Architekt Jakub Fontana w służbie marszałka Franciszka Bielińskiego
Architect Jakub Fontana Employed by Marshal Franciszek Bieliński

Summary/Abstract: The paper is dedicated to the outstanding architect Jakub Fontana (1710-73), for about twenty years serving at the court of Marshal of the Court Franciszek Bieliński (1683-1766), later Grand Marshal of the Crown, a personage closely bonded with the Warsaw of the Saxon era. On the grounds of previously unknown archival sources, new facts are revealed that complete the so-far knowledge of the architect and shed additional light on the range, character, and chronology of his works for his patron. The beginnings of Franciszek Bieliński’s acquaintance with Jakub’s father Giuseppe Fontana are presented; the circumstances of two educational trips of the young architect to Paris, most likely partially sponsored by Bieliński, are discussed; these to be followed by the presentations of his main works on the church in Karczew, the residences in Otwock and Warsaw (in Królewska Street); the funerary ceremonies of Marshal’s wife Dorota Henrietta née Przebendowski (castrum doloris 1755); the design and later re-composition of the tomb commemorating Jan Jerzy Przebendowski and Bieliński’s wife; the raising of the church and convent in Góra Kalwaria (1755-60). Furthermore, what is discussed are a number of public projects executed by Jakub Fontana as the main architect of the Cobblestone Commission (until 1761) which the Marshal chaired as of 1742 (land surveys for marking out canals), as well as the vision of the royal castle; additionally, simultaneous works on establishing the Bielino jurisdiction (ca 1757) are signaled. In the final part of the article an attempt is made to present mutual relations between Jakub Fontana and Franciszek Bieliński, who being the patron did not only finance the projects, but also acted as an advocate of the architect’s interests, showing much concern for his family. Jakub Fontana, in his turn, highly respected Bieliński and regarded the tasks commissioned by him with utmost attention.

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