This page details the Monument to Cyprian Kamil Norwid, the first monument dedicated to the renowned Polish poet, playwright, thinker, and painter in Warsaw. It provides information about its unveiling in 2006, its artistic qualities as a replica of Julia Keilowa's sculpture, and its significance.
This entry focuses on the Monument to Cyprian Kamil Norwid, which stands as the first of its kind in Warsaw dedicated to the celebrated Polish poet, playwright, thinker, and painter (1821-1883). Unveiled in 2006 to commemorate the 185th anniversary of Norwid's birth, the monument is a stone replica of a sculpture by Julia Keilowa, a prominent interwar Polish artist. Keilowa's work depicts Norwid in a half-figure, clad in a coat with his right hand on his chest, his head slightly bowed in a posture of deep, perhaps pessimistic, contemplation and melancholy. The sculpture is noted for its strong likeness to the poet, particularly in the rendering of his face, while simultaneously employing the geometric simplifications characteristic of 1920s and 1930s art. A quote from Norwid's poem "Promethidion," inscribed on the pedestal, points to the enduring popularity of his work, especially during the Young Poland and interwar periods, underscoring his lasting cultural impact.