Information about the object:
The Polish Library in Paris is one of the oldest and richest émigré institutions in terms of its collection. Located in the heart of Paris, on the island of St Louis, it was founded in 1838 on the initiative of leading representatives of the Great Emigration after the fall of the November Uprising. They wished to oppose Russification and Germanisation with Polish political thought. To this end, they founded the Literary Society in 1832, with Prince Adam Czartoryski as its first president. Among the members of the Historical and Literary Society (THLP), founded in 1854, were: Józef Bem, Fryderyk Chopin, Juliusz Słowacki, Adam Mickiewicz and General Henryk Dembiński. Today, the collections of the Association of the Polish Library in Paris are housed in a beautiful 17th-century mansion, adapted to the needs of the institution, at 6, quai d'Orleans, in the heart of Paris. From the very beginning, its activities have gone far beyond the tasks of a traditional library, which has led it to be seen as a kind of unofficial embassy of Polish culture in France.

Completed works:

2022
The project aimed to support the Polish Library in Paris in the protection of its most valuable objects on paper backing. The task concerned preventive measures and conservation of the Polish Library's collection (approximately 120 selected objects) carried out by students of the Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. The work was carried out under the supervision and with the help of faculty members (qualified conservators of works of art).

Objects on paper backing were selected for conservation work to be presented at an exhibition of old Polish prints from the collection of the Polish Library in Paris. The current state of preservation of these objects does not meet exhibition requirements, so the curators of the exhibition assumed that the assistance of students/volunteers would enable them to be expertly prepared for display. Otherwise, the content of the planned exhibition would be impoverished to a significant extent. The conservation work lasted 14 days and took place at the library's premises. An as-built conservation documentation will be prepared for all objects included in the conservation work.

2023
The project involved supporting the Polish Library in Paris in the conservation of the most valuable objects on paper backing. The task concerned preventive and conservation activities carried out by students of the Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.

The work took place under the supervision and with the help of faculty members (qualified conservators of works of art). The 2023 work programme included the conservation of drawing objects from the Gronkowski collection (one of the most valuable collections of drawings by old masters of European art in the Library's collection). The conservation and care of objects from the permanent exhibition in the Chopin Salon was also realised. The previous state of preservation of the objects did not meet exhibition requirements. The help of volunteers made it possible to carry out professional conservation and then replace the originals with copies. The collaboration with the Library also involved participating in the preparation of exhibits for a temporary photography exhibition devoted to the Mniszech Palace. The trip was implemented in September 2023.

Funding: Polonica Institute programme "Polish cultural heritage abroad - volunteering"

More about the project: https://polonika.pl

https://polonika.pl

• Fundacja Akademii Sztuk Pięknych w Warszawie, realizacja w roku 2022 i 2023.