Mecenat rozrzedzony – nowe oblicze wspierania ludzi pióra w XIX wieku

Abstract

The article refers to changes which happened in the field of literary patronage (considered as a material support for bookmen) in the XIX century and analyses causes and effects of those changes. It indicates the birth of capitalism as a factor that remodelled the relations within the literary life, especially financing the authors. The article also analyses the changes in human mentality, significance of the emergence of modern literary public and its influence on the authors by means of subscription; it observes the character of modern publisher (bookseller and printer) and influence of their activity on the changes. The consideration is seen from the angle of changes in patronage because the described factors significantly contributed to the decline of this institution in its old form. However, before it happened (in the XX century) there was a transitional state between the old lordly patronage and the new institutional one provided by the state. This transitional patronage was somehow dispersed and the dispersion is analysed in the article.