Grafų Pšezdzeckių meno kolekcija: centriniame Ukrainos valstybes istorijos archyve saugomo rankraštinio katalogo duomenys

The article analyses a manuscript catalogue (second volume) kept at the Central State Historical Archives of Ukraine, which provides additional information about count Przeldziecki art collection that was dispersed across various owned manors, among which the.main ones were Warsaw Tyzenhaus, Rokiškis, Chornyi ostriv in UkrJne. lt is a valuable source of information about the lost valuables, especially the portraits; the document reveals many aspects of Przezdziecki family

and more broadly of the 19th century

collecting, such as the owner's attitude towards the artefact preservation, memory, artistic evaluation, and promotion. The document is relevant to the context of RokiSkis'collection history and contributes to the existing knowledge of the count collections beyond the Lithuanian border. The structure of the catalogue consists of three volumes (presuming that the number is finite); the second volume has two parts: the second part titled "Count Przedziecki Family Ordination Portraits" and the third part "Historical Portraits and Other Various Works of Art." The 98-page notebook has 145 marked positions, starting from number 55 (the starting number of the second volume), but not all positions are filled; overall,8o works have descriptions - mostly paintings, pastels, and watercolours. The descriptions vary in length, there are blanks. The catalogue editor is unknown, presumed to be Rajnold Przeldziecki. The catalogue suggests that Tyzenhauz and Przeldziecki family members were mostly portrayed by the German painters F. X. Winterhalter and L. Horowitz; the depicted personalities essentially belonged to the family circle of Aleksander and Maria's son Konstanty Przeldziecki. Family portrait copies were commonly commissioned. The catalogue also refers to the works that were appreciated less for their artistic value but more as family relicts. The larger part of set was comprised of mostly historically themed depictions. The collection contained works from various art schools, including ltalian (J. Amigoni, M. Bacciarelli, B. Goya, Austro-ltalian G. B. Lampi); French (1. de Silvestre, M. Vi96e-Lebrun); Saxon (J. G. Stamm); German (J. L. Giesel); Dutch (C. Netscher); Flemish (Rubens' school); Spanish; Russian (A. Orlovski); Belarussian (.J. Suchodolski). Surely, a large portion of the works were made by the Polish painters: M. Zaleski, J. Matejka, J. Kossak, F. Brzozowski, K. Wojniakowski, J. Szermentowski, Fr. Wartko wski, et al. Prze2dziecki family members collected the works that had artistic value and were significant historically; the collection contained 17-1gth century portraits of such historical personalities as Barbara Radziwitl, Catherine of Austria (Polish: Kotorzyno Habsbur2onko; Lithuanian: Kotryno Hobsburgoitd; the third wife of Sigismund ll Augustus), Jan lll Sobieski, Stanistaw August Poniatowski, Karol Stanisiaw Radziwiii "Panie Kochanku", T. Kosciuszko, Aleksander l, and other portraits. This is just a small selection of the sets. The catalogue descriptions frequently contain artistic enaluation that is sometimes critical but essentially romanticizing. Pzeidzieccy critical reflection indicates a good understanding ofthe arts- ln addition, the collection owners consulted the specialists, for enmple J. Mycielski. Aligned to the dominating tendencies and following the example set by other noblemen, Przezdziecki family members were engaged in the promotion of their collection and participated in the exhibitions. The catalogue refers to two public displays: 1883 exhibition in Krakow dedicated to Sobieski's jubilee; and 1887 antiques exhibition held in Hotel Europejski (Warsaw). The analysis of the exhibition catalogues printed in Poland indicates that there were more exhibits from the Prze2dziecki family collection. Prze2dziecki family took great care of the collection documentation and preservation. From the collecting history point of view, it is significant that next to the fundamental artwork metrics, the historical data, the critical insights, frequently there was information about the work's previous location, inheritance, gifting, and acquisition. The artefacts mentioned in the catalogue were mostly acquired by Konstanty Przeidziecki, his father Aleksander and father's brother Mieczyslaw The collection items were documented in writing and photography; there was also a file directory. Attention was paid to the restoration and framing. lt is evident that during the catalogue creation period

i.e., from the early 2oth century until the World War I and beyond - the families of brothers Rajnold and Jan Przeidziecki took care of the artworks. The items in the family collection for one reason or another "migrated" from manor to manor, hence the connection to Rokiškis emerged: part of the recorded paintings was taken to Rokiskis manor, although their Iater destiny is unknown. Przeldziecki family viewed their collectlon wholistically, seeking to care for the valuables in the possession of the extended family, regardless of its location or direct owner. This tradition was started by A. Przeldziecki who established the Przeidziecki Library; in 1913, R. Przeldziecki established the Count Przeidziecki Ordination that was active until 1921. Hence, when Tyzenhauz family member married into Przedziecki, the history of Lithuania's Rokiskis manor legacy merged with a culturally and geographically wider context.