KrakowInformer.com

Stanislaw Wyspianski

Stanislaw Wyspianski self portrait 1902

Stanislaw Wyspianski was one of Poland's greatest poets and playwrights. Wyspianski was also one of Poland's most talented painters. He was also a sculptor, architect and interior designer – one doesn't need to add: one of Poland's best. He influenced Krakow – and Polish culture in general – more than any other artist – and all in just 38 years.

The Life of Stanislaw Wyspianski

Stanislaw Wyspianski was born in Krakow in 1869, and died in the very same city in 1907. His mother died when he was 7, and because his father felt unable to raise the young Stanislaw Wyspianski on his own, he was raised by the Stankiewicz family, whose house was often visited by Jan Matejko, who was to influence his life many times in the future. After studying at the Jagiellonian University's Philosophical Faculty, Wyspiański went on to learn art in the later Fine Arts Academy, then lead by Matejko, whom he helped to paint the polychromy in the Mariacki Church. After a few years' long journey across Europe, Stanisław Wyspiański came back to Poland and started publishing his first dramas, without initial success. This came to him in 1901, when he published “Wesele”, one of the most important Polish plays in history. In 1906 he became professor of the Fine Arts Academy in Krakow, and died – allegedly of syphilis – a year later.

Wyspiański's Art

Wyspiański is perhaps most known for his theatre work – Wyspiański's symbolic plays, usually critically referring to Polish culture and history – are still often staged by theatres, especially those in his hometown. Those include “Wesele”, “Noc Listopadowa” or “Wyzwolenie”. Apart from writing, Wyspianski was a magnificent director, and it was him who staged Adam Mickiewicz's “Dziady” - the opus magnum of the Romanticist poet and playwright – in the Juliusz Slowacki Theatre. Wyspianski's painting can be described as both secessionist and symbolical – and beautiful as it may be, it's not his paintings, but his stained glass where his extraordinary talent fully shows.

Stanislaw Wyspiański and Krakow

Wyspiański's 'The Planty'

Wyspiański's art was certainly inspired by the city he lived in – his paintings of the Planty are widely known, and his greatest play - “Wesele” - was created after attending a wedding in the village – now Krakow District – of Bronowice. But whatever Wyspianski had taken from Krakow, he gave the city back ten times as much. His works in the Krakow Churches, including the polychromy at the St. Mary's and the stained glass – from which the most magnificent example is perhaps the one depicting God (“Stan sie”) at the Franciszkanow Church. Much of Wyspianski's work remained uncompleted, and the designs can be seen at the Wyspianski 2000 pavilion on the Plac Wszystkich Swietych.

Krakow is also full of places devoted to Stanislaw Wyspianski in one way or another – his monument can be seen near the Main Building of the Krakow National Museum on 3 Maja Street. One of the divisions of the National Museum – Kamienica Szołayskich on Szczepanska Street – hosts a grand permanent exhibition commemorating Wyspianski. Some of Wyspianski's work can also be seen in the Rydlowka, the house (now turned museum) in which the famous wedding from “Wesele” originally took place.