Gift of the Lanckoroński Miniatures to the Ossolineum
(left to right) Catherine Raczyńska, member of the Lanckoroński Foundation’s council, and Piotr Piniński president of the Lanckoroński Foundation listeing to the speech of dr. Adolf Juzwenko, director of the Ossolineum.
Catherine Raczyńska and Piotr Piniński signing the act of donation.
Catherine Raczyńska and Piotr Piniński together with dr. Adolf Juzwenko after signing the act of donation.
The exhibition of part of the collection of miniatures.
In the Ossolineum in Wrocław on July 8th 2016 Piotr Piniński and Katarzyna Raczyńska signed a notarial deed whereby the Lanckoronski Foundation gave that institution 43 miniatures inherited as heirs to the Counts Lanckoroński.
The donated collection shows likenesses of the Lanckoroński family’s ancestors as well as those of various historical figures. The oldest is a 17th century portrait of King Sigismund III, painted in oil on parchment, whilst the most recent, dating from the late 19th century, is by Johann Zehnagraf and is painted over a photograph. It portrays Countess Margarethe Lanckorońska née Princess von Lichnowsky, the mother of Professor Karolina Lanckorońska.
The miniatures were left by the family as a deposit at the Ossolineum in Lwów at the end of 1939. After the war they were transported to Kraków from where they passed to the Ossolineum in Wrocław in the 1950s and constitute an important collection because of their high artistic and historical quality.
They will be regularly displayed at the Ossolineum’s Pan Tadeusz Museum on Wrocław’s Old Market Square and be on permanent display after the Ossolineum completes the building of the Museum of the Princes Lubomirski.
Those interested may read more about this gift on the Ossolineum’s website.