Joanna Maria Zatorska-RosénPhD, senior lecturer in Polish
About me
PhD in Slavic Languages (Stockholm University), cultural historian. Deeply interested in Polish-Swedish relations, with the focus on Polish cultural heritage objects in Swedish collections. In my dissertation, I have reconstructed and examined the book collection of the Polish nobleman Władysław Konstanty Wituski (1603–1655), held at Skokloster Castle and in the Swedish National Archives (Riksarkivet). I am a participant in the research project The Spoils of War. Swedish Looting of the Commonwealth in the 17th and 18th Centuries, coordinated by the Faculty of History at the University of Warsaw. I teach courses in Polish language and cultural history at the Department of Slavic and Baltic Studies, Finnish, Dutch and German.
Job experience
- 2025.08 – present Stockholm University, Department of Slavic and Baltic Studies, Finnish, Dutch and German – Senior Lecturer in Polish
- 2015.09 – 2025.05 Stockholm University, Department of Slavic and Baltic Studies, Finnish, Dutch and German – PhD student and teacher of the Polish language
- 2015.01 – 2015.08 Stockholm University, Department of Slavic and Baltic Studies, Finnish, Dutch and German – teacher of the Polish language
- 2014.08 – 2015.08 Stockholm University, Department of Language Education, Språkstudion – front office staff member
Degrees and chosen courses
- 2025 PhD, dissertation: Eques Polonus: Władysław Konstanty Wituski and His Book Collection at Skokloster Castle and in the Swedish National Archives
- 2014 Course Polish-Swedish translation of fiction in theory and practice, Stockholm University.
- 2011-2013 Two parallel Master's Degree Programmes as a part of Inter-Faculty Individual Studies in the Humanities at the University of Lodz, Poland.
- MA in History of Art, specialisation: Cultural Heritage Preservation, Diploma thesis topic: Polonica in Sweden. Comparative studies of Polish and Swedish written sources.
- MA in Cultural Studies, specialisation: Art Promotion, Diploma thesis topic: Iconography of Carl Larsson's frescoes and monumental paintings in the National Museum in Stockholm.
- 2008-2011 Bachelor's Degree Programme as a part of Inter-Faculty Individual Studies in the Humanities at the University of Lodz, Poland.
- BA in History of Art, Diploma thesis topic: The interior of the parish church of The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saints Peter and Paul in Mikołajewice near Lutomiersk, Poland.
Teaching
- Polish I (SLPOL1): Uttal och fonetik
- Polish II (SLPOL2): Skriftlig språkfärdighet, inkl översättning
- Polish II (SLPOL2): Muntlig språkfärdighet
- Polska IIB (PO2B): Textanalys: sakprosa
- Polska IB (PO1B): Polen - historia, kultur, samhälle (two lectures on Polish art history)
Research
Conference presentations
- Äldre svensk slavistik (10–11 October 2024), Gothenburg, paper: “Jan och Władysław Małachowskis boksamling på Skoklosters slott – en forskningsidé”
- Reselitteratur i Skoklosters slotts samlingar, Skokloster (23–24 May 2024), paper: “Travel Literature in Władysław Konstanty Wituski’s (1603-ca 1653) Book Collection at Skokloster Castle”
- Det 22. nordiske slavistmøtet, Oslo, Norway (10–14 August 2022), paper: “Material characteristics of Władysław Konstanty Wituski’s books preserved in Skokloster Castle Library”
- Jagiellonians heritage: perspectives of international research, The Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences (digital conference, 14 December 2020), paper: “A picture of wars emerging from Władysław Konstanty Wituski’s book collection”
- participation in the workshop Slotts- och herrgårdsbibliotek som kunskapsrum, Stockholm University and Lövstabruk, Sweden (27–28 August 2020)
- War and The Book. Book collections, libraries, publishers, and authors during armed and political conflicts. State of the art and research perspectives, Poznań, Poland (13–15 November 2019), paper: “Władysław Konstanty Wituski’s book collection at Skokloster Castle: a reflection of the socio-political concerns on the eve of the Swedish deluge”
- Sixteenth Century Society Conference, Saint Louis, USA (17–20 oktober 2019), The Skokloster-panel on book and art collections at Skokloster Castle, paper: “Sociopolitical literature in Władysław Konstanty Wituski’s book collection at Skokloster Castle”
- organization of the interantional symposium Svensk-polska förbindelser under tidigmodern tid & polskt kulturarv i svenska samlingar, Stockholm University (4 Juni 2019)
- Äldretextseminarium, Stockholm University (14 February 2019), paper: “Sociopolitical literature in Władysław Konstanty Wituski’s book collection at Skokloster Castle: Łukasz Górnicki’s Rozmowa Polaka z Włochem (ca 1587) versus Wacław Kunicki’s Obraz szlachcica polskiego (1645)”
- I Kongres Badaczy Epoki Wazów: Rzeczpospolita Wazów 1588–1648–1668”, Olsztyn, Poland (6–8 September 2018), paper: “Literatura polityczno-społeczna w księgozbiorze żołnierza kolonialnego Władysława Konstantego Wituskiego (1603-1655). Zarys problematyki”
- Barockakademien's symposium Reformationens uttryck och följder, Vitterhetsakademien, Stockholm (23–24 november 2017), paper: “Katolska konstkrigsbyten från Polen i svenska efterreformatiska kyrkor”
- participation in the research collaboration Skokloster as a Laboratory of Early Modern Studies / Collection Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Stockholm University, The Royal Armoury, Skokloster Castle and the Hallwyl Museum Foundation (14–18 August 2017)
- Polish/the Polish diaspora’s writing heritage in foreign collections. Issues and research methods, results and research prospects, Warszawa, Polen (25–26 May 2017), paper: “Ze studiów nad polonikami szwedzkimi: księgozbiór Władysława Konstantego Wituskiego w zbiorach zamku Skokloster”
- Henryk Sienkiewicz: den historiska berättelsens makt. Mini-konferens med anledning av högtidligthållandet av 100-årsminnet av Henryk Sienkiewiczs bortgång organiserad i samarbete med Polska ambassaden, Stockholm (26 October 2016), paper: “1600-talet – Epokens spår i svenska samlingar”
- Kolokwia staropolskie: Inwencja i inspiracja w kulturze wczesnonowożytnej, Kazimierz Dolny, Poland (27–29 September 2016), paper: “Hymenaeus abo wiersz godowy Pawła Mankiewicza (1642) wobec tradycji gatunku”
- Det 20:e Nordiska Slavistmötet, Stockholm (17–21 August 2016), paper: “A unique Polish epithalamic pamphlet at Skokloster Castle. An analysis of Pawel Mankiewicz’s Hymenaeus abo wiersz godowyfrom 1642”
- VI Światowy Kongres Polonistów. Polonistyka na początku XXI wieku. Diagnozy. Koncepcje. Perspektywy, Katowice, Poland (22–25 juni 2016), paper: “Polskie XVII-wieczne druki okolicznościowe w zamku Skokloster. Prezentacja projektu badawczego”
Publications
- ”Hymenaeus abo wiersz godowy Pawła Mankiewicza (1642) wobec tradycji gatunku” in: Niebelska-RajcaBarbara, Pieczyński Maciej (eds.), Inwencja i inspiracja w kulturze staropolskiej, Lublin 2018, pp. 206–215 (ISBN 978-83-8061-589-2).
- ”Literatura polityczno-społeczna w księgozbiorze żołnierza kolonialnego Władysława Konstantego Wituskiego (1603–1655). Zarys problematyki” in: Augusiewicz Sławomir, Korytko Andrzej, Krysztopa-CzupryńskaBarbara (eds.), Rzeczpospolita Wazów (1588 –1648 –1668). I Kongres Badaczy Epoki WazówOlsztyn, 6–8 września 2018 r., Olsztyn 2018, pp. 65-71 (ISBN 978–83–63040–34–5).
- Przejawy szwedzkiego ducha narodowego. Program ikonograficzny fresków Carla Larssona w Nationalmuseum w Sztokholmie. [Expressions of Swedish national spirit. Iconography of Carl Larsson's frescoes in the National Museum in Stockholm.] in: Ars et scientia, vol. 3, Stefański Krzysztof (ed.), pp. 247-266, Łódź 2014. ISBN 978-83-934191- 4-2.
- „Oczywiście wolałbym, żeby była inna, ale muszę być zadowolony z tego, co jest.” Clasina Hoornik w życiu i twórczości Vincenta van Gogh ["Obviously I'd like her to be different, but I have to be content with how it is" Clasina Hoornik in Vincent van Gogh's life and work.] in: Ars et scientia, vol. 1, Bo to zła kobieta była... Hetery, prostytutki, wariatki – kulturowy obraz kobiety [Since she was an evil woman... Hetairai, prostitutes, madwomen –cultural portraits of women] Jagla Jowita (ed.), pp. 531-541, Łódź 2013. ISBN 978-83-934191-2-8.
- Poszukiwanie tożsamości narodowej w kulturze słowiańskiej na przykładzie twórczości Zofii Stryjeńskiej, Stanisława Jakubowskiego i Stanisława Szukalskiego [Attempts to find national identity in the Slavic culture present in Zofia Stryjenska's, Stanislaw Jakubowski's, Stanislaw Szukalski's works] in: Historyczna i ponowoczesna tożsamość Słowian [Historical and postmodern identity of the Slavs], Tomasz Ciesielski, Joanna Zatorska, Adrian Skoczylas (eds.), pp. 303-322, Łódź 2012. ISBN 978-83-933853-1-7.
- Peintre maudit u schyłku XIX w. Twórczość Władysława Podkowińskiego w świetle jego biografii [Peintre maudit of fin de siècle. Wladyslaw Podkowinski's life reflected in his works] in: Męski, supermęski czy nijaki. Kulturowy obraz mężczyzny / Na stole i pod stołem [Masculine, hypermasculine or unremarkable. Cultural portraits of men. / On the table and under the table], Jagla Jowita (ed.), pp. 221-231, Łódź 2011. ISBN 978-83-934191- 0-4.
- I obym zawsze widział, co ręce twe czynią..., czyli o walijskim zwyczaju rzeźbienia łyżek [Always may I see your hands..., a few words on Welsh tradition of lovespoons carving] in: Męski, supermęski czy nijaki. Kulturowy obraz mężczyzny / Na stole i pod stołem [Masculine, hypermasculine or unremarkable. Cultural portraits of men. / On the table and under the table], Jagla Jowita (ed.), pp. 313-318, Łódź 2011. ISBN 978-83-934191- 0-4.
- Neuschwanstein – realizacja wizji geniusza czy obłąkanego? [Neuschwanstein – vision of a genius or a madman?] In: Geniusz i obłąkanie. Granice szaleństwa i rozumu / Ze śmiercią nam do twarzy. Rytuały pogrzebowe, symbolika sepulkralna, akt rozkładu w sztuce i kulturze [Genius and madness. Borders between insanity and reason. / Death becomes us. Burial rites, funerary symbolism, decay in art and culture] Jagla Jowita (ed.), pp. 153-162, Łódź 2011. ISBN 978-83-934191-1-1.
- Motyw bramy do zaświatów w sztuce sepulkralnej [The motif of gates to the Otherworld in funerary art] In: Geniusz i obłąkanie. Granice szaleństwa i rozumu / Ze śmiercią nam do twarzy. Rytuały pogrzebowe, symbolika sepulkralna, akt rozkładu w sztuce i kulturze [Genius and madness. Borders between insanity and reason. / Death becomes us. Burial rites, funerary symbolism, decay in art and culture] Jagla Jowita (ed.), pp. 289-299, Łódź 2011. ISBN 978-83-934191-1-1.
- Literackie inspiracje Szałem uniesień Władysława Podkowińskiego [Literary inspirations of Władysław Podkowiński's Frenzy of Exultation], Biuletyn Koła Naukowego Polonistów Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego „K65” [Polish Philology Academic Group Bulletin "K65"], no. 1 (2010), pp. 44-47.
Publications
"Jan och Władysław Małachowskis boksamling på Skoklosters slott – en forskningidé. I Äldre svensk slavistik: bidrag från konferensen i Göreborg, 10–11 oktober 2024. Acta Slavica Gothoburgensia. Göteborg: Göteborgs universitet. (Antagen för publicering)
"Poszukiwanie tożsamości narodowej w kulturze słowiańskiej na przykładzie twórczości Zofii Stryjeńskiej, Stanisława Jakubowskiego i Stanisława Szukalskiego" I Historyczna i ponowoczesna tożsamość Słowian, redigerad av Tomasz Ciesielski, Joanna Zatorska, och Adrian Skoczylas, 303-322. Łódź: Uniwerstet Łódzki.
A selection from Stockholm University publication database
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Eques Polonus: Władysław Konstanty Wituski and His Book Collection at Skokloster Castle and in the Swedish National Archives
2025. Joanna Zatorska-Rosén.
Thesis (Doc)This dissertation reconstructs the private library of the Polish nobleman Władysław Konstanty Wituski (1603–1655) from its surviving remains by cataloging the printed books from his collection preserved at Skokloster Castle and his handwritten school notebooks housed in the Swedish National Archives in Stockholm. Wituski’s book collection was taken from Poland as war booty during the Swedish-Polish war of 1655–1660. Its preservation is particularly remarkable in the light of the fate of other early modern libraries of the nobility in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which were largely dispersed or destroyed as a result of a succession of wars over the centuries.
Through bibliographical analysis, the study explores Wituski’s book ownership and reading habits, emphasizing his engagement with specific works through handwritten marginalia and flyleaf notes. The bindings in Wituski’s collection offer valuable insights into the material culture of early modern libraries of the nobility in the Commonwealth. By comparing his library to other book collections of the Polish-Lithuanian nobility and to a contemporary treatise on the ideal noble library by Jakub Kazimierz Haur, the study evaluates the degree to which Wituski’s collection conformed to the book-owning practices of his social milieu, and identifies notable divergences.
Drawing on Wituski’s notebooks and correspondence, the study also examines his education at the Jesuit College in Pułtusk and at the Kraków Academy, his educational journey through Denmark, the Dutch Republic, and England, and his service in the Dutch West India Company in Brazil. Additionally, the study investigates Wituski’s parliamentary career, his duties associated with the so-called land offices which he held, and his ties to the Vasa court.
This dissertation demonstrates how Wituski’s library is intertwined with both his personal biography and the broader socio-political, intellectual, and religious currents of his time. A close examination of his collection has uncovered previously unknown aspects of Wituski’s life while also reaffirming established facts. The books he owned reflect the breadth of his experiences – ranging from his formal education, travels, and courtly connections to his political involvement and land management. This case study of his library also provides insight not only into the book-owning practices, but also the world of ideas, cultural needs, and aspirations of the Polish-Lithuanian nobility in the seventeenth century, which in turn further enhances our understanding of their private libraries.
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Hymenaeus abo wiersz godowy Pawła Mankiewicza (1642) wobec tradycji gatunku
2018. Joanna Zatorska-Rosén. Inwencja i inspiracja w kulturze staropolskiej, 205-215
Chapter -
Literatura polityczno-społeczna w księgozbiorze żołnierza kolonialnego Władysława Konstantego Wituskiego (1603–1655). Zarys problematyki
2018. Joanna Zatorska-Rosén. Rzeczpospolita Wazów (1588–1648–1668). I Kongres Badaczy Epoki Wazów Olsztyn, 6–8 września 2018 r, 65-71
Conference
Show all publications by Joanna Maria Zatorska-Rosén at Stockholm University
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