Exhibition of Works and Objects from the Franciszek Starowieyski Collection in Krakow

He worked in painting, drawing, and graphic arts, designed film and theater posters, being considered one of the greatest representatives of the Polish Poster School, and created television and film scenography. He was also an art collector, particularly of old art, and a connaisseur of 17th and 18th century history and art.

Starowieyski frequently referred to his favorite artistic era, the Baroque, which fascinated and inspired him. Starting in the 1970s, he began to backdate his works by 300 years, consciously distancing himself from the present and seeking inspiration in the past. His art is rooted in motifs drawn from Baroque painting and the surrealist poetics of dreams.

He was a figure of exceptional energy and brilliance, making it nearly impossible to separate his electrifying personality from his artistic work-the two aspects were inseparably intertwined.

He provoked critics while simultaneously captivating audiences. He showcased his creative process through famous paratheatrical performances, during which he created works known as Theaters of Drawing. Before the eyes of the audience, large-scale, spectacular drawings came to life. These performances were infused with an atmosphere of magic, mystery, and eroticism, accompanied by nude models, music, and literary commentary. Nearly thirty Theaters of Drawing were created, extending beyond Poland’s borders-his works were produced in France, Italy, and the United States, among other places.

Throughout his life, he remained devoted to 17th century aesthetics. His works prominently feature nudes-both male and female monsters, skulls, Baroque ornaments, and grand group scenes. In his art, sexuality and eroticism intertwine with the Baroque motif of transience.

Collecting was one of the artist’s great passions throughout his life. His interests included books, prints, furniture, wooden sculptures, animal and human skulls, objects, clocks, mirrors, engravings, and vessels. These collected artifacts and crafts became sources of inspiration, subjects of study on the Baroque era, and an inseparable element of his rich and diverse artistic practice.

The display features not only items from Starowieyski’s extensive collection but also his drawings, calligraphic exercises, works on paper and canvas, juvenilia, and many little-known artifacts and props from the life of the great Byk (Bull).

The exhibition at Kraków’s Pałac Sztuki (Palace of Fine Art) marks the first presentation of Franciszek Starowieyski’s work in this institution in many years. A significant part of the exhibition includes elements from his studio, transferred directly from Bernardyńska Street in Warsaw, where he lived and worked for many years.

Organizers: Palace of Fine Arts, Cracow, East of Art Foundation
Exhibition curators: Małgorzata and Marcin Gołębiewscy
Coordination: Katarzyna Mierzwińska
Translation: Palace of Fine Arts