| Abstrakt: |
Although much has been written in specialist literature about national styles, the “styl swojski” (“familiar style”) has not hitherto been sufficiently studied or defined as a semantic category in research concerning Polish art at the turn of 19th and 20th centuries. Although the categories that describe style in artistic research currently play a less significant role than they have previously done, there is nevertheless a need to define the meanings of the words that we use, as no effective research concerning Polish architecture or art created between 1880 and 1925 can be undertaken unless we use such terms as swojski, swojskość, styl swojski (“familiar”, familiarity”, “familiar style”). We have tended to perceive the semantic field of the word swojski (“familiar”) as a non-specific value. There seems to be a certain discretion in the meaning that is attributed to it. Diverse meanings may be conveyed by the use to the term, and therefore it has not been a clear-cut or express term that might be useful in interpretative analyses. For the term to become useful it needs to be precisely specified and distinguished from the term rodzimy (“native”), as a lack of differentiation between the terms makes them interfere with each other in our perception. Moreover, the lack of precise definitions of the following terms: swojski, swojskość, styl swojski or rodzimość (“familiar”, “familiarity”, “familiar style” or “nativeness”) makes us resort to replacing them with foreign terminology such as vernacular, domestic or (less frequently) Heimatkunst or Stilkunst, as supposedly more scientific-sounding, on account of the effect of foreign wording. Apart from styl narodowy (“national style”), such terms as styl swojski, styl krajowy, styl dworkowy (“familiar style”, “country-specific style”, “countryside style”) have played a significant role too. In view of the latter terms, styl narodowy (“national style”) appears to be a major term which denotes the never-completed idea of creating a kind of architecture that would be homogenous in its formal expression within a territory settled by a certain nation, in this case – by the Polish nation. On the other hand, styl swojski, styl krajowy, styl dworkowy (“familiar style”, “country-specific style”, “countryside style”) are terms whose meaning is narrower, secondary in nature. They denote stylistic variations of various forms of a national style. The meaning of swojski (“familiar”) is narrower than that of rodzimy (“native”) which is more general, superior and broader. In etymological terms, rodzimy (“native”) implies something which is connected with ród (a “family line” or a “house”) or naród (“nation”), and which emphasises the indigenous or ethnic element, whereas swojski (“familiar”) implies an emotional and direct relationship with the receiver. There is also a difference between styl rodzimy (“native style”) and styl swojski (“familiar style”) which tend to be used interchangeably in source literature. Styl rodzimy (“native style”) implies a superiority with regard to styl swojski (“familiar style”), and suggests negative references to any foreign architecture. Moreover, to discuss purity of rodzima (“national”) literature or architecture would be futile and could be perceived as supporting a myth of uncontaminated ancient Polish features of our folk culture. Therefore, motyw swojski (“familiar motif”) is a motif that is our own, though not necessarily by origin. It can originate from some external sources (from various national familiarities) as well as from foreign sources, once it is familiarised and domesticated to such an extent that one feels so emotionally connected to it that one regards it as one’s own. Swojskość (“familiarity”) needs acceptance, even if it is not conscious. Swojskość (“familiarity”) is an open system. It accepts top-down influence from “high” art, as well as bottom-up influence – from folk, wooden construction style (including barbarisms from various familiarities) – and does not demand the exclusivity of indigenous, national elements (provided that any such elements exist). It also accepts external items, as sometimes what has been foreign so far, would become one’s own, since no foreign influence can be avoided once and for all. Familiarity would involve the ability to naturally adapt external features. The article comments on the meaning of the following terms: swojski, swojskość, rodzimy, rodzimość. It describes the role of nurt swojski (“familiar trend”) in Polish architecture and art, and lists the characteristic features of the trend, while emphasising that we should be speaking of nurt swojski (“familiar trend”) rather than of styl swojski (“familiar style”). Nurt swojski (“familiar trend”) incorporates two varieties: the familiar-regional, and the familiar-national variety. I am of the opinion that the terms help describe structures (churches) more precisely without corrupting the language and applying old terms to new forms and solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
