Textiles in the decor of the apartments in the Saxon Palace in Warsaw during the Reign of August II and August III. Cover Image

Tekstylia w wystroju apartamentów Pałacu Saskiego w Warszawie za Augusta II i Augusta III.
Textiles in the decor of the apartments in the Saxon Palace in Warsaw during the Reign of August II and August III.

Author(s): Margitta Hensel
Subject(s): Fine Arts / Performing Arts, History of Art
Published by: Arx Regia® Wydawnictwo Zamku Królewskiego w Warszawie – Muzeum
Keywords: August II; August III; Saxon Palace; silk; cuir de Cordou; textile wall hangings

Summary/Abstract: In 1697 Friedrich August I, elector of Saxony, became king of Poland as August II. After his election he had to spend several months of each year in Warsaw. He could use the castle as his official seat. However, it remained the property of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the king could only reside there under a commodatum. In 1713 August II purchased the former Morsztyn (Bieliński) Palace and began to rebuild it as the Saxon Palace. August II’s son, King August III—ruled 1734–1763—extended the palace in the 1730s and 1740s at which time the opportunity was taken to replace the textiles in the rooms. Based on numerous surviving cross-sectional drawings, and both palace inventories dating from 1739 and 1763, we can show how the design of the interiors changed.

  • Issue Year: 4/2017
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 181-194
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Polish