Andrzej Ciechanowiecki facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Andrzej Ciechanowiecki
Portrait by Andrzej Okinczyc, 2009

Born	28 September 1924 Warsaw
Died	2 November 2015(2015-11-02) (aged 91)
Alma mater	Jagiellonian University University of Tübingen
Occupation	Art historian, art dealer (1961–)

Andrew Stanislaus (Andrzej Stanisław) Ciechanowiecki (born September 28, 1924 – died November 2, 2015) was a Polish-British expert in art history. He was also a generous giver to charity, an art collector, and a dealer in old and valuable items. He was known for his deep knowledge of French Baroque sculpture.

Andrzej Ciechanowiecki started the Ciechanowiecki Foundation at the Royal Castle in Warsaw in 1986. He was an Honorary Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He also belonged to many important groups in both Britain and Poland. He was a key member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George. He received many awards, including Poland's highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle in 1998.

Biography
Activities in the West
- Becoming an Art Dealer
- Art Curator and Collector
Knight of Malta
Supporting Jewish Culture in Poland
Helping Belarus
Later Life and Legacy
Distinctions
Honorary Awards
Images for kids
See also

Biography

Early Life and World War II Experiences

Andrzej Ciechanowiecki was born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1924. He was the only child of Jerzy Stanisław Ciechanowiecki, a Polish diplomat, and Matilda, a countess. His family had a long history in Poland and Belarus. When he was young, his father passed away, and his family returned to Warsaw. There, he went to the Mikołaj Rey Primary School and later the Stefan Batory Gimnazjum & Liceum. His mother and grandmother taught him to speak many languages and encouraged his studies.

When World War II began with the German invasion in September 1939, his family had to flee. They went to stay at an estate in Mołodów. However, Soviet troops soon arrived, and the family had to escape again. Andrzej helped out during this difficult time. He later said he even received a medal for his volunteer work during the September campaign. After many challenges, they returned to Warsaw in May 1940.

Back in Warsaw, he continued his education through "secret classes" because schools were closed due to the war. He studied economics and art history. He also took part in training with the Home Army, which was the Polish resistance movement. During the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, he worked for a politician who communicated with the German army. After the uprising ended, he left Warsaw with the Red Cross.

Life in Communist Poland

After the war, in June 1945, Andrzej decided to stay in Poland. He joined the new government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs because he knew many languages. He worked as a Chief of Protocol, helping with talks between Poland and other countries. He even went to a conference in London as an interpreter. However, his past connections led to his diplomatic role being cancelled.

He then went to Kraków to finish his studies. He earned a degree in economics in 1947 and a Master of Arts in art history in 1950 from the Jagiellonian University. He also started a debating club called the Club of the Logophagoi, which became a place for smart young people to discuss ideas.

Facing Challenges

Soon after finishing his studies, in October 1950, he was arrested. After being questioned for a long time, he was sentenced to ten years in prison in 1952. He spent five years and four months in difficult conditions in various prisons. While in prison, he helped other prisoners and even helped many political prisoners get released early by forging documents. He was released in March 1956 and later cleared of all charges.

Academic Pursuits and Moving West

After his release, he returned to Kraków to continue his art history research. He worked as a consultant at the Wawel Castle Museum and a curator at the Castle Museum in Łańcut. His studies focused on furniture history and later on old silver from Kraków.

In 1958, he received scholarships from the Ford Foundation and the British Council to travel abroad. He left Poland in July 1958, not knowing he would not return for 19 years. He visited museums and gave talks on Polish culture in the United States. In 1959, he went to the University of Tübingen in Germany to work on another doctoral degree. He also taught Polish culture and language there. In July 1960, he earned his doctorate in philosophy. His work on Michał Kazimierz Ogiński was published and became a well-known book.

Activities in the West

Becoming an Art Dealer

In 1961, Andrzej Ciechanowiecki decided to live in London. He became a director at a new art firm called Mallett at Bourdon House. He later became a British citizen in 1967.

He organized four important art exhibitions, focusing on French sculpture from the 19th century. These shows were very popular. In 1965, he helped open the London branch of the French Heim Gallery and eventually became its sole owner. In 1991, he sold the Heim Gallery and opened a smaller, specialized business called The Old Masters Gallery. He retired from business in 1995 after a serious stroke.

The catalogues from the Heim Gallery became famous around the world. They are still used today as important sources of information. He was one of the first art dealers in London to show paintings and sculptures together. He especially loved Baroque and Neoclassical art, as well as 19th-century art. His gallery helped send many important sculptures to museums in America and Europe. He also helped organize big international exhibitions. He always made sure British museums got the best deals on art, as a way of thanking Britain for welcoming him.

Art Curator and Collector

Once he was successful, he started collecting Polish art and art related to Poland. He hoped these pieces would eventually return to his homeland. He helped organize three major exhibitions, including Treasures of a Polish King in London in 1992. He also traveled to the United States often, giving talks on Polish culture. He helped create a Polish art section at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

In 1986, his art collection had grown very large. He decided to create the Ciechanowiecki Foundation at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. This foundation is the biggest donation the Royal Castle in Warsaw has ever received, with about 3,000 items including paintings, drawings, furniture, and jewelry. The foundation shares its art with other Polish museums, but its main goal is to furnish and decorate the rebuilt Royal Castle. He also gave the foundation his large library and archives.

Knight of Malta

Andrzej Ciechanowiecki was one of the first people from Eastern Europe to join the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1957. This is a very old and respected organization that does a lot of charity work. He later became a leader in the Polish branch of the Order. He helped create a care home for elderly Poles in London, which later moved to Warsaw and became very important. He rose to a high rank within the Order.

He was also active in other historic orders, like the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George. He helped set up branches of this order in Poland, Great Britain, and Ireland. He was very close to the former Russian Imperial family and received their highest honors.

In 1975, the last King of Italy, Umberto II, confirmed Andrzej Ciechanowiecki's right to use a comital title. Two years later, the Order of Malta also recognized this title.

He did a lot to support Polish charities, especially during Martial law in Poland in the early 1980s. He funded many scholarships and helped pay for the building of the Church of St Maximilian Kolbe in Kraków. This church was one of the first built in a communist city and is known for its beautiful sculptures.

Supporting Jewish Culture in Poland

Andrzej Ciechanowiecki helped start the Page of History Foundation. This foundation remembers the long history of Jewish people in Poland. He gave money and advice for monuments like "The Ten Commandments" in Łódź and "David the Psalmist" in Zamość. He also placed art from his own collection in several Polish Embassies around the world.

Helping Belarus

Andrzej Ciechanowiecki always remembered his Polish ancestors who lived in the area that is now Belarus. He worked with Belarusians living in London and visited Belarus many times. He helped preserve historical buildings there, especially the princely Radzivil residence in Niasvizh.

In 1993, he became the chairman of a special Polish-Belarusian group that worked to protect national heritage. He also helped start the Belarusian Nobility Association and the International Association of Belarusian Studies. He received honorary degrees from the Belarusian State University and was active in improving relations between Belarus and Britain. He also donated important religious items to churches in Belarus.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1995, Andrzej Ciechanowiecki had a severe stroke, which meant he had to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life. However, he remained very active. He continued his work with Poland, traveling several times a year for meetings and to publish books.

Andrzej Ciechanowiecki never married and was the last person in his direct family line. He passed away in London on November 2, 2015, at the age of 91. After a funeral service, his remains were buried in the crypt of the Knights of Malta in the church of Mistrzejowice, Kraków, a church he helped build.

Distinctions

Polish

Order of the White Eagle (1998)
Order of Polonia Restituta
- Grand Cross (1993)
- Commander's Cross with Star (1986)
Gold Medal for Merit to Culture (Gloria Artis) (2006)
Cross of Merit with Swords (1944)
Cross of the September Campaign (1984)
Cross of the Polish Home Army (1995)
Cross of the Warsaw Uprising (1995)
Army Medal for War 1939-45, 3 times
Veteran's Cross (SPK, London)
Gold Medal of Merit of the Polish National Treasury (London)
Merentibus Medal (Jagiellonian University, Cracow) (1986)
Gold Cross of Merit of the Polish Catholic Church

Other

Grand Cross of the Order of St. Gregory the Great (Vatican)
Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour & Devotion, Sovereign Military Order of Malta
Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Commander of the Order of the Polar Star (Sweden)
Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria
Commander of the Order of Merit of Senegal
Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)
Order of Friendship of Peoples (Belarus)
Order of Francisc Skorina (Belarus)

Dynastic orders

Knight of the Order of St Januarius (Two Sicilies)
Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George with Collar (Two Sicilies)
Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I (Two Sicilies)
Gold Medal of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (Two Sicilies)
Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Savoy)
Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the House of Savoy (Savoy)
Gold Medal of Merit of the House of Savoy (Savoy)
Knight of Justice of the Order of Saint Stephen (Tuscany)
Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Joseph (Tuscany)
Grand Cross of the Order of St Andrew (Imperial Russia)
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (Imperial Russia)
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Anna (Imperial Russia)

Honorary Awards

He received special honorary doctorates from these universities:

University of Warsaw, Poland (1991)
University of New Mexico, USA (1992)
Belarusian State University, Belarus (1993)
Jagiellonian University, Poland (2009)

He was also given the Freedom of the town of Ciechanowiec (Poland) and Zaslawye (Belarus). He was an Honorary Member of the Polish Heraldic Society and the Institute of History of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences. He was also an Honorary Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.

Images for kids

Skirmunt Palace in Mołodów, watercolor by Napoleon Orda 1864
Church of St. Maksymilian Kolbe, Kraków
Ruins of the Royal Castle Warsaw, 1945
Restored royal apartment, Royal Castle Warsaw