Teodor Marian Talowski (born 23 March 1857 in Zasów; died 1 May 1910 in Lviv) was a Polish architect and painter. Because of his style, which combined late Historicism with Art Nouveau and Modernist influences, he has been described as "the Polish Gaudi".[1] His works include apartment buildings, churches, chapels and public buildings in Kraków, Lviv and other cities throughout former Austrian Galicia.

Teodor Talowski
Born(1857-03-23)23 March 1857
Died1 May 1910(1910-05-01) (aged 53)
NationalityPolish
OccupationArchitect
PracticeLviv Polytechnic
BuildingsChurch of St. Elizabeth, Lviv

Biography

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Talowski was born in Zassów (now Zasów) near Tarnów, in Austrian Galicia, and attended a gymnasium in Kraków. Later he moved to Vienna, where he studied architecture under Karl König. After two years he moved to Lviv (Polish: Lwów, German: Lemberg), to study under Julian Zachariewicz at Lviv Polytechnic, from which he graduated in 1881. He came back to Kraków to be a professor at the Higher School of Technology and Industry (Polish: Wyższa Szkoła Techniczo-Przemysłowa). In 1901 he was appointed the chair of the Department of Drawing and later the Department of Medieval Architecture Composition at Lviv Polytechnic.[2][3]

Throughout his whole professional life, Talowski worked mainly in Galicia, designing public utility buildings as well as private houses.[4] The works of Talowski are set in eclecticism, showing strong connections with historicism and Art Nouveau.[5]

He died prematurely in 1910 in Lviv after five years of poor health and was interred at the Rakowicki Cemetery in Kraków.

Main works

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Residential buildings

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Some of Talowski's houses at Retoryka street, Kraków. From the left - numbers 9th-1st
  • Complex of apartment buildings in Kraków at 1,3,7,9,15 Retoryka street:
 • 1 Retoryka Street - Under the Singing Frog (Pol. Pod śpiewającą żabą), 1889–90[6]
 • 7 Retoryka Street - Festina Lente, 1887
 • 9 Retoryka Street - Under the Ass (Pod Osłem), 1891
 • 15 Retoryka Street - Think Long, Act Fast (Długo myśl, prędko czyń), 1888
  • Talowski's own house Under the Spider (Pol. Pod pająkiem) on Karmelicka Street, Kraków, 1889
  • Apartment building at 18 Smoleńsk Street, Kraków, Under the Dragon (Pod Smokiem), 1887

Churches

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Talowski designed over 70 churches, including:

 
Church of St. Elizabeth in Lviv
 
Dobiecki Manor House, Cianowice Duże

Other works

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Maciej Gutowski, Bartłomiej Gutowski, Architektura Secesyjna w Galicji, DiG publishing, Warsaw 2001, p. 27
  2. ^ "The works of Teodor Talowski and his forgotten project of S. Goszczyński Gymnasium in Nowy Targ. History and remarks on revalorisation". Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  3. ^ "ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION AT LVIV POLYTECHNIC DURING THE INTERWAR PERIOD" (PDF). Retrieved 2019-08-06.
  4. ^ "Teodor Talowski". Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  5. ^ "The works of Teodor Talowski and his forgotten project of S. Goszczyński Gymnasium in Nowy Targ. History and remarks on revalorisation". Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  6. ^ Borejza, Tomasz (2022-09-12). "Popatrz w górę! Fantastyczne detale krakowskich kamienic". Krowoderska.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2022-09-18.

Sources

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 • Maciej Gutowski, Bartłomiej Gutowski, Architektura Secesyjna w Galicji, DiG publishing, Warsaw 2001, p. 23-27 (in Polish).

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