Word and Image | Gabriela Zapolska

Although in the general consciousness the character of the author of Morality of Mrs. Dulska is mainly associated with literary and critical work, for Gabriela Zapolska her acting career was equally important, if not more important, — it was on stage, in the spotlight, among the applause of the audience that she was able to express her personality. Zapolska was famous for her eccentricity, love for exaggerated, extravagant outfits and behavior, the desire to unleash charm and “be noticeable.” Broadly understood theatricality is also reflected in her literary work; the acting environment is the protagonist of many of her dramas, short stories, novels (such as Seasonal Love). But the most important thing seems to be what sociologists and theorists of theater only a few decades later called the “theater of everyday life”: a deceitful bourgeois morality, based on pretense, hypocrisy and adherence to artificial conventions, forces man to constantly play, to expose the best version of himself to the public; it is a world in which you walk. a representative street of the resort in the best (albeit bought on credit) dress is a performance in front of an audience, it is associated with the expectation of social applause and approval.

The meetings of the series Word and Image will be an opportunity to examine some aspects of the work of 19th century writers and highlight the themes related to art. In the case of Maria Konopnicka, these will include poetic works referring to the series of drawings by Arthur Grottger, the poet Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer will prove to be an established art critic, Gabriela Zapolska will be presented as a theater actress with a love for fashion, while Stanisław Wyspiański will appear through the prism of his letters, which he perceives reality from the perspective of the determinants of a work of art: color and line. The meetings will be led by lecturers of the University of Wroclaw: Prof. Justyna Bajda, Dr. Justyna Kowal and Dr. Fryderyk Nguyen.

AHEAD OF US FROM THE CYCLE:

7 December 2026 | 17:30 | KAZIMIERZ PRZERWA-TETMAJER | dr Fryderyk Nguyen

14 December 2026 | 17:30 | STANISŁAW WYSPIAŃSKI | dr Fryderyk Nguyen