WARTOŚĆ SZTUKI BRYTYJSKIEJ W OCENACH POLSKICH PUBLICYSTÓW WIEKU XIX (DO 1914 R.) NA PRZYKŁADZIE ZAWARTOŚCI WYBRANYCH CZASOPISM

Polish press of the 19th century analyzed many aspects of British culture, art included. In the opinion of Polish critics, British art was, first of all, inferior to French art and, what is more, to other achievements of Great Britain as a country. It was criticized for aesthetic worthlessness and presented as utilitarian for British culture. However, with time, thanks to more in-depth analysis of selected strands of British art (e.g., Aestheticism, Pre-Raphaelites), the Polish approach towards it improved and British art was used not only to demonstrate its close ties with Polish art, but also to justify the protection of Poland in the process of devel-opment as an independent country.