fine Arts ...  where it is denied. It is through this trip that he discovered french authors. He admired the Comedie Francaise.  He studied also the architecture of the cathedrals inFrance, which inspired many achievements in Poland.

Wyspiański is the author of frescoes and transept of the Franciscan church in Krakow in 1895-1897. He also used his mastery of pastels for carrying out numerous stained glassed, especially in the same church, but also in other public buildings. He made also the stained glasses for the cathedral of Lvov. His great project of stained glass for the Cathedral of Krakow in 1901 will ultimately not succeed and will remain on paper. Nevertheless, these three huge windows, unconventional representations of Casimir the Great, Saint Stanislas and Henry the Pious were lately realized and are now exposed to the tourist office.

 He dreamed of a free Poland with Krakow as its capital. This idea is reflected in many works, including plays. One of the best known, Wesele (The Wedding), whose first performance dated of 1901, is still regularly performed today. WESELE offers a grim picture of society: political oppression, national tradition and frozen skepticism of elites. The drama is rich in figurative terms and symbols for the independence of the Nation.  The decor for the first time in the Polish theatre, organized a clear image and light, to express a real tension.  The music, also composed by Wyspiański, is also a crucial element of drama. The show ends with a very innovative scene at this time, an image without words, made of movement and music.

The hill of Wawel castle will have particular importance in the Wyspianski's work. He wanted to make of this place the political and cultural heart of Poland. His vision, he will express in the form of numerous plans and models, including the Acropolis whose reproduction is outlined at the National Museum in Krakow.

Stanisław Wyspiański died in Krakow in 1907 at the age of 39 years from the syphilis. Allergic to penicillin, he could not really take care of his health. In addition, he was also allergic ... with the oil painting! Rather embarrassing for a painter ... So it is also his art which killed him. His funeral was an event mobilizing the entire city, and even the whole country...

The 2007 year has been an anniversary year with many exhibitions and performances. But besides the architectural realisations, a museum is devoted to Wyspiański and many works are also presented to the public at the National Museum.