Revitalizing the Archive: A Transformative History of the “Fajans” Museum in Włocławek

This article traces the genesis, dissemination, and reception of the concept behind the “Fajans” Museum in Włocławek, reconstructed on the basis of materials drawn from the Archival Collections of the Faience Department at the Museum of Kujawy and Dobrzyń Lands in Włocławek. The archival inquiry into the non-existent “Fajans” Museum pursues a dual aim: first, to offer a detailed examination of the underlying factors that ultimately thwarted the institution’s establishment; and second, to explore the speculative dimension of what the mu-seum might have become. The text delves into the debates surrounding the museum’s conception during the late socialist era and the period of political transformation, proposing the activation of the archive of this uncreated museum as part of an art historical endeavor. By con-templating potential continuations of what may be regarded as the “Fajans” Museum’s legacy, the article raises the question of transformation within the broader historical context of wom-en’s labor, with particular emphasis on the contributions of faience painters.