On the first platform at Skierniewice railway station stands a statue of Stanisław Wokulski. It was at this very station that the hero of *The Doll* interrupted his journey after discovering the painful truth about Izabela Łęcka. The sculpture commemorates this dramatic episode from Bolesław Prus’s novel, whilst also harbouring a little secret intended for lovers.
The statue of Stanisław Wokulski at the place of parting
Prus himself suggested the location for the sculpture. In his novel *The Doll*, whilst travelling by train, Wokulski overhears an intimate conversation between his fiancée and Kazimierz Starski. Both speak in English, mistakenly believing that the merchant cannot understand them. Disappointed, the protagonist gets off the train at Skierniewice under the pretext of urgent business, and then walks along the tracks towards Warsaw. He attempts suicide, but is prevented from doing so by the signalman Wysocki, who had previously received his help. The platform thus commemorates the place where his journey was cut short and where he parted ways with Izabela.
The monument was erected in 2010 to mark a railway anniversary
The sculpture, created by the Poznań artist Robert Sobociński, was unveiled on 9 October 2010. The ceremony was part of the celebrations marking the 165th anniversary of the opening of the railway line from Warsaw to Skierniewice, which the first scheduled train travelled on 1 October 1845. The monument cost 60,000 zlotys to build; half of which was paid for by the city, with the remainder covered by sponsors. Guests travelled to the unveiling in a historic carriage from the collection of the Polish Railway Enthusiasts’ Association. Pupils from the local Bolesław Prus High School performed an excerpt from *The Doll*, whilst participants in period costumes evoked the atmosphere of journeys of yesteryear.
Wokulski with a bag and a walking stick
Cast in bronze and weighing around 200 kilograms, Wokulski looks like an elegant 19th-century passenger. He wears a top hat, a long overcoat, a jacket, a waistcoat and a shirt with a high collar. In his right hand he holds a travelling bag, and in his left a walking stick. The pensive figure stands amongst contemporary passengers, against the backdrop of the historic station. His calm demeanour invites one to interpret the character’s emotions immediately after stepping out of the carriage. There is a small slit in Stanisław’s clothing for love notes. The literary merchant, himself having suffered deeply in love, has thus become the confidant of others’ feelings.
‘Lalka’ and its famous film adaptations
‘Lalka’, serialised between 1887 and 1889 and published as a book in 1890, occupies a special place in Polish culture. In it, Prus depicted emotional disillusionment, social inequalities, ambition and the power of money. The characters’ recognisability was cemented by classic film adaptations. In Wojciech Jerzy Has’s 1968 film, Mariusz Dmochowski played Wokulski and Beata Tyszkiewicz played Izabela. In Ryszard Ber’s television series, produced in 1977 and broadcast from 17 September 1978, the roles were played by Jerzy Kamas and Małgorzata Braunek. Among the most recent adaptations are Maciej Kawalski’s film, starring Marcin Dorociński and Kamila Urzędowska, and the Netflix series directed by Paweł Maślona, starring Tomasz Schuchardt and Sandra Drzymalska. These further interpretations confirm the enduring interest in the fates of Prus’s characters.
The statue of Stanisław Wokulski and the town’s patron
Thanks to the novel, Skierniewice has been etched into the memory of successive generations of readers. Wokulski also serves as a patron to local entrepreneurs: since 2010, the ‘Wokulski of the Year’ award has been presented, and its statuette is modelled on the sculpture at the railway station. In this way, the town commemorates the protagonist’s economic initiative and his social sensitivity. Prus’s merchant is thus present in Skierniewice as an ill-fated lover, a traveller and a hard-working man with a heart of gold, who was able to recognise the misery of others.
Source: robertsobocinski.com, muzea.waw.pl, psmk.org.pl
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