DOI issue:
Nr. 1
DOI article:Pokora, Jakub: Wazowskie enigmata: wieńce Zygmunta i obeliski Władysława oraz kłódka Jana Kazimierza
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49349#0046
40
Jakub Pokora
cussed entirely on didactical and moral themes. This
subject is also taken up by the author who has addi-
tional observations of his own. Among other qu-
estions, he draws attention to the symbolicism of the
hierogramme IHS, which here has a classical me-
aning: In Hoc Signo fyinces). Thanks to this craving
for power, ambitio was depicted in a positive light as
being elevated by faith in God. The author emphasi-
ses the clarity ofthis symbol as expressed in a figure
reaching up for its conquered reward, calling to mind
tournaments by scrambling up the pillar in order to
grab its prize, as organised in festivals and Whit Sun-
day-Pentecost celebrations. In concluding this part
of the article, the author notes that the meaning of
Ladislaus is evidently linked to the prophecy of Georg
Joachim Rheticus, a physician, alchemist and astrolo-
ger who in 1564 became a courtesan to Sigismund II
Augustus. Ladislaus was predicted to be assigned the
place of the monarch defined as gloria succedens.
In the article's final part reference is made to the
coronation medal of John II Casimir from 1649. On
the obverse is presented a crowned small sheaf — coat
of arms of the Vasa dynasty, placed in the palm of an
armed Divine Arm; the stem contains an inscription:
DOMINVS ASSYMPSIT ME (Ps. 26, 10). On the
reverse is depicted a combination lock with the ci-
pher IOANES KAZIMIRVS, composed by the same
Hand, as commented with the words COMPACTVM
EST DESVPER and CORONAT' ANNO 1649 D.
17 IANV. The notion ofthis most original memoriał
of the coronation related to the king's biography. It
was based on a homonym of CLAVSTRUM, signi-
fying 'monastery' or 'combination lock' (Polish:
kłódka). In this way the sudden and embittering re-
jection by the royal heir John Casimir of the Jesuit
monastery in Loreto in 1645: in the name of Provi-
dence the noviate had interrupted his education in
order to ascend the throne. In further reflections, the
author discusses in brief the motif of the combina-
tion lock in 16th- and 17th-century emblematics,
emphasising that most frequently it is a symbol of
purity and the Immaculate Conception.
In conclusion, the author presents his arguments
against the attitude adopted by etymologists in who-
se opinion in Chrisitan times first names have lost
their semantic meaning. The article presented here
demonstrates that Christian names have not ceased
to be a substitute for the person, of which confirma-
tion is to be found in the bible and especially in the
case of Simon-Peter (Mt. 16,18).
Translated by Peter Martyn
1. The Sigismund Column, 1644. Photo. Royal
Castle in Warsaw
2. Posthumous medal of Sigismund III depicting
a personification of Faith, by Alessandro Abondio
(?) 1632. Photo. National Museum in Warsaw
3. Medal of Sigismund August depicting a
personification of Faith, ca. 1568. Photo. National
Museums Cracow and Poznań
4. Medal of Sigismund III, 1588. Photo. Royal
Castle in Warsaw
5. Motto of Sigismund III: COELITVS SVBLIMIA
DANTVR. After Typotius, 1601
6. Sigismund as Victor Pacificus, copperplate
ca. 1610-20. Photo. National Museum in Warsaw
7. Medal John Cazimir marking the Peace of Oliwa
of 1660, by J. Hoehn the younger. Photo. Royal
Castle in Warsaw
8. a, b. Medal Crown Thalar of Sigismund III, 1623.
Photo. Royal Castle in Warsaw
9. Surmounting of the lantern of the Sigismund
Chapel, 1526. Photo. J. Szandomirski.
10. a, b. Medal of the Prince Regent Ladislaus
Sigismund, designed almost certainly by Alessandro
Abondio, 1624. Photo. Royal Castle in Warsaw
11. a, b. Coronation badge of Ladislaus IV, 1633.
Photo. Royal Castle in Warsaw
12. Portrait of the Prince Regent Ladislaus Sigi-
smund, 1625, copperplate by L. Kilian after M. Gun-
delach. Photo. National Museum in Warsaw
13. Design for a monument of Ladislaus IV for the
Vasa Forum in Warsaw, ca. 1646, drawing by G. B.
Gisleni ca. 1668. Photo. Royal Castle in Warsaw
14. Frontispiece of S. Kobierzyck ’s Historia Vladi-
slai [...] Princeps, 1655, copperplate by J. van
Meurs.
15. Commemoration plaque of Ladislaus IV, post-
1648, in the postCamedulite church in the current
Warsaw suburb of Bielany. Photo. Royal Castle in
Warsaw
16. The impresse of Ladislaus 11 the Jagiellonian as
king of Bohemia and Hungary. After Typotius, 1601
17. Emblem SI RECTE FACIES. After Rollenhagen,
1613
18. Coronation medal of John Cazimir, 1 649. After
Raczyński
19. Emblem SOR TE A VT LABORE, impresse ofHo-
norius de Bellis. After Petrasancti, 1634
20. Emblem SIJ WEET 'TSECREET. After van Vis-
scher, 1614
21. Emblem VNI PATET VERBO. After Petrasancti,
1634
Jakub Pokora
cussed entirely on didactical and moral themes. This
subject is also taken up by the author who has addi-
tional observations of his own. Among other qu-
estions, he draws attention to the symbolicism of the
hierogramme IHS, which here has a classical me-
aning: In Hoc Signo fyinces). Thanks to this craving
for power, ambitio was depicted in a positive light as
being elevated by faith in God. The author emphasi-
ses the clarity ofthis symbol as expressed in a figure
reaching up for its conquered reward, calling to mind
tournaments by scrambling up the pillar in order to
grab its prize, as organised in festivals and Whit Sun-
day-Pentecost celebrations. In concluding this part
of the article, the author notes that the meaning of
Ladislaus is evidently linked to the prophecy of Georg
Joachim Rheticus, a physician, alchemist and astrolo-
ger who in 1564 became a courtesan to Sigismund II
Augustus. Ladislaus was predicted to be assigned the
place of the monarch defined as gloria succedens.
In the article's final part reference is made to the
coronation medal of John II Casimir from 1649. On
the obverse is presented a crowned small sheaf — coat
of arms of the Vasa dynasty, placed in the palm of an
armed Divine Arm; the stem contains an inscription:
DOMINVS ASSYMPSIT ME (Ps. 26, 10). On the
reverse is depicted a combination lock with the ci-
pher IOANES KAZIMIRVS, composed by the same
Hand, as commented with the words COMPACTVM
EST DESVPER and CORONAT' ANNO 1649 D.
17 IANV. The notion ofthis most original memoriał
of the coronation related to the king's biography. It
was based on a homonym of CLAVSTRUM, signi-
fying 'monastery' or 'combination lock' (Polish:
kłódka). In this way the sudden and embittering re-
jection by the royal heir John Casimir of the Jesuit
monastery in Loreto in 1645: in the name of Provi-
dence the noviate had interrupted his education in
order to ascend the throne. In further reflections, the
author discusses in brief the motif of the combina-
tion lock in 16th- and 17th-century emblematics,
emphasising that most frequently it is a symbol of
purity and the Immaculate Conception.
In conclusion, the author presents his arguments
against the attitude adopted by etymologists in who-
se opinion in Chrisitan times first names have lost
their semantic meaning. The article presented here
demonstrates that Christian names have not ceased
to be a substitute for the person, of which confirma-
tion is to be found in the bible and especially in the
case of Simon-Peter (Mt. 16,18).
Translated by Peter Martyn
1. The Sigismund Column, 1644. Photo. Royal
Castle in Warsaw
2. Posthumous medal of Sigismund III depicting
a personification of Faith, by Alessandro Abondio
(?) 1632. Photo. National Museum in Warsaw
3. Medal of Sigismund August depicting a
personification of Faith, ca. 1568. Photo. National
Museums Cracow and Poznań
4. Medal of Sigismund III, 1588. Photo. Royal
Castle in Warsaw
5. Motto of Sigismund III: COELITVS SVBLIMIA
DANTVR. After Typotius, 1601
6. Sigismund as Victor Pacificus, copperplate
ca. 1610-20. Photo. National Museum in Warsaw
7. Medal John Cazimir marking the Peace of Oliwa
of 1660, by J. Hoehn the younger. Photo. Royal
Castle in Warsaw
8. a, b. Medal Crown Thalar of Sigismund III, 1623.
Photo. Royal Castle in Warsaw
9. Surmounting of the lantern of the Sigismund
Chapel, 1526. Photo. J. Szandomirski.
10. a, b. Medal of the Prince Regent Ladislaus
Sigismund, designed almost certainly by Alessandro
Abondio, 1624. Photo. Royal Castle in Warsaw
11. a, b. Coronation badge of Ladislaus IV, 1633.
Photo. Royal Castle in Warsaw
12. Portrait of the Prince Regent Ladislaus Sigi-
smund, 1625, copperplate by L. Kilian after M. Gun-
delach. Photo. National Museum in Warsaw
13. Design for a monument of Ladislaus IV for the
Vasa Forum in Warsaw, ca. 1646, drawing by G. B.
Gisleni ca. 1668. Photo. Royal Castle in Warsaw
14. Frontispiece of S. Kobierzyck ’s Historia Vladi-
slai [...] Princeps, 1655, copperplate by J. van
Meurs.
15. Commemoration plaque of Ladislaus IV, post-
1648, in the postCamedulite church in the current
Warsaw suburb of Bielany. Photo. Royal Castle in
Warsaw
16. The impresse of Ladislaus 11 the Jagiellonian as
king of Bohemia and Hungary. After Typotius, 1601
17. Emblem SI RECTE FACIES. After Rollenhagen,
1613
18. Coronation medal of John Cazimir, 1 649. After
Raczyński
19. Emblem SOR TE A VT LABORE, impresse ofHo-
norius de Bellis. After Petrasancti, 1634
20. Emblem SIJ WEET 'TSECREET. After van Vis-
scher, 1614
21. Emblem VNI PATET VERBO. After Petrasancti,
1634