Wiktor
Gomulicki (1848–1919), poet, novelist, journalist, literary
critic, great lover and historian of Warsaw.
He spent
his childhood in Pułtusk, where he attended the Benedictine
pro-gymnasium. His most famous novel Souvenirs of a blue uniform (Wspomnienia niebieskiego mundurka) was based on his memories
from this period. He studied in Warsaw at the Law Faculty of the Main
School (Szkoła Główna), but, when the School was transformed
into a Russian university, he gave up his studies (1869). He
collaborated with Warsaw periodicals: "Warsaw Courrier"
("Kurier Warszawski"), "Daily Courrier" ("Kurier
Codzienny"), "Thorns" ("Kolce"), "Fly"
("Mucha") and "Illustrated Weekly" ("Tygodnik
Ilustrowany").
Prints
constituted only a part of his wide collector’s interests. Aside
for prints, Wiktor Gomulicki also collected glass, porcelain, old
documents and manuscripts; he was also a proprietor of a huge
library. His print collection can be divided into four principal
groups of subjects: Varsaviana, the history of Warsaw
lithography (with a particularly interesting set of lithographs from
1818–1830, i.e. from the earliest period of the development of this
technique on the territory of Poland), prints by Fryderyk Krzysztof
Dietrich and Adolf Fryderyk Dietrich, and theatre memorabilia (with a
representative set of portraits of Warsaw actors acting in 1830s and
40s).
The character of this
collection is atypical. Gomulicki did not aim to create a huge,
uniform set. On the contrary, prints were in his possession for a
period of time, after which he would sell them. Thus, his collection
never formed a uniformed entity. When a subject raised Gomulicki’s
interest, he collected prints and documents concerning it. Yet, as
soon as the subject ceased to be of interest for him, he sold those
materials. Because of this, his collection was much dispersed already
during his lifetime. Most of it became the property of Dominik
Witke-Jeżewski (bought c. 1913 and after 1919) and of the Society
for the Protection of Historical Monuments (Towarzystwo Opieki nad
Zabytkami Przeszłości) (bought in 1908), and later of the National
Museum in Warsaw.
Kamilla Pijanowska
translated by Anna Kiełczewska
Selected prints
Józef
Lex (1791-1866), Lithography Studio of Aleksander Chodkiewicz (active
1818 - about 1827) Warsaw Admirers of Lithography,
1818
Lithograph, paper, 22,5 x 29,3 cm
Signed: Lex f.
and: Wybijano w Litografii Alex Hr Chodkiewicza Maj 1818
Inscribed: Miłośnicy Litografii w Warszawie [Warsaw Admirers of
Lithography]
Stamped on the reverse:
DWJ and: Zbiór | Wiktora
Gomulickiego [Collection | of Wiktor Gomulicki]
National Museum in Warsaw, Inv.no. 41966
Acquired from
Dominik Witke-Jeżewski, 1925
Sebastian
Langer (1772-1841) after the drawing of Michał Stachowicz
(1768-1825) Illustration for Wojciech Bogusławski’s Comedy
Spazmy modne, 1820
Engraving, paper, 14,4 x 8,3
Signed:
M. Stachowicz del and: S. Langer Sc.
Inscribed top
center: SPAZMY MODNE; bottom center: Wy nas durzycie, i my
Was durzyć potrafimy. | Act I, Scene X
Stamp
on the reverse: LIBRARY OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION | OF
HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
National Museum in Warsaw,
Inv.no.14053
Donation of the Society for the Protection of
Historical Monuments, 1917
Fryderyk
Krzysztof Dietrich (1779-1847) Vue of Belvedere Palace in
Warsaw, 1827-1829
Etching, aquatint, paper, 17,7 x 22
cm
Signed bottom left: F. Dietrich sc, bottom center: à
Varsovie, chez Dal Trozzo; lower right with a motive of the key
Inscribed:
Widok Belwederu [View of Belvedere Palace in Warsaw]| Vue de Belweder à Varsovie
Stamp on the
reverse: Zbiór Wiktora Gomulickiego [Wiktor Gomulicki
Collection]
National Museum
in Warsaw, Inv.no.Gr. Pol. 24004
Lithography
Studio of Louis Bourgeois (active 1833-1834) Ferdynand
Baraniecki in the role of Krzysztof, 1834
Coloured lithograph,
paper, 11,3 x 6,5
Inscribed top center: JP BARANIECKI /w
roli Krzysztofa/; bottom center: Bonusiu! Upamiętaj się!;
Stamp
on the reverse: BIBILOTEKA TOW. | OPIEKI | NAD ZABYTKAMI [LIBRARY OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION | OF
HISTORICAL MONUMENTS] and
inscribed with monogram: WG
National Museum in Warsaw, Inv.no.Gr.
Pol. 5368
Donation of the Society for the Protection of Historical
Monuments (Towarzystwo Opieki nad Zabytkami Przeszłości), 1917
Adolf
Fryderyk Dietrich (1817-1860) The Figure of Knight Made of
Bronze, 1854
Wood engraving, paper 14,3 x 14,5
Duble
signed with the monogram: AD sc.
Stamped bottom right: DWJ and: Zbiór Wiktora Gomulickiego
[Wiktor Gomulicki’s
collection]
National Museum in Warsaw, Inv.no.82225
Gift of Dominik
Witke-Jeżewski, 1928
J.
Helfe The Vienna Station in Warsaw, the starting point of the Warsaw-Vienna Railway, (1845–1869)
Lithograph,
paper, 7,1 x 11,1
Signed
bottom right: lit J. Helfe
Stamp on the reverse: BIBLIOTEKA
TOW. OPIEKI | NAD ZABYTKAMI [LIBRARY
OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION | OF HISTORICAL MONUMENTS] and
the monogram: WG
National Museum in Warsaw,
Inv.no.Gr.Pol.4260
Donation of the Society for the Protection of Historical
Monuments (Towarzystwo Opieki nad Zabytkami Przeszłości), 1917
Julian
Cegliński (1827–1910) Warsaw Panorama seen from the Praga
district, before 1859
Colored lithograph, paper, 11 x
18,5
Signed: Lit J. Cegliński
Inscribed
top center: à Varsovie; bottom center: WARSAW
PANOPRAMA SEEN FROM THE PRAGA DISTRICT; Stamp on the reverse: BIBLIOTEKA TOW. OPIEKI |
NAD ZABYTKAMI
[LIBRARY OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION | OF HISTORICAL
MONUMENTS] and the monogram: WG
National Museum in
Warsaw, Inv.no.Gr.Pol.1928
Donation of the Society for the Protection of Historical
Monuments (Towarzystwo Opieki nad Zabytkami Przeszłości), 1917