The Marszałek Józef Piłsudski Provincial Public Library in Łódź is inviting the visitors to the online exhibition “Ballads and Romances of Adam Mickiewicz. 200 years in culture”, dedicated to the bicentenary of the first edition of the volume of “Poezyje” by Adam Mickiewicz.

The exhibition was realised as part of the project ‘Ballads and romances painted in words and pictures’, co-financed by the government programme ‘Ballads and romances’ from funds of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Fund for the Promotion of Culture.

The year 2022 was proclaimed the Year of Polish Romanticism. The exhibition is dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the first edition of Adam Mickiewicz’s volume of “Poezyje” (Poems), which marks the beginning of Polish Romanticism. Its aim is to show the significance of the Romantics’ manifesto in a broad cultural context, and to recall the literary and ideological qualities of individual ballads and romances from the jubilee collection.

The exhibition included publications on the life and work of the great Polish poet, as well as those discussing the function of ballads and romances in Polish and foreign culture over a period of 200 years. It presented books on literary criticism, translation studies, discussions of individual works in literature, art, film and theatre, as well as works inspired by them. The exhibition was complemented by rich iconographic material, as well as illustrations by the most eminent painters and graphic artists.

The display was accompanied by works by students of the State Secondary School of Fine Arts in Łódź created as part of the “Artistic Competition for the Illustration of any Ballad by Adam Mickiewicz”.

The exhibition was presented at the Lodz Library from 24 October to 16 November 2022, and can now be seen online at:

http://www2.wbp.lodz.pl/pliki/wystawy/2022-ballady/wystawa.php

Adrian Andrzejewski