Prince Henryk Ludwick Lubomirski the most beautiful boy in the world

Detail of Prince Lubomirski as god Eros by Canova

Prince Henryk Ludwick Lubomirski (1777–1850) known as the most beautiful boy in the world. son of Joseph and Castellan of Kiev from Sosnowskich Louise (a former great love of Tadeusz Kosciuszko), was an exceptionally beautiful child. So beautiful, that - delighted him - his distant aunt, the Czartoryski Izabela Lubomirska, widowed duchess, reared the child as if he was her own. Given Henryk exalted praise, he also receive it everywhere he went as a companion of his many journeys around Europe with his praiseful aunt. The talented angel face boy became famous as the Wunderkind shocking beauty, so that he was portrayed by the most eminent artists of his time.

His "angelic face" was engraved by the famous artist physiognomist Lavater, and dance lessons given to the young Prince by no less then the famous master Vestris. In 1799, the duchess has bought a good pupil extensive Przeworsk (already offered him in 1802), and in 1807, he married Teresa Czartoryska, daughter of Joseph Clement Lithuanian Master of the pantry.


Despite the cosmopolitanism of his benefactress Henryk Lubomirski, boasting an excellent position in the social spheres, and the court of Vienna, Austria is not shrouded in loyalism. As a young man, rising to the functions of Prefect of the department of Krakow and a member of the United Galician (1817), The Prince became a well-deserved literary curator of the Foundation, later known as the National Department. National Institute, and the a big patron of the arts (Ossolineum donated more than 2,200 prints and manuscripts, also founded the Museum of the Princes Lubomirski in Lviv).


Little Henry was portrayed many times in his life, usually at the request of the duchess, in painting, sculpture and graphics. Excellent Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun painted three of his likeness as the Genius of Fame. First, the earliest picture ( formerly in the collection Przeworsk Ordinance) was exhibited at the Paris Salon of the Academy in 1789, arousing admiration. Duchess Lubomirska paying a fabulous artist fee of 12,000 francs, did not depart from this portrait, and at any price would not dispense it to anyone, even the king, Stanislaus Augustus. The genius of Fame has found enthusiastic followers, mostly in Poland, he repeated in miniature Vincent de Lesseur and Stanislaw Marszałkiewicz, in graphics by artist Andreas Geiger.


Other famous portraits of the little prince is by: Angelica Kauffmann canvas of Henryk Lubomirski as Cupid, ordered a painter in 1786 (now in the collections of Lviv) and a sculpture of Antonio Canova Cupid aleato (Lancut Museum) - both objects created in Rome, and the ceiling does not exist anymore in the Palace in Lancut. It depicted little Henry Lubomirski as the Seraphim, by Maria Cosway, and theViennese, Heinrich Fügera.

Prince Heinrich Lubomirski as the Genius of Fame 1789 Oil on oak, 106 x 83 cm

James Touron (1740-1789) Henryk Lubomirski fame as a genius enamel on copper after Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun ; 1789

Czartoryski Izabela Lubomirska and the statue of Henry Lubomirski fame as a genius after Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun

Allegory of the Genius of Alexander I. Prince Heinrich Lubomirski 1814 by Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun

Prince Henry Lubomirski as Amphion playing the Lyre, admired by three Naiads (Mlles Guichet, Polignac, and Julie Le Brun) (1795) by Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun

 

Angelica Kauffmann -Portrait of prince Henri Lubomirski as Cupid, Museum of Liviv, Ukraine

Engraved Portrait of prince Henri Lubomirski

Henryk Lubomirski age fourteen with a dog and a harp Figure Ch.G.Geisslera (1729-1814) Pencil and ink on coated paper, 1791

Henryk Lubomirski as a young man age 20, portrait miniature by Kreutzinger Joseph, c. 1797

Prince Heinrich Lubomirski as Young St. John the Baptist 1785

Antonio Canova (1757-1822) was considered the greatest sculptor of his time in Europe. His work and personality became a model for all sculptors for many years. the magnificent sculpture that represents “Prince Henryk Lubomirski as Love”. The dazzling beauty of the thirteen year old Prince, immortalized in marble, life size, by Canova won many fans who fought at the price of gold, copies and casts of nude wonder. Canova had sculptured this masterpiece because Princess Elzbieta Lubomirski wanted him to do this; in fact, she was left a widow and had elected the thirteen year-old Henryk (one of her husband’s distant relation) as her ward.

Henryk Lubomirski was a graceful and quite shy model for Canova, who succeeded in representing life his face only. The masterpiece that flowed from the artists hands was a wonderful statue, that represented the thirteen year-old young prince as god Eros in all his beauty.

This work had a great success at the European courts of the time and the young Prince won numerous admires .



When completed, the effigy was carried in Poland and placed in the castle in Łańcut Lubomirski as in a sanctuary in a Greek style temple, with a background of Chinese marble hung a cloth with the representation of the Phoenix in which all pay homage to the birds, just like all the visitors of the building were ready to pay tribute to the beauty of Henryk. Not satisfied by just marble, two plaster casts of the statue the same as the original except for the presence of gypsum in the fig leaf were sent to Łańcut Lubomirski.



It was just a passion for "Love": marble and plaster copies of the wonderful depiction of young love were commissioned, at great cost, by the noble men of different countries, fascinated and captivated by the gentle beauty of Prince Henryk. To be seduced by such an incomparable perfection was also the seventeen year old John, the son of Irish bankers Latouche. So chalk & marble replicas of Prince ended up in many fine homes on the continent of, Ireland, Russia, from France to England, Germany and, of course, Italy.

Prince Henryk Lubomirski as the god Eros age 13 by Antonio Canova

Eros was the son of Venus and Mars. He was her constant companion. Mischievous, he shot darts of love into men and caused all the trouble resulting from the desire of the gods for the children of men. The darts, which represent the flame of desire, brought the gods down in consciousness.

Anteros was the avenger of slighted love. Venus had complained to Themis (justice) that Eros remained a child and never grew up. Themis said he should have a brother and then he would grow up. Anteros is also the champion of reciprocal affection. These two are like Cain and Abel: Eros is "love"; Anteros is "against love."

Prince Henryk Lubomirski as the god Eros age 13 by Antonio Canova

Prince Henryk Lubomirski as the god Eros age 13 by Antonio Canova

Prince Henryk Lubomirski as the god Eros age 13 by Antonio Canova

Prince Henryk Lubomirski as the god Eros age 13 by Antonio Canova

Prince Henryk Lubomirski as the god Eros age 13 by Antonio Canova

Princesse Czartoryska - 1801 pastel Teresa Czartoryska (1785-1868) was daughter of Jozef Klemens Czartoryski and Dorota Jablonowska; after she married Henryk Lubomirski

Prince Henryk Ludwick Lubomirski as a man early 19th century