Citation link:
https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/bhs1987/0114
TADEUSZ JURKOWLANIEC
boing an example of ono of the oldest ways of portraying the
adoration of Christ present in the sacraments, shows the idea
of the connection between the Epiphany and the Eucharist.
Simultaneously, tho bolief in Mary's connections with the
Eucharist has been presented.
*
In the Middle Ages alabaster was chiefly used in England.
The most important deposits of this stone were found near
Nottingham. The alabaster quarried there has a characteristic-
cally milky white colour with mottling of orange-brown. But
although the Brodnica panel has such features, they do not
prove the English origin of the relief, since, as it is known,
in the Middle Ages both alabaster carvings and blocks of this
stone were exported. Stylistic and formal characteristics of
the Brodnica relief make it possible to state that it comes
from the second half of the 14th century and most likely
from its third quarter. At the present state of knowledge
about latter 14th century art, we must assume that the Brod-
nica panel was imported and include it among the hitherto
not very well known collection of English alabaster carvings
from the second half of the 14th century.
*
The Reformation in England put an end to the alabaster-
man manufactures and caused the removal of church deco-
ration. It is therefore not known if the panels with the Ado-
ration of the Magi from Brodnica, Bottenbroich, Paderborn,
Kónigsberg, Gdańsk, and Żukowo were brought there im-
mediately after they were carved (if we assume all of them
were English works), or only in the 16th century. It does not
seem probable that the panel was imported to Brodnica in
the 16th century, because at that time the dominant role in
that town's life was played by Protestants. If the table came
to Brodnica earlier, two questions arise: i.e. which of the
medieval Brodnica churches it is from — the parish church,
the chapel at tho Teutonic Knights' castle, the hospital at
the church of tho Holy Ghost or tho now obscure nunnery —
and what function it served there. Originally, the panel was
probably part of the main altar retable of the castle chapel,
which was consecrated in 1339 and devoted to 88. Corporis
Christi et beatisaimae Dei genetricis Mariae Virginis gloriose.
The Eucharistic and Marian themes of the relief as well as
later descriptions of the castle oratory, which had been ne-
glected by the Brodnica Protestant authorities, speak in
favour of such a hypothesis. The altar probably represented
the type of alabaster retable extant in Christchurch, Hamp-
shire, i.e. an architectonic stone construction with an ala-
baster relief of the Magi in the main part and a figure of
Mary with the Christ Child and a crucifix at the top. The
Brodnica castle was tern down in 1787—1789. Fragments
of the relief and some of the material from the demolition
of the castle were probably used in the renovation of the
parish church, which took place between 1788 and the first
half of 1790.
Translated by Marzen na Bączkowska
boing an example of ono of the oldest ways of portraying the
adoration of Christ present in the sacraments, shows the idea
of the connection between the Epiphany and the Eucharist.
Simultaneously, tho bolief in Mary's connections with the
Eucharist has been presented.
*
In the Middle Ages alabaster was chiefly used in England.
The most important deposits of this stone were found near
Nottingham. The alabaster quarried there has a characteristic-
cally milky white colour with mottling of orange-brown. But
although the Brodnica panel has such features, they do not
prove the English origin of the relief, since, as it is known,
in the Middle Ages both alabaster carvings and blocks of this
stone were exported. Stylistic and formal characteristics of
the Brodnica relief make it possible to state that it comes
from the second half of the 14th century and most likely
from its third quarter. At the present state of knowledge
about latter 14th century art, we must assume that the Brod-
nica panel was imported and include it among the hitherto
not very well known collection of English alabaster carvings
from the second half of the 14th century.
*
The Reformation in England put an end to the alabaster-
man manufactures and caused the removal of church deco-
ration. It is therefore not known if the panels with the Ado-
ration of the Magi from Brodnica, Bottenbroich, Paderborn,
Kónigsberg, Gdańsk, and Żukowo were brought there im-
mediately after they were carved (if we assume all of them
were English works), or only in the 16th century. It does not
seem probable that the panel was imported to Brodnica in
the 16th century, because at that time the dominant role in
that town's life was played by Protestants. If the table came
to Brodnica earlier, two questions arise: i.e. which of the
medieval Brodnica churches it is from — the parish church,
the chapel at tho Teutonic Knights' castle, the hospital at
the church of tho Holy Ghost or tho now obscure nunnery —
and what function it served there. Originally, the panel was
probably part of the main altar retable of the castle chapel,
which was consecrated in 1339 and devoted to 88. Corporis
Christi et beatisaimae Dei genetricis Mariae Virginis gloriose.
The Eucharistic and Marian themes of the relief as well as
later descriptions of the castle oratory, which had been ne-
glected by the Brodnica Protestant authorities, speak in
favour of such a hypothesis. The altar probably represented
the type of alabaster retable extant in Christchurch, Hamp-
shire, i.e. an architectonic stone construction with an ala-
baster relief of the Magi in the main part and a figure of
Mary with the Christ Child and a crucifix at the top. The
Brodnica castle was tern down in 1787—1789. Fragments
of the relief and some of the material from the demolition
of the castle were probably used in the renovation of the
parish church, which took place between 1788 and the first
half of 1790.
Translated by Marzen na Bączkowska