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DOI Artikel:Ström, Emilia: Pierścień i nić. Próba atrybucji portretu z Gripsholmu
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.34475#0049
PIERŚCIEŃ I NIĆ. PRÓBA ATRYBUCJI PORTRETU Z GRIPSHOLMU
43
paled however in the shadow of Cecilia's long,
eventful and adventurous life. In 1564, Poland's
greatest 16th-century poet, Jan Kochanowski,
probably commissioned by the late count's relative,
composed a eulogy: titled To tAe zneznozy o/tAe nzoA
AonozznoA/e Ton Roptzkto, cozznt o/*71gC2y^.
In one verse, he writes of Tęczyński: L.. otAez^
wz7/ come to ... coyt yorzz" /doe z'n bronze'.
Kochanowski is referring here to yet another
remembrance of this Polish-Swedish romance; i.e. a
medal portraying Jan Baptista on one side and
Cecilia on the other, both depicted in half-length
profile. The inscriptions state: AGHA7VEK
COMESA. EEVC/ZV and CECYA/d. AP/ACEA.S'
respectively.
EAe zzzer/zz/ nzzz/ /zzzztzvzit
Most scholars are unanimous in attributing this
unsigned medal to Steven van Herwijck, a medal
engraver from the Low Countries working in
England. His signed pieces, such as the medal of
Queen Elizabeth dated ca. 1564, reveal common
stylistic characteristics with the Cecilia - Tęczyński
medal.
Kochanowski writes in his eulogy: 'JEntzy wAo
rzYey over tAe /zzycz'ony dncono, Yz'ytonty znany
y/eayzzz^aA/e znoznenty witA tnozzA/eyz' ...'. Another
version of the medal shows Cecilia on one side, while
on the other is depicted Aphrodite/Venus. It is a
mourning Venus, captured here with swelling waves
on a stormy sea in the background. She is sitting on a
sarcophagus and is leaning her left arm on an um.
Both versions of the medals were struck many times
in different materials, hence the quality varies.
The Cecilia-Aphrodite medal in silver, owned by
the Royal Coin Cabinet, is worth comparison with
the Gripsholm portrait. Both women have several
characteristic facial features in common: a long Eat
forehead and narrow face, straight and somewhat
pointed nose with pronounced nostrils and a small
round chin with protruding features under the lips.
The coiffure is also very similar. It is also worth
pointing out that the medal from the Emeryk Hutten-
Czapski collection in Cracow differs from the
Cecilia-Aphrodite medal and the Cecilia-Jan
Baptista medal from the Royal Coin Cabinet in
Stockholm in one detail. On the Cracow medal, there
is a small round object on Cecilia's band hanging
round her neck, this probably being a ring.
Is the portrait from Gripsholm a depiction of
Cecilia Vasa? It is very probable that a portrait of the
princess was commissioned in connection with the
medal.
Steven van Herwijck had very well documented
contacts with John Dymock, jeweller, merchant and
adventurer who personally had a good deal in
common with George North. Steven van Herwijck's
widow and children lived in a house in 1568 that was
owned by Dymock. Steven van Herwijck also made
a medal representing Dymock's wife, Maria Newce.
In addition, John Dymock played an important role
as a political representative when he came to
Sweden in 1561 as Queen Elizabeth's 'yezurznt'
together with a WetAen/anYiyA paz'ntezQ also called
Master Steffan. This person is known as Steven van
der Meulen and was the painter of Erik XIV's well-
known betrothal portrait from 1561.
In 1561, George North wrote a book about
Sweden and visited the country in 1562. Three years
later, he accompanied Cecilia and her husband,
Christopher of Baden, to London. Dymock and
North were both untrustworthy liars. Dymock was
imprisoned both in Sweden and England on several
occasions. They were both also ruthless creditors to
Cecilia both during and after her stay in England.
In his recently published article EAe iYentz'E o/
"tAe yAznozzy payntez- Eteven", Bendor Grosvenor
claims that Steven van Herwijck was a medal
engraver as well as portrait painter. According to
Grosvenor, he is identical to the artist known as
Steven van der Meulen. Grosvenor's research is of
great importance for the hypothesis presented here
concerning the Gripsholm portrait. The painting
could thus have been commissioned to Steven van
Herwijck at the same time as the medal. The
commissioner could have been Tęczyński or his
family who contacted van Herwijck through John
Dymock or George North. It is most probable,
however, that Tęczyński met van Herwijck
personally during the artist's long sojourn of several
months in Poland in 1561/1562; probably in Vilna
where he minted medals of Sigismund I, Sigismund
August and Bona Sforza. The woman's hanging ring
attached to the band of the ruff is the proof that
supports the claim.
7Ae zi/zg
In his eulogy, Kochanowski compares Cecilia
and Jan Baptista with Theseus and Ariadne who,
with her ball of string, saved Theseus from the
Minotaur's labyrinth. The poet writes the following
at the moment when the count leaves Poland to
return to Sweden:
'Ezzt rezninYyozzryey'o/' wAatyozz pz^oznz'yeY tAe
Aeazztz/zz/ Ceci/ia,
RAen yozz yet/ozdA to yaz7 to EweYen,
Y7az*Y not to z^eca//, Love cazwey into tAe
YiazzzonY
hozzryfzznozzy wozAy q/"pz-*az'ye, anY /ay tAeye
zznYez* tAe AeazA.
43
paled however in the shadow of Cecilia's long,
eventful and adventurous life. In 1564, Poland's
greatest 16th-century poet, Jan Kochanowski,
probably commissioned by the late count's relative,
composed a eulogy: titled To tAe zneznozy o/tAe nzoA
AonozznoA/e Ton Roptzkto, cozznt o/*71gC2y^.
In one verse, he writes of Tęczyński: L.. otAez^
wz7/ come to ... coyt yorzz" /doe z'n bronze'.
Kochanowski is referring here to yet another
remembrance of this Polish-Swedish romance; i.e. a
medal portraying Jan Baptista on one side and
Cecilia on the other, both depicted in half-length
profile. The inscriptions state: AGHA7VEK
COMESA. EEVC/ZV and CECYA/d. AP/ACEA.S'
respectively.
EAe zzzer/zz/ nzzz/ /zzzztzvzit
Most scholars are unanimous in attributing this
unsigned medal to Steven van Herwijck, a medal
engraver from the Low Countries working in
England. His signed pieces, such as the medal of
Queen Elizabeth dated ca. 1564, reveal common
stylistic characteristics with the Cecilia - Tęczyński
medal.
Kochanowski writes in his eulogy: 'JEntzy wAo
rzYey over tAe /zzycz'ony dncono, Yz'ytonty znany
y/eayzzz^aA/e znoznenty witA tnozzA/eyz' ...'. Another
version of the medal shows Cecilia on one side, while
on the other is depicted Aphrodite/Venus. It is a
mourning Venus, captured here with swelling waves
on a stormy sea in the background. She is sitting on a
sarcophagus and is leaning her left arm on an um.
Both versions of the medals were struck many times
in different materials, hence the quality varies.
The Cecilia-Aphrodite medal in silver, owned by
the Royal Coin Cabinet, is worth comparison with
the Gripsholm portrait. Both women have several
characteristic facial features in common: a long Eat
forehead and narrow face, straight and somewhat
pointed nose with pronounced nostrils and a small
round chin with protruding features under the lips.
The coiffure is also very similar. It is also worth
pointing out that the medal from the Emeryk Hutten-
Czapski collection in Cracow differs from the
Cecilia-Aphrodite medal and the Cecilia-Jan
Baptista medal from the Royal Coin Cabinet in
Stockholm in one detail. On the Cracow medal, there
is a small round object on Cecilia's band hanging
round her neck, this probably being a ring.
Is the portrait from Gripsholm a depiction of
Cecilia Vasa? It is very probable that a portrait of the
princess was commissioned in connection with the
medal.
Steven van Herwijck had very well documented
contacts with John Dymock, jeweller, merchant and
adventurer who personally had a good deal in
common with George North. Steven van Herwijck's
widow and children lived in a house in 1568 that was
owned by Dymock. Steven van Herwijck also made
a medal representing Dymock's wife, Maria Newce.
In addition, John Dymock played an important role
as a political representative when he came to
Sweden in 1561 as Queen Elizabeth's 'yezurznt'
together with a WetAen/anYiyA paz'ntezQ also called
Master Steffan. This person is known as Steven van
der Meulen and was the painter of Erik XIV's well-
known betrothal portrait from 1561.
In 1561, George North wrote a book about
Sweden and visited the country in 1562. Three years
later, he accompanied Cecilia and her husband,
Christopher of Baden, to London. Dymock and
North were both untrustworthy liars. Dymock was
imprisoned both in Sweden and England on several
occasions. They were both also ruthless creditors to
Cecilia both during and after her stay in England.
In his recently published article EAe iYentz'E o/
"tAe yAznozzy payntez- Eteven", Bendor Grosvenor
claims that Steven van Herwijck was a medal
engraver as well as portrait painter. According to
Grosvenor, he is identical to the artist known as
Steven van der Meulen. Grosvenor's research is of
great importance for the hypothesis presented here
concerning the Gripsholm portrait. The painting
could thus have been commissioned to Steven van
Herwijck at the same time as the medal. The
commissioner could have been Tęczyński or his
family who contacted van Herwijck through John
Dymock or George North. It is most probable,
however, that Tęczyński met van Herwijck
personally during the artist's long sojourn of several
months in Poland in 1561/1562; probably in Vilna
where he minted medals of Sigismund I, Sigismund
August and Bona Sforza. The woman's hanging ring
attached to the band of the ruff is the proof that
supports the claim.
7Ae zi/zg
In his eulogy, Kochanowski compares Cecilia
and Jan Baptista with Theseus and Ariadne who,
with her ball of string, saved Theseus from the
Minotaur's labyrinth. The poet writes the following
at the moment when the count leaves Poland to
return to Sweden:
'Ezzt rezninYyozzryey'o/' wAatyozz pz^oznz'yeY tAe
Aeazztz/zz/ Ceci/ia,
RAen yozz yet/ozdA to yaz7 to EweYen,
Y7az*Y not to z^eca//, Love cazwey into tAe
YiazzzonY
hozzryfzznozzy wozAy q/"pz-*az'ye, anY /ay tAeye
zznYez* tAe AeazA.