A Nobleman Becomes a Burgher. The New Home of the Last President of Vilnius, Antoni Tyzenhauz, in Vilnius
Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37522/aaav.113.2024.237Keywords:
city house, nobles, burghers, modernization, 18th century, Tyzenhauz family,, VilniusAbstract
In the last quarter of the 18th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth experienced a period of intense growth and transformation. Signs of modernization were evident in the extensive construction activity in Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This architectural research presents a case study of the house belonging to a noble of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Antoni Tyzenhauz (1756–1816), the last president of Vilnius, located on the 23rd (712) land property. By utilizing historical sources, iconography, periodicals, and reports from architectural masonry researchers and archaeologists, this study connects the renovation works conducted on the 23rd (712) property in the late 18th and early 19th centuries with its owner. It also discusses the building’s architecture and the layout of its premises.
Since the renovation works conducted by Tyzenhauz in the late 18th and early 19th centuries were not particularly daring and retained the original masonry, the construction activities of the previous owners are first reviewed. When discussing Tyzenhauz’s renovations, the issue of the modest masonry facade is raised. There could have been several reasons for this simplicity. One reason could be related to Romanticism, while a more mundane explanation might be the client’s financial limitations. Although Tyzenhauz’s primary vocation as a nobleman was warfare, a brief period of his life involved participation in the Vilnius City Municipality. This short episode likely did not significantly impact his lifestyle. However, his continuous involvement in the resistance against the Russian Empire and the loss of his homeland may have affected his social and financial situation. Despite this, the decorum befitting a nobleman is still evident in the interior, eloquently revealing the status of the owner of this house, Generosus Dominus (Great Lord of Noble Birth). Based on an 1806 description of the property, the renovation project, and comparable examples, the article hypothesizes a layout for the representative apartment suitable for a high-status individual, including auxiliary premises.
The 23rd (712) property that belonged to the city’s last president, Antoni Tyzenhauz, in Vilnius, and its renovation during troubled times, serves as a small yet significant reflection of the important changes occurring in the country. During this period, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was experiencing intense growth and transformation, seeking renewal in all areas of the state. Following the loss of statehood, there was constant resistance against annexation by the Russian Empire. Thus, the house at 3 Subačiaus St., modest at first glance, stands as an expressive example of a complex and changeable period.