The Skarżyński palace in Studzieniec near Płock construction transformations and value

The article is an attempt at bringing the reader closer to the construction transformations of the palace in Studzieniec and assessing its value as a historical monument. A detailed historical-art analysis preceded by, i.a. initial architectural research, has proved that the palace, at first glance similar to numerous Classical residences, possesses in many respects an individual architectural form. The characterstic features of the main solid of the palace, which originate from the first phase of its construction, include a well-conceived and cohesive composition. The palace in Studzieniec has not been the topic of a separate study and remains mentioned only in brief notes. Moreover, some of the existing writings regard its courtyard galleries to be eighteenth-century. A formal analysis of the palace and initial architectural research has shown that the palace was erected in the eighteenth century as a freestanding building. Despite the absence of archive sources that would unambiguously attribute the authorship of the design to the Warsaw-based architect Hilary Szpilowski, a comparative analysis involving other project made it possible to once again confirm his authorship. The titular palace was built in about 1790 and commissioned by Piotr Skarżyński, who at that time, after having held the office of the deputy starosta of Gostynin, became the royal chamberlain. During the first phase, the residence was granted the form of a single-storey, well devised and completed freestanding building, maintained in the spirit of Classicism. Since the elevations were granted architectural details typical for the eighteenth century, the façade featured not only a portico but also pseudo-projections typical for Szpilowski’s designs, and on the back elevation – equally characteristic dominating deep projections. An analysis of the composition, however, made it possible to notice multiple traits distinguishing this realisation from Polish Classical palaces, including residences ascribed to Szpilowski. The emphasis placed on the front corners by means of the pseudo-projections of the façade and the side elevations, the form of the portico and the back projections as well as the lavish architectural detail and the manner of its application became the reason why the palace in Studzieniec originally displayed sui generis lightness and balance. In accordance with the designs envisaged by Szpilowski, the residence was also given an individual distribution of interiors, with typically lavish ground plans, based on new trends in architecture but also – as it has been attempted to prove - on the expectations and habits of the clients. For the first time in the case of Studzieniec, the article also discusses the non-extant outfitting of the interiors, including the polychromes and the stucco. Pre-war photographs of the interiors and post-war conservation documentation made it possible to recreate the form of the palace as well as to formulate well-motivated assumptions concerning its authorship and the identity of the executors. In about 1790 the construction of the palace was accompanied by the completion of an entrance gate, whose architectural form has no equal in Polish Classical residential architecture, also in the distant eastern territories of the Commonwealth. The palace in Studzieniec underwent modernisation. Due to nineteenth-century redesigning the main corps of the residence was partially altered (i.a. an added back elevation, the addition of side wings, the introduction of a garden terrace and column galleries with outbuildings). Particular attention is due to the column galleries, which, although dating from the period of Polish neo- Classicism, were granted rich forms and individual ground plans. The exceptional value of the palace calls for particular concern for the preservation of its characterstic features and an in-depth conservation analysis of the colour of the elevations, which once again may cast some new light on this forgotten monument