DOI Artikel:
Dąb-Kalinowska, Barbara: XIV-wieczne malowidło koprzywnickie: misterium biblijne i kosmologiczne
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27011#0111
XIV-WIECZNE MALOWIDŁO KOPRZYWNICKIE
79
painting of 1421, by Giovanni da Modena, in the side chapel of St. Petronio Church
in Bologna. This analogy allows us to put forward a hypothesis about the existence
of iconographic archetype whieh has not survived and which could serve as a model
for the artist of the program of the painting in Koprzywnica and also the painting in
Bologna. Thus the painting in Koprzywnica can be treated as the first link in the
deyelopment of the theme of the Liying Cross, the beginning of which should be put
back to at least the end of the fourteenth century. This hypothesis is confirmed by
the existenee of a painting of the Living Cross, created in the end of the fourteenth
century, in Żehra. The simplification and limitation of its composition, in comparison
with the polychromy in Koprzywnica, confirms the fact that the author of the paint-
ing in Żehra was not familiar with the first probable archetype but he only knew
the version in Koprzywnica.
The painting in Koprzywnica, however, divided into two parts, was intended to
give an idea of a thematic unity. The individual motifs are strongly connected, and
thus its composition, from the point of view of iconography, points to the necessity
of reading each element as a part of a unity. Significant here, is the figurę of Mater
Misericordiae connected with the Last Judgement, then the omission of the motif
of Heli in the lower part of the painting and exposure of the motif in the upper
part, and also the motif of Ecclesia and Synagogue close to the Liying Cross which
is connected with the presentation of the Judgement.
The theme of the painting in Koprzywnica is the basie dogma of Christianity
fali and redemption, the punishment for sins and the reward for a Christian life.
The main theme of the Living Cross is Fali and Redemption. The individual motifs
show the division of people into those who are saved, those who are condemned and
those who will be saved by the Holy Cross, symbolising the Last Judgement. The
concept of the composition of the painting based on different, related iconographic
motifs, so popular in the late Middle Ages, seems to be individual and subordinated
to one leading idea: that of Fali and Redemption.
The author of the iconographic program, following the well known. stereotypes,
had created the thematic composition to which no direct analogy could be found.
The polychromy in Koprzywnica undoubtedly gives eyidence of the highly de-
yeloped intellectual and theological culture of the Cistercians in Poland. The poly-
chromy, functioning as a morality, with its didactic value, and because of its very
complicated theological structure, was not ayailable to the ignorant. It was accessible
only for those (the monks) who were permitted to enter the part of a tempie which
-was closed lo “deseerators”.
79
painting of 1421, by Giovanni da Modena, in the side chapel of St. Petronio Church
in Bologna. This analogy allows us to put forward a hypothesis about the existence
of iconographic archetype whieh has not survived and which could serve as a model
for the artist of the program of the painting in Koprzywnica and also the painting in
Bologna. Thus the painting in Koprzywnica can be treated as the first link in the
deyelopment of the theme of the Liying Cross, the beginning of which should be put
back to at least the end of the fourteenth century. This hypothesis is confirmed by
the existenee of a painting of the Living Cross, created in the end of the fourteenth
century, in Żehra. The simplification and limitation of its composition, in comparison
with the polychromy in Koprzywnica, confirms the fact that the author of the paint-
ing in Żehra was not familiar with the first probable archetype but he only knew
the version in Koprzywnica.
The painting in Koprzywnica, however, divided into two parts, was intended to
give an idea of a thematic unity. The individual motifs are strongly connected, and
thus its composition, from the point of view of iconography, points to the necessity
of reading each element as a part of a unity. Significant here, is the figurę of Mater
Misericordiae connected with the Last Judgement, then the omission of the motif
of Heli in the lower part of the painting and exposure of the motif in the upper
part, and also the motif of Ecclesia and Synagogue close to the Liying Cross which
is connected with the presentation of the Judgement.
The theme of the painting in Koprzywnica is the basie dogma of Christianity
fali and redemption, the punishment for sins and the reward for a Christian life.
The main theme of the Living Cross is Fali and Redemption. The individual motifs
show the division of people into those who are saved, those who are condemned and
those who will be saved by the Holy Cross, symbolising the Last Judgement. The
concept of the composition of the painting based on different, related iconographic
motifs, so popular in the late Middle Ages, seems to be individual and subordinated
to one leading idea: that of Fali and Redemption.
The author of the iconographic program, following the well known. stereotypes,
had created the thematic composition to which no direct analogy could be found.
The polychromy in Koprzywnica undoubtedly gives eyidence of the highly de-
yeloped intellectual and theological culture of the Cistercians in Poland. The poly-
chromy, functioning as a morality, with its didactic value, and because of its very
complicated theological structure, was not ayailable to the ignorant. It was accessible
only for those (the monks) who were permitted to enter the part of a tempie which
-was closed lo “deseerators”.