Throughout the year, Paris vibrates to the rhythm ofcultural events that invite us to rediscover its heritage in a different way. On Saturday, May 18, 2024, it's the turn of Nuit des Musées to make its comeback. The concept? Cultural sites open their doors to us, often free of charge, for nocturnal visits, usually accompanied by a program of events, workshops, concerts, performances and other surprises. It's a great way for history, art and heritage lovers to explore the treasures of the Paris region.
It's also an opportunity to discover the capital's secrets through little-known, confidential museums nestled in the four corners of Paris. One of these is the Bibliothèque Polonaise, located in the heart of the City of Light on the Île Saint-Louis, in a 17th-century building. Founded in 1838 by Polish refugees, it is home to the Polish Historical and Literary Society, as well as three confidential museums, each dedicated to an artistic and historical figure from Poland.
These include the Adam Mickiewicz Museum, considered one of the greatest Romantic poets, the Salon Chopin, the only place in France dedicated to the famous composer, and the Boleslas Biegas Museum, sculptor, painter and playwright. Would you like to find out more about the Nuit des Musées 2024 program? Find out below!
The Adam Mickiewicz Museum presents the life and work of Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855), Poland's greatest Romantic poet. It was established by his son Władysław in 1903. Mickiewicz is to Poles what Goethe is to Germans: a symbol of national identity and cultural unity. A political émigré and pilgrim of freedom, he spent much of his life in Paris, where he forged illustrious friendships and lectured brilliantly at the Collège de France. For today's Europeans, Mickiewicz is one of the first visionaries of a united Europe.
The Salon Chopin is the only venue in France dedicated to Poland's greatest composer, Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849). Exiled to Paris in 1831, Chopin lived there until his death. He became the legendary pianist of the Salon Pleyel, the composer of the famous polonaises, mazurkas, ballades and waltzes, and also the most admired teacher in Paris, the European capital of Romanticism.
The Musée Boleslas Biegas, inaugurated by the SHLP with the support of Guido Biazzi and Claude Kechichian, presents a selection of collections from the legacy of Boleslas Biegas (1877 - 1954), an artist, sculptor, painter and playwright of Polish origin, linked to the Viennese Secession movement, who lived in Paris since 1901 surrounded by friends from the Symbolist milieu of the "La Plume" circle. The museum displays works by Biegas, whose sculptures were more highly regarded than those of Rodin, as well as those by other Polish artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Bibliothèque Polonaise de Paris
The year 2023 marks the 550th anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus, born in Torun on February 19, 1473, and the 480th anniversary of his death.
The Polish scientist discovered inconsistencies in Ptolemy's conception and concluded that the Sun, not the Earth, was at the center of the system. This theory put him at odds with the traditional doctrine of the Church, which placed Man, and therefore the Earth, at the center of the universe.
Rightly fearing the wrath of Rome and Wittemberg, the center of Lutheranism at the time, Copernicus waited until his death to publish the fruits of his labors in a treatise written in Latin, the international language of the Renaissance. He also wrote a beautiful dedication to Pope Paul III to assert his right to freedom of expression.
Chopin's music is an enduring European heritage that remains popular the world over. It transcends time and space. Today, we find that the Franco-Polish musician continues to fascinate younger generations of multidisciplinary artists, amateur musicians and ordinary people alike. Chopin's work has the power to seduce, being intimate, melancholy and strangely mysterious.
Chopin's Resonance Today is a series of events that soften our morals and connect our humanity.
Chopin's music is an enduring European heritage that remains popular the world over. It transcends time and space. Today, we find that the Franco-Polish musician continues to fascinate younger generations of multidisciplinary artists, amateur musicians and ordinary people alike. Chopin's work has the power to seduce with its intimate, slightly melancholy and strangely mysterious quality.
The "Resonnance de Chopin aujourd'hui" exhibition is made up of a series of events that soften our morals and connect our humanity.
Dates and Opening Time
On May 18th, 2024
Location
Polish Library of Paris
6 Quai d'Orléans
75004 Paris 4
Access
Pont Marie metro station (line 7)
Prices
Free
Official website
www.bibliotheque-polonaise-paris-shlp.fr
