Art and Architecture in the Eastern Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1697-1863)

Book excerpt: This book explores the history of art and architecture in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the 18th century to the uprising against the Russian occupation of 1863-64. It serves to introduce the English-language reader to research produced by East European scholars. The geographical area under discussion consists of the modern nation states of Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine, which from 1772 were incorporated into the empires of Russia, Austria, and Prussia. One of the major questions raised is, what became of the old Commonwealth's artistic and cultural traditions under the rule of these alien powers? The book strives to do justice to the history of all the national groups involved, even though the region was heavily Polonised from the 16th century onwards. The art, architecture, and culture introduced from western Europe are analysed in their effects not only on Polish culture, but also on that of the Orthodox and Uniate Ruthenians (Ukrainians), on the Jewish settlement and on those of the Karaime and Islamic Tatars. An additional concern is the history, art and architecture of the Baltic Germans in the Latvian region. The book suggests a critical approach involving alternative models to those of nationalistic schools of art. It is geography that dictates the writing of history, rather than national identity.