statue of Józef Piłsudski

Material/technique: bronze, cast

Dimensions: height 400 cm, width 280 cm, depth 150 cm

Object:

The monument created by Tomasz Radziewicz represents Marshal Józef Piłsudski. The monumental three-dimensional figure of a supernatural size has been shown in a dynamic pose. It shows a mature, walking man, with a bent silhouette and his arms folded backwards, with him holding a marshal’s mace in his hands, dressed in a uniform and a long unbuttoned coat. A sabre hilt protrudes from under a trench coat carved with great detail. The outline of the said sabre can be seen under the fabric. The “Maciejówka” cap, pinned to the coat’s epaulette, features an image of a white eagle without a crown (the so-called shooter’s eagle).

The serious and thoughtful face of the leader of the Second Republic of Poland has expressive features and was modelled in a simplified manner, in a slightly geometric form, while simultaneously perfectly reflecting the physiognomy of the portrayed person, e.g. with a unique moustache and bushy eyebrows.

The melancholic portrayal of Piłsudski aroused controversy from its very inception. The monument drew criticism of veterans, who wished to have the commander-in-chief captured in a dignified pose, dressed in a military uniform and head covering.

The massive figure was cast whole in bronze, together with the base, and placed on a granite plinth in a shade of red. The front of the pedestal features the following carved inscription: MARSHAL OF POLAND / JÓZEF PIŁSUDSKI / 1867–1935. The artist’s signature is placed on the heel of the figure’s right shoe: “T. Radziewicz”.

Location:
The monument is located in Józef Piłsudski square, at the junction of the main city street, al. Grunwaldzka, with al. Wojska Polskiego, in the Gdańsk district of Strzyża. The square’s surface has been covered with granite cubes in two shades of grey, which form a linear representation of a crowned eagle.

Information about the author:

Tomasz Radziewicz (born 1974 in Bartoszyce), studied art at the Faculty of Sculpture of the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, obtaining his diploma at the studio of Prof. Stanisław Radwański in 2003. He is the author of many monuments and outdoor sculptures, including  the monument of John Paul II in Przemyśl (2007), the Remus monument in Kościerzyna, the Kazimierz Deyna monument in Warsaw (2012), and the Neptune fountain in the Tenement Building Quarter courtyard in Gdańsk (2012).

Condition of the object: very good

Owner/guardian: Gdańsk Road and Greenery Authority

Author of the entry: Andrzej Zagrobelny