Prof. Pomian, Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Lodz, is known worldwide for his pioneering research on the history of collecting and the influence of science and art on European culture. He has donated his impressive collection of books to the Humanities Library of the University of Lodz.
Initiative of Prof. Eleonora Jedlińska
It should be underlined that receiving this valuable gift was possible thanks to the initiative of Prof. Eleonora Jedlińska from the Department of History of Painting and Sculpture at the Faculty of Philosophy and History of the University of Lodz. Her commitment and determination contributed to enriching the library resources of the University of Lodz with this unique collection. The University of Lodz Library was responsible for organising the undertaking.
A wealth of knowledge and inspiration
Prof. Pomian's gift consists of about 2,500 volumes on art history, collecting and museology. The collection, containing publications in Italian, French, English and Polish, is a true treasure trove of knowledge. It contains not only books but also unique documents such as invitations to exhibitions, folders and handwritten notes that enrich the scientific value of the collection.
Collection available from January 2025
The book collection of Prof. Pomian, delivered to the Humanities Library of the University of Lodz in two transports, totalling almost 180 packages, is gradually being developed and entered into the catalogue. From January 2025, it will be available to the entire academic community, providing invaluable support for art history researchers and students.
Extraordinary publications and albums
The collection includes valuable albums devoted to European and American painting, monographs on outstanding painters from different eras, as well as publications describing the collections of the most important museums in the world, such as the Prado Museum, the Louvre and the Vatican Museums. The collection also contains critical studies on the history of art and cultural heritage, making it an extremely valuable source of information.
Enrichment of the research workshop
Thanks to Prof. Pomian’s gift, the University of Lodz has gained not only a valuable collection of books, but above all a tool that will enrich the work of researchers and students. The collection will allow for a deeper understanding of art history and the development of scientific research at the highest level.
Prof. Krzysztof Pomian was born on 25 January 1934 in Warsaw. He studied at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Warsaw, where he obtained a doctoral degree in philosophy in 1965 and later a postdoctoral degree (1968) and worked as an Assistant Professor at the Department of History of National Philosophy. He lost his job at the university for public criticism of Poland’s communist authorities in 1968. For the same reason, he was expelled from the Polish United Workers’ Party (PZPR, the communist party) in 1966. He worked in the manuscripts department of the National Library until 1972, and he emigrated to France in 1973.
He became a Professor at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Paris in 1984. He also studied the achievements of the Literary Institute at Maisons-Laffitte. Prof. Pomian worked at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń in the years 1999-2007. He was the academic director of the Museum of Europe in Brussels in the years 2001-2018. The scholar received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin (2003), the University of Lodz (2017) and the University of Gdańsk (2024).