Interiors

The rooms in the palace have been restored in the style closer to the original of the days when the Herbsts actually lived here. Discovered photographs made it possible to reconstruct many details and elements, which gave individual character to the rooms. Interiors have been furnished with furniture, paintings, and masterpieces of decorative art of the 19th and the early 20th centuries.  

HERBST PALACE – GROUND FLOOR

1. Vestibule

Vestibule is a glamorous lobby hosting the main staircase. Original decorations in this part have been restored. We can find here bronze sculptures of knights holding spears crowned with lamps. 

2. Studio

In the studio there is 19th century furniture: neo - Baroque bookshelves, a leather coach and neo-Renaissance desk and an armchair.  Under the window on a column we can see a marble bust of Karol Wilhelm Scheibler – Matylda’s father – by Albert Rachner (1846 – 1900) dated ca. 1881. On the walls, inter alia, family photos and lithographs of Petersburg from the collection of one of the Łódź industrial tycoons, by Alexander Orłowski (1977-1832) (?). The floor is covered with Oriental rug (early 20th century).

3. Mirror room

The room distinguishes itself with rich decorations in neo-Rococo style. Elements, which have been preserved from the original decor include, inter alia, wood panels, generously sculpted, and gold-plated mirror frames, door toppers with allegory representations of the seasons of the year: spring, summer and autumn. The ceiling is ornamented with plaster decorative coatings and canvas plafond paintings. Original accessories are also reminded by ceramic stoves (4th quarter of the 19th century) and a bronze chandelier (France, 19th century). The room is furnished with the 19th-century furniture. A small table with porcelain miniatures attributed to a Vienna manufacturer (ca. 19th century) will surely attract our special attention. Between the windows, on a console table, we can see a clock in gold-plated bronze - France, 2nd half of the 19th century. On the walls paintings depicting mythology scenes by   Andrea Locatelli (1693-1741).

4. Oriental-style room

Because of the colour of its walls, in the interwar period the room was called „yellow”. Nowadays, it hosts an Oriental-style room, a place where the host or the hostess could exhibit their collection of works and products originating from Asia (whose culture got a lot of attention in the 2nd half of the 19th century). There is a collection of the 19th century furniture originating from China and imitations of oriental products from Europe. Left to the entrance, on the wall a painting by Camille Rogier (1810?–1896) entitled Oriental Market. On the right, a sculpture of Guardian made of patinated bronze (Japan, 3rd quarter of the 19th century). Under the window, a faience figure of Kannon – the goddess of mercy (Japan, ca. 19th century)

5. Dining room

Walls of the dining room are covered with oak wood panelling. In line with the room´s function, the main and the most important piece of furniture here is a table (2nd half of the 19th century) set for dinner. Besides, there are: a cupboard on the right and a display cabinet (early 19th century) on the left, both used to store the tableware. At the door there is a side table used to put spices or serving dishes brought from the kitchen. A porcelain dinner-set on the table is Flora Danica (Denmark, 1st half of the 20th century) decorated with plant motifs from a herbarium. On the fireplace we can find a Secessionist-style jardinière from Warsaw metal workshop of Roman Plewkiewicz. On the walls we can admire still life paintings with the artwork of Johan Georg de Hamilton (1672–1737) entitled Pheasants (right from the entrance).

6. Middle room

Another reception, room decorated in neo-Rococo style. 
Elements remaining from original decorations include: moulded decoration of the ceiling, wood panelling and the housing of an arcade with mirrors built in its doors. The room is decorated with 19-century accessories. Pleyel made piano is worth paying attention. Right from the entrance a glass cabinet – a piece of furniture used to display, e.g., porcelain pieces (porcelain and faience figures from European manufacturers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries). Above the piano a Portrait of a Young Woman by Leon Wyczółkowski (1852–1936), on the side of the fireplace, a work by Alexander Gierymski (1850-1901) Study I for Painting „Arbor”.

7. Hunter’s room

Room for men also used as a smoking room. Oak wood panelling and coffered ceiling were   made in 1881 on Edward Herbst’s order. Wardrobes hidden in wood panels were used for storing fire guns and billiard clubs. Central space in the room is occupied by a billiard table used to play carambole. At a side, a folding card table. The final touch comes from watercolours by Juliusz (1824 – 1869) and Jerzy (1886 – 1955) Kossak and Artur Grottger (1837 – 1867).

8. Big Hall

Usually, big hall was used as a big reception hall rather than a ballroom. In its eastern part divided into two storeys, there is a balcony for musicians. The room is furnished mostly with 20th-century furniture (early). In the corner of the hall there is a 19th-century quarter clock. Our attention will be attracted also by a sculpture Young Columbus made in Florence by Antonio Garella (1862–1919). Paintings on the wall are: Giovanni Battista Ruoppolo (1629-1693) Autumn Harvest Allegory, and J. B. Belin (1653-1715) Flowers.

HERBST PALACE – FIRST FLOOR

9. Dressing room

In the dressing room our attention goes to the wardrobe and a chest of drawers used to store the underwear. Both pieces of furniture date back to the 2nd half of the 19th century. On the chest of drawers there is, inter alia, a porcelain figure of a Cupid on a Unicorn (19th/20th century). Above, the painting by Jan Ciągliński (1858-1913) entitled Pianist from 1910. On the right there is a recamiere chaise-lounge – a sort of coach for resting in a half-lying position. On its side a table with Secessionist-style mirror from the Warsaw workshop of Hennebergs brothers (19th/20th century). 

10. Bathroom

What remained from the original interior are only white tiles with decorative frieze depicting lake with birds. All the furniture and other accessories come from the early 20th century.

11. Mistress bedroom

Bedroom’s centre is occupied by a bed placed with its headboard against the wall. Its back is covered with fabric ornamented with cross stitch embroidery.  A toilet table with a mirror was an indispensable piece of furniture in the bedroom. On its top there is a collection of silver brushes, a handy mirror, and perfume bottles. At the entrance we can see a chest of drawers (2nd half of the 19th century) in Louis XV style. Its top hosts a porcelain group of figures Playing Blind Man´s Bluff (Meissen, 19th century). The shelf above the radiator hosts two 19th century porcelain groups of figures The Bath of Venus and a Group with a Cupid  made in France. Above the bed there is a painting by Józef Oleszkiewicz (1777-1830) Faith, Hope, Love. 

12. Boudoir

Next room in a row is the boudoir. The room was used by the lady of the house as a place where she could rest during the day. It is furnished with 19^th –century furniture. There are, inter alia, comfortable, padded chairs and other furniture, a display cabinet and a neo-Rococo desk. The desk is topped with a Secessionist-style kerosene lamp with a Majolica container; next to it a photo of Leon Herbst – the last owner of the villa. Among paintings that decorate the room there are, e.g.: The Muse by Samuel Hirszenberg (1865-1908) and Lido by Alfons Karpiński (1875-1961) – next to the stove.

13. Master bedroom

Master bedroom neighbours the boudoir. Its basic furniture includes a gondola-shaped bed (19th c.), Empire style single-door wardrobe, and a set of chairs and a table, also in Empire style. On the table a phiale - candleholder with a puttem holding the horn of plenty (end of 19th c.). There is a vase on the corner table. The interior design is complemented with paintings by a Polish painter. The work by Jan Rosen (1854-1936) Hunting par force in Chantilly placed above the bed surely deserves our attention.

14. Living room

This is the place where the family used to meet and spend time reading or playing music together. It is fitted with an Empire style set of furniture (a coach, armchairs, and a table – 2nd half of the 19th c.), a chest of drawers, a concert piano (3rd quarter of the 19th c.) from the Warsaw workshop of Antoni Krall and Józef Seidler. In the corner of the room we can see a decorative faience vase from a workshop in Sevres (2nd half of the 19th c.). On the walls there are, inter alia, Portraits of Zofia and Jan Reszke by Józef Simmler (1823-1868), and Elza (on the right from the entrance) by Ferdinand Leek (1859-1923). 

15. Library

The library is fitted with a set of eclectic furniture richly decorated with woodcarving. Besides  a desk and a bookshelves it includes a table and a cabinet clock. On the shelves decorative vases from a manufacturer in Delft (19th c.). On the walls there are paintings (from left to right): Italian landscape by Oswald Achenbach (1827-1905), Wanda Tippenhauer (1899-1965) landscapes, and Madam Sternberg Portrait  by  Leonard Winterowski (1886-1927).

16. Elderly lady’s room

The room is fitted with 19th century furniture. Besides necessary pieces, such as the bed and a chest of drawers there are also an escritoire, a coach and armchairs (2nd half of the 19th c.) placed around an oval Louis Philippe style table. At one of the armchairs there is a table with a sewing kit. The decor is complemented with paintings from industrial tycoons´ collections: Madonna and Child (above the chest of drawers) by an unknown painter, Łazienki (above the bed) by Wincent Kasprzycki (1802 – 1849). 

17. Maiden room

The room is closely connected with the person of Anna Maria, whose photograph is hanging on the wall, next to the entrance. Next to the stove, there is a metal bed (early 20th c.) and a bathing corner with a washbowl sitting on a marble top and a mirror. On the top a faience toilet set – end of the 19th century. Furniture in this room also includes a Secessionist-style set of living room furniture: a table, a coach, armchairs, and chairs. On the table and in the display cabinet we can see decorative glassware from the workshop of Emil Gallé (1846-1904). The walls are covered with paintings, e.g.: A Girl Sitting in an Armchair by Jacqes Émile Blanche (1861-1942); left from the window – Girl-Dragonfly by Wilhelm Kotarbiński (1849 - 1921); and above the coach - Krzysia with a Doll by Kazimierz Sichulski (1879-1942). 

18. Guest room

Guest room is fitted with a Secessionist-style set of bedroom furniture consisting of beds, a wardrobe, bedside cabinets, and a washroom  set manufactured in the Łódź furniture factory (19th/20th c.). The washing table hosts a faience toilet set and shaving kit, next to it there is a suitcase with a toilet kit. Placed against the wall there are a coach and armchairs covered with original fabric with chestnut leaves print. On the walls we can see the artworks by Józef Mehoffer (1869-1946) Portrait of Artist’s Wife  and two paintings by Jacek Malczewski: In the Park (above the beds) and In the Garden.