TY - JOUR
TI - Shards of memory. Stanisław Olexiński, collector from Lviv
AU - Betlej, Andrzej
TI - Shards of memory. Stanisław Olexiński, collector from Lviv
AB - This article is devoted to Stanisław Olexiński (1865–1941), a person almost completely unknown, but – as it seems – rather important for the history of art and collecting in Lviv (now Ukraine). Olexiński was the administrative secretary of the Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich (Ossoliński National Institute) since 1919, as well as a well-known collector. His collection was focused mainly on publications on the theory and history of art, and he also gathered a sizeable portion of prints and drawings by Polish artists. Partially preserved correspondence and documents related to Olexiński reveal his passion for collecting and his commercial activities in the artistic community. Letters from well-known artists confirm his commitment and testify to his sturdy activity in acquiring works of art, both by purchasing them directly from the artists. Olexiński exchanged works from his collection with, among others, the Ossoliński Institute, also donated some objects to the City Gallery or the Historical Museum in Lviv. Unfortunately, the fate of the collection remains unknown. After Olexiński’s death in 1941, shortly after the German army entered Lviv, his collection may have been dispersed, sold or destroyed. The last piece of information relating to Olexiński is a letter from Andrzej Lubomirski, curator of the Ossoliński Institute, dated August 1941, indicating that the collector was still popular; nevertheless, it is uncertain whether letter reached him or his wife. The paper presented herein is an attempt to restore the memory of someone who played a relatively substantial role in the cultural life of Lviv’s intellectual and artistic elite.
VL - 2023
IS - Tom 23
PY - 2024
SN - 1641-9715
C1 - 2545-3882
SP - 133
EP - 148
DO - 10.4467/25453882MOD.23.011.20217
UR - https://ejournals.eu/czasopismo/modus-prace-z-historii-sztuki/artykul/shards-of-memory-stanislaw-olexinski-collector-from-lviv
KW - Stanisław Olexiński
KW - Wilhelm Wachtel
KW - Ossoliński
National Institute
KW - collecting
KW - Lviv