Polish Constitution Day Celebration

On Sunday, May 1st, 5:00 – 6:30 pm, in celebration of the 225th anniversary of the passage of the Polish Constitution, the Falcone Library is offering tours of the de Ropp Polish Art Collection, followed by a talk.

The seven paintings on Polish history by The Brotherhood of St. Luke, displayed in the campus library since 1958, were commissioned for the Polish Pavilion of the New York World’s Fair of 1939-40. Together with four tapestries celebrating the life of Polish King Jan Sobieski, these mural-size paintings remained in the U.S. and were given to the College by then adjunct professor of Russian history, Stefan de Ropp.

The subject of one of the paintings is the Polish Constitution, passed on May 3, 1791.

The 3rd of May Constitution, 1791 / Konstytucja 3 Maja (1791)
The 3rd of May Constitution, 1791 / Konstytucja 3 Maja (1791)

These works are remarkable examples of inter-World War Polish painting and fiber arts. Made to teach the world of Polish political and religious history they were brought to the World’s Fair to be the centerpiece of Poland’s Pavilion in Flushing Meadow Queens in that fateful summer before Germany invaded Warsaw.

As the College embarks on a plan to promote the collection and Polish culture and history, join us to see them up close with librarian Inga Barnello who has researched their history for over 20 years.

Tours of the collection will be offered from 5:00 – 5:30 pm and again from 6:00 – 6:30.

A brief talk on the collection will take place at 5:30 pm in the Library’s Bernat Special Events Room, followed by refreshments.

Read more about the collection, de Ropp, and the NY World’s Fair here: http://resources.library.lemoyne.edu/arts/de-ropp-polish-art-collection.

For more information, contact Inga Barnello, barnello@lemoyne.edu or 315-445-4326.