Among the famous Lviv residents buried in Lychakiv Cemetery was Arthur Grottger, a famous Polish artist (1837-1867). But Grottger is known not only for his paintings, but also for his romantic love for Wanda Monnet. Earlier in Lviv people talked about lovers that “love like Arthur and Wanda”. There was a memorial corner of Arthur and Wanda in the cafe “Kupol” (still exists), which was owned by W. Monnet’s daughter Maryla Wolska (in the house where V. Monne lived to old age). And in the Jesuit Park (now – Ivan Franko Park) A. Grottger planted an oak – a symbol of eternal love.
Grottger died of tuberculosis in Paris, his bride sold her jewelry and taking the missing amount from her mother and aunt, transported the groom’s body to Lviv. She buried him in the place indicated by him in Lychakiv cemetery. Paris Philippe soon erected a sarcophagus monument on his friend’s grave. In 1873 he installed on the sarcophagus a sculpture of a woman kneeling before a falcon (a falcon is a symbol of love and fidelity). Under the falcon is a portrait of A. Grottger (which W. Monnet painted personally), a lyre with torn strings and a skull. To the left of A. Grottger’s portrait there is a table in the form of a book, on the cover of which his cycles of paintings are listed: “Warsaw”, “Polonia”, “Winter Evenings”, “Lithuania”, “War”. Above the plate of the sarcophagus is the inscription: “The monument to His memory was erected by Wanda.”
Although four years later Wanda Monnet married Karol Mlodnicki – a friend of A. Grottger – all her life she longed for her first love. She could often be seen at her fiancé’s grave, which she visited regularly. She died on February 2, 1923.
More about the romantic love of Arthur and Wanda – during my tour of Lychakiv cemetery.
Autoportrai of A. Grottger (1865); Photo W. Monnet. Artur i Wanda. Dzieje miłości Arthura Grottgera i Wandy Monne. Medyka, Lwów, 1928
