Monument to Wojciech Bartosz (Bartos) Glowacki in Lychakivskyi Park in Lviv, photo Russianname, 2007
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Fotografia przedstawiająca Monument to Wojciech Bartosz (Bartos) Glowacki in Lychakivskyi Park in Lviv
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ID: POL-002048-P

Monument to Wojciech Bartosz (Bartos) Glowacki in Lychakivskyi Park in Lviv

ID: POL-002048-P

Monument to Wojciech Bartosz (Bartos) Glowacki in Lychakivskyi Park in Lviv

In autumn 2016, conservation work was completed on the Lvov monument to Wojciech Bartosz Glowacki (1756-1794), a hero of the Kościuszko Uprising who became famous for his bravery during the Battle of Racławice, on 4 April 1794, when he captured a Russian cannon by extinguishing the fuse with his cap. He was then appointed ensign of the Krakow Grenadiers by the head of the Polish army, Kościuszko. Głowacki was mortally wounded during the Battle of Szczekociny. He was probably laid to rest at the Church (now the Cathedral) of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kielce. The place of his burial is commemorated by a tombstone.

A monument to the leader of the Kosciuszko army was ceremonially unveiled in Lviv on 8 July 1906 in a park near the Lychakivska turnpike. The park was then renamed Glowacki Park. The monument was created by Grzegorz Kuzniewicz (1871-1948), according to a project by the prominent Polish sculptor Julian Markowski (1846-1903). It was the last monument designed by Markowski, who died before completing the work.

Ukrainian sculptor Grzegorz Kuznevich (Hryhoriy Kuznevych, 1871-1948), born in Stary Bruzno, began his training in the workshops of Bruzno stonemasons - workshops whose tradition dated back to the 16th century. Thanks to the architect Julian Zachariewicz, who applied for a scholarship from the National Department for the promising artist, Kuznevych was able to study at the State Industrial School in Lviv. At the same time, he took up a job in Julian Markowski's workshop. Work on the commemoration of Glowacki was preceded by, among other things, collaboration between the two artists on such projects as the sculpture 'Fortuna' in the hall of the Galician Savings Bank and the monument to Jan Kilinsky in Stryisky Park.

When, in 1905, the Lwow "Nowosci Ilustrowane" (No. 39, 23 September) published an article entitled "Monument to Bartosz Glowacki in Lwow", accompanied by a photograph taken by Marek Muenz, showing the sculptor Grzegorz Kuzniewicz working on the finishing touches to the sculpture, the author of the press release assessed that the artist "fulfilled his task superbly. The monument, now nearing completion, is a true masterpiece of sculpture". It should be noted, however, that critics and art historians were not so enthusiastic later. They alleged a weakness of proportions and sculptural modelling, and thus of the artistic expression of the monument.

"News Illustrated, emphasising the fact that the "beautiful" Łyczakowski Park was chosen as the location for the monument, expressed a certain dissatisfaction, writing: "It is, however, a great pity that a very inappropriate place in this park was chosen for the monument to Bartosz, namely right by the street, instead of in a more picturesque retreat in which the garden abounds, especially somewhere over the magnificent Falcons' pitch, from where Głowacki, standing on the pedestal of the monument, would have looked on with joy at the exercises of the brave drab patriots during the great rallies of the Falcons".

The ceremony of unveiling the Głowacki monument, preceded by a mass for the soul of the hero of the Kosciuszko Insurrection, turned into a great patriotic manifestation, as reported by Słowo Polskie on 9 July 1906. The first to speak was the chairman of the committee to build the monument, secretary of the Chamber of Craftsmen Ferdynand Ohly, who addressed the gathering with the following words:

. "With the brave help of his kosyniers, Kościuszko won a glorious victory over Muscovites, resurrecting the old fame of the Polish army, and the fields of Racławice, soaked with the blood of the nobility, the bourgeoisie and the heroes in their suits, clearly showed that there is inexhaustible strength and power in the unity of the nation, that the Polish people, so far unacquainted, love their Homeland dearly, and are always ready to lay down their lives and freedom on its altar. This is why the patriotic bourgeoisie of Lwów, which adheres to the idea of sincere unity between all the states of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, wishing to express their feelings, decided to commemorate the hero in a dress with a monument during the Kościuszko Exhibition in 1894. Although this beautiful idea was warmly welcomed by the general public, the lack of suitable material resources, as well as the physical incapacity of the monument's creator, the late Julian Markowski, resulted in the postponement of this laudable intention for several years. It was only in recent years, from 1901, that the construction project was resumed and, thanks to the generosity of the Lviv bourgeoisie, as well as the Representation of the city of Lviv, that the committee managed to fulfil its task, erecting this modest monument to the eternal honour of Bartosz Glowacki".

Glowacki's monument survived the times of Soviet rule in Lviv. Certainly, the fact that the hero from Racławice was a peasant by origin was not without significance. In the 1990s, however, the monument was systematically devastated. More than a dozen years ago, it underwent rescue restoration work. As the original plaque from 1906 had been removed and had not survived, it was replaced by a new one with a repeated inscription, "To Bartosz Głowacki, hero from under Racławice, burghers handicraftsmen in Lwów MCMV", carved in two languages - Polish and Ukrainian. Work undertaken at the time briefly halted the degradation of the monument.

The monument to the leader of the kosyniers, one of the last Polish commemorations preserved in Lviv's urban space, is a particularly valuable object of Polish cultural heritage in Ukraine. It was therefore decided at the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage to secure funds for conservation works. Their organisation was entrusted to the Cultural Heritage Foundation. They were carried out in 2016 by a team of conservators led by Anna Sztymelska-Karczewska. This is another Lviv monument restored in recent years with funds from the Polish Ministry of Culture, following the restoration of the commemorations: Jan Kilinski in Stryisky Park and Teofil Wisniowski and Jozef Kapuscinski on the Execution Hill in Klepariv.

Time of origin:
1906
Creator:
Julian Markowski (rzeźbiarz; Lwów)(preview), Grzegorz Kuźniewicz (rzeźbiarz; Ukraina, USA)(preview)
Publikacja:
17.07.2024
Ostatnia aktualizacja:
02.11.2024
Author:
Dorota Janiszewska-Jakubiak
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