Topic 3 Case study: paintings by Bernardo Belotto in the reconstruction of the Warsaw Old Town destroyed during World War II
During World War II, the capital of Poland, Warsaw, was completely destroyed.
Fortunately, some works of art and documentation were evacuated and saved before the destruction of the city.
After the end of WWII, when it seemed that the capital of Poland would never be rebuilt, in the 1950s, Polish architects and art restorers studied the works of Canaletto (Bernardo Bellotto) and other artists to better understand the original architecture and urban layout of the Old Town before the destruction of war.
Thanks to this, the reconstruction of the Old Town was based on a lot of detailed information about its original appearance, thanks to which many historic buildings, streets and squares were recreated.
Italian artist Bernardo Belotto (1721-1780) called Canaletto as his uncle, and like him, fascinated by veduta painting. He was active in Venice, the city of his birth.
Like many artists of the time, he also offered his services in other cities, including Vienna, Dresden and Munich, creating views of these cities. In 1763, Bellotto’s work became less important in Dresden, so he decided to seek employment in Saint Petersburg at the court of Catherine II of Russia. But got invitation from Poland’s newly elected King Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski to become his court painter in Warsaw. He stayed there for 16 years, from 1768 to his death in 1780.
While working in Warsaw, he made 30 Vedutas of Warsaw and the Wilanów Palace. These were very accurate images of individual places and buildings of the city.
His paintings, but also photographs and drawings by other artists allowed for an amazing reconstruction of the old city of Warsaw.
However, the reconstruction of Warsaw after World War II concerned not only the Old Town, but also other districts and was a unique, and sometimes controversial process.
Bernardo Bellotto, known as Canaletto, View of Bernardines church and Column of Sigismung III from road leading to Vistula, between 1768 and 1770, Royal Castle in Warsaw
Bernardo Bellotto, known as Canaletto, Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw, 1778, Royal Castle in Warsaw
Bernardo Bellotto, known as Canaletto, View of Cracow Suburb leading to the Castle Square, 1774, Royal Castle in Warsaw
- Find in the portal http://www.pictures-bank.eu/index.php architecture from Warszawa
- Find in the portal https://www.europeana.eu/ pictures of Notre Dame Cathedral
- Solve a crossword puzzle about a destroyed heritage https://crosswordlabs.com/view/2023-02-22-566