MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF ŁÓDŹ - THE PALACE OF IZRAEL K. POZNAŃSKI

 

Museum of the City of Łódź was established on 31 October 1975, and is situtated in the former residential building owned by Izrael K. Poznański as well as on the premises of the Board of the Shareholders Society of Cotton Ware. The museum is located at 15 Ogrodowa Street.

Izrael Kalmanowicz Poznański (1833-1900) was the youngest of the children of Kalman and Małka Lubińska. Kalman was a Jewish market stall owner, band and dye-works manufacturer as well as a merchant. The family came from the region of Kujawy in the south of Poland and settled in Łódź in 1834. The future founder of economic empire of noble descent after graduating from high school, and finishing vocational internship, got married to Leonia Hertz, originally from Warsaw, and took over the company in 1852. The Poznański family had seven children: Ignacy (Izaak), Herman (Chaim Pinkus), Karol (Kałma), Maurycy, Anna (Ajdla), Joanna Natalia and Felicja (Fajga) who died as a newborn. Izrael Poznański being an active merchant undertook another activity which was manufacturing cotton fabric. In 1872 he started a modern cotton weaving-mill. In the following years he purchased more land located between Ogrodowa and Drewnowska Streets, and created a great in size and power enterprise producing inexpensive cotton ware. The enterprise was one of the biggest in the former Polish Kingdom as well as the Russian Empire. As a result of an intensive development of the enterprise, a multidepartmental company was set up. The newly formed enterprise was responsible for a full production cycle starting from obtaining the resources from their own cotton plantation in Middle Asia to sale of ready made products in the chain of warehouses and shops opened in various towns of the Polish Kingdom and in Russia. During half century the fortune obtained by Poznański in 1852 amounting to 2,150 roubles, increased to 11 million roubles in 1900.

In 1877 Izrael Poznański purchased a residential building situated in a near location of the factory, expanded and transformed the permises, within 20 years, into and well and modern equipped family residential palace. The permises consisted of a palace with a garden, factory buildings, its own railway tracks, houses for factory workers and for the technical staff. The whole infrastrucutre also included other public buildings such as school, hospital, fire station and shops. In the end of 19th century all the buildings together created a vast industrial and residential complex, which exsisted as a separate industrial district in the city. Short before his death, in 1889, Izrael Poznański transformed the enterprise into a family-run partnership, setting up the Shareholders Society of Cotton Ware in the name of Izrael K.Poznański.

The palace of the cotton magnate of Łódź is among the most representative buildings in the area and the only one such impressive in size and its decorative front as well as the interior design. The main  corpus obtained Neo-Baroque decor accompanied by abounding adornment with allegoric sculptures and architectural details, glorifying the industry, trade, technical science and work. Predominant feature of the building constitutes two diametrically different in shape domes covering  most marvellous both in size and look, dining-room and ball-room. The present architectural form of the fronts as well as various in style interior design were obtained by means of the buildings development in 1902 and 1903.

The walking garden was also renewed and modernised in those years making use of English style. The cast-iron conservatory was covered with glass and domes, situated on the first floor of side wing (it was closed down in 1934). Previously, before the development of the tenement house, the  complex functioned as a residential building for the enterprise owner's family. As times passed by the building obtained representational, trade and office functions. It also served as a warehouse for ready to sell products and the factory shop was located there. The Board and shareholders' offices as well as the wares market were also found on the premises. In the side wing rooms for guests and business partners were situated. In the period between the two World Wars and after the Second World War, the Voivodship Office and the Governor's Office were located in the palace. In the 1950's the northern wing was modernised. It now went through the walking garden, deforming its original shape based on residential guidelines.

The city renovation plans, which included the palace, initiated long-term intervention for restoring premises' previous magnificent condition. Few years ago the revitalisation of the adjoining industrial premises has started converting it into great in size centre combining culture, entertainment and trade named 'Manufaktura'. 

Museum of the City of Łódź is an inerdisciplinary institution collecting historical sites reflecting various spheres of the social life, history, culture and art of the city as well as professional library with most valuable collection connected with Łódź. The institution conducts typical museum acitivities organising exhibitions, speeches, meetings with authors, concerts and educational sessions. Among the regular exhibitions connected with the city of Łódź history we can also find 'The Pantheon of Great People of Łódź'. Great importance ought to be put to the Music Gallery of Artur Rubinstein. Unique heritage of the magnificent world famous pianist is presented there.

The interior of the palace was renovated in accordance with its previous purpose. The furnishings as well as the decor have been partly maintained. They play a crucial exhibitional and usable role (the ball-room for example). After renovation and modernistaion, former market rooms were adapted as gallery of modern art. The basement rooms, the retro-Café and walking garden with a historical fountain were also made accessible for the visitors. The museum is an open institution, alive and constantly searching modern exhibition forms in cooperation with local art circles.

http://www.muzeum-lodz.pl/