Potocki Palace is one of the most important monuments of architecture of the late 19th century in Ukraine and a museum unit of the Lviv National Gallery of Arts named after B.G. Voznitsky, where from February 14, 2007 the collection of European art of the 14th — 18th centuries is presented.

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The Potocki family — an extremely rich, influential and extensive hereditary aristocracy, which received nobility in the middle of the XIIth century, left a noticeable mark on European history, woven into its canvas not only due to matrimonial alliances, but also personal contributions to the development of science and literature and art. Let us recall at least Jan Nepomuk Pototsky, the author of the famous novel “Manuscript Found in Zaragos” or Nikolai Vasily Pototsky, the patron, thanks to whom Ukraine owns the world's only collection of works by a phenomenally talented sculptor of the late Baroque era. Anna Georg Pinzel.

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The palace was built by order of Count Alfred II Józef Potocki, a prominent politician of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a knight of the orders of the Iron Crown, the Golden Rune, St. Stephen, the Caesarian governor of the Kingdom of Galicia and Vladimir in 1875—1883.

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The palace is an excellent example of mature historicism of the late nineteenth century. Researchers call it “the most French in architecture” and this is not surprising, because the author of the project was the then fashionable Parisian architect Louis Dauvergne (1854-1937).

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The reason for pride is that in order to implement the idea, it was not necessary to invite specialists from abroad: the project and construction union of Julian Tsybulsky and Ludwik Baldwin-Ramulta built the palace. The work on the decoration of the palace ensemble was carried out by the Lviv firm, which was headed by the well-known sculptor Leonard Marconi and his student Petro Vitalis Gerasimovich. The talented master Jan Dashek worked on the decoration of the building, whose firm performed all kinds of locksmith, artistic blacksmithing and casting.

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The majestic palace — the residence of the Cissarian governor in the capital Lemberg, invariably attracts attention also by the way it structures the space around it: a translucent fence with high gates, decorated with Alfred II Potocki's monogram and the Count's crown, allows you to admire without hindrance an architectural ensemble and a spacious courtyard, where eight carriages could freely pass at the same time. Guests who had the opportunity to visit the palace admired the French regular garden, located behind, with magnificent flower gardens and rare tree species (the only meta-redwood in Lviv and now adorns one of its central alleys).

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Today, the palace interiors of the first floor are open to visitors - enfilades of salons in the style of Louis XVI. These include an elegant neo-neoclassical living room with access to the terrace, with an exquisite combination of boazer-colored old ivory, snow-white decor and golden silk wallpaper. Green salon with concealed installation doors, where to this day meetings take place at the highest level. Musical or Red salon with a fireplace made of white Carrara marble, copper overlays and extremely rich neoclassical gilded stucco. Also unique Ballroom or White salon with walls in stucco technique and mirrors in figured bronze frames with gilded stucco with images of musical instruments. Banquet or Turquoise salon, all walls and ceiling of which are covered with decor with attributes of hunting, fishing and gifts of nature. An unusual addition to the much-decorated fireplace made of jasper and marble is an oil painting on canvas “Still life with flowers and a red parrot”, which was admired by Potocki.

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The interiors of the salons, filled with furniture sets and objects of decorative arts from the Gallery's collection, recreate the atmosphere of the palace of the late XIX — early XX century and give a visual idea of the style and lifestyle of the Galician aristocracy.

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In the eleven halls of the second floor one of the best art collections in Eastern Europe, especially painting, is exhibited. Built according to the geographical and chronological principle, the exposition introduces the works of Ukrainian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Austrian, German, Dutch (Flemish and Dutch), Italian, French and Spanish masters.

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In addition to masterpieces by such recognized artists as Titian, Jacopo Zucchi, Sofonisba Angissola, Georges de Latur, José de Ribera, Gerrit van Gonthhorst, François Gerard and many others, the viewer is waiting to meet the works of lesser known, but no less talented customs people, the leisurely contemplation of which gives an elegant pleasure and a noble aftertaste of a touch of high art.

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