Teodor Rygier
Teodor Rygier (9 October 1841, Warsaw - 18 December 1913, Rome) was a Polish sculptor known for his Adam Mickiewicz Monument in Kraków, Poland. Rygier studied in Warsaw, Dresden, Munich and in Vienna. In the years 1865-1866 he studied sculpture in Berlin and in Paris. Subsequently, Rygier lived and worked in Florence between 1873-1886, and from 1886 in Rome.[1]
Teodor Rygier was the author of various monuments, portraits, allegories and medallions. Aside from his statue of Adam Mickiewicz at the Main Market Square in Kraków, there is also one in the Old Town district, namely the bust of painter Juliusz Kossak featured in front of the Palace of Art at Planty Park.[1]
[edit] The competition for Adam Mickiewicz Monument
The idea for a monument to a Polish national bard Adam Mickiewicz was put forward by university youth on the account of the return of his remains from Paris. In the years 1882-1888, a committee was set up to conduct a public competition for its design. Teodor Rygier, who took part in all three stages of the contest, was awarded the rights for its production by popular demand, ahead of over 60 artists including the renowned Cyprian Godebski, professor at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg from Paris, who won the first prize.[2] The unveiling of the statue took exceptionally long time due to endless requests for revisions coming from the artistic committee. The monument was finally unveiled on 16 June 1898 for the 100th anniversary of Mickiewicz's birth.
The design of the monument is based on respected international cannons of the time. Depicted poet, raised on the pedestal, is surrounded by four lower groups which symbolize: Motherland i.e. Poland (from the face of the monument), Science and learning – an old man with a boy (from the side of Florianska Street), Poetry (from the side of the Church of St. Wojciech), and Patriotic love or Valour (facing Sukiennice Hall).[1][3] All bronze figures were cast in the Nellich foundry in Rome.[2]
[edit] References
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- ^ a b c (Polish) Piotr Szubert, Profiles (visual arts): Teodor Rygier Instytut Adama Mickiewicza (Adam Mickiewicz Institute), February 2002
- ^ a b History of Adam Mickiewicz Monument at "Magiczny Krakow" City's official website, ACK Cyfronet AGH, 2009.
- ^ The Warsaw Voice, All About Poland, "The Charm of Cracow" 18 August 2005
- (Polish) Piotr Szubert, Instytut Adama Mickiewicza, Sylwetki (sztuki wizualne): Teodor Rygier February 2002
- Adam Mickiewicz Monument at the City's official website.
- This article incorporates information from Polish Wikipedia
- Statue of Adam Mickiewicz at In Your Pocket Ltd
- The monument of Adam Mickiewicz at come2europe.eu 2006-2008
- The Warsaw Voice, All About Poland, Charm of Cracow 18 August 2005
