Visit to the Print Room of the Warsaw University Library with Jolanta Talbierska, General Director and Keeper of the Print Room

The Print Room of the Warsaw University Library, which was founded in 1818, is the oldest public collection of prints and drawings in Poland. Despite extensive losses suffered during World War II, it has retained an outstanding position in the history of Polish collecting and collections by virtue of the artistic and historic value of its holdings.

Those taking part in this excursion will have an opportunity to see a number of highlights from the Print Room’s prints and drawings. The curators will choose from some of the most representative parts of the collection:

• The nucleus of the Print Room, namely the print collection built up by Stanisław August, the last king of Poland. These works are preserved in characteristic cardboard/wooden boxes covered with leather, known as royal portfolios;
• The collection of Netherlandish drawings from the 16th century and Flemish and Dutch ones from the 17th and 18th centuries (including works by Pieter Coecke van Aelst, Paul Bril, Roelant Savery, Peter Paul Rubens, and Rembrandt van Rijn);
• The “Brussels Album” from the Circle of Frans Floris, depicting numerous ceremonies held to mark the wedding of the Duke of Parma Alessandro Farnese and Princess Maria of Portugal in Brussels in 1565;
• The architectural drawings from the archives of Tilman van Gameren;
• The Print Room’s 200-odd prints by Félicien Rops from the collection of Henryk Grohman.

Pieter Coecke van Aelst , The Circumcision; design for a stained-glass window, 1530-1533
Warsaw University Library, Warsaw

Participants will also have an opportunity to share their knowledge in a short attribution session focusing on the Dutch and Flemish drawings, or to join a tour of the Library, which boasts one of the largest and most beautiful roof gardens in Europe.

For background information about the Warsaw University Library please visit our Locations page.