Paradoksy młodopolskiej alegorii

The present sketch traces the process of verifying allegory which takes place in the Young Poland prose, in which authors use the images of sculptures. The interpretation of Pavoncello, a story by Stefan Żeromski, Chimera, a novel by Tadeusz Jaroszyński and The Angel of Death by Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer allows to put forward a thesis that the allegorical function of sculptural works of art which appear in the presented world is challenged, whereas allegory understood as the compositional principle of a work is strengthened. Verification of allegory for the benefit of allegoresis is done by challenging the ‘semiogenic’ function of allegory and at the same time by appreciating it for defining trails of interpretation and universalizing meanings.