Bulletin du Musée National de Varsovie (6.1965)

The setof seven scenes on each wing is framed at the edges of tlie piaque by the strip of car-
ved letters of an inscription, włiich reads as follows:

OPAC OT\QC TA <t>T>IKTA «6IQN -OAYMAU^N
+TA HQ,)KVA 7fe7T\(XTHK-£ TAYTA TWZIA
+MH THN T6XNHN -QAYM(*)2€ TON A'67TrC7ATHN

OC TVDAXA T€YZ€ TCPHNA NO) AMCTIP^)^

feK. TCH T£XNITOY TGP^IN OYfiGN AXXOT\
+€Z \i)NA€ CAPKI XWCTOC O -©€OC <J>yg6i

mntvc tt>YrHC(v) kai ća4>h cwhp1an

Look,how the horrors of divine miracles

have enriched these smali plaąues.

Do not admire the art, but the principai

who madę so many delightful things by his acute mind.

The second defective tetrastich stresses the humble attitude of the carver by the explanation
that it is Christ and not the artist from whom all pleasure comes. At the end the artiste.K-
presses his hope for obtaining Salvation.

Analogically to the bordered obverses, the reverses of the wings are framid by a band of
flatly carved ornament (a leaf-scroll consisted of half-palmettes growing from a double undu-
lated stem). The decoration of the inner surface is of the character of a pattern engraved with
a double line. The central and dominant motive is here the cross with flaring arms, of which
the transversal are shorter than the upper one and the latter — than the loot. The crossing
of the arms is marked by a disc. Two smaller discs adorn the corners of the arms, while the third
elings at the axis of the arm to the concavc edge that joins the corners. From the central disc
of the foot two half-palmettes symmetrically grow. The cross raises upon the five-stepped py-
ramidal pedestal. Above the transversal beam the monograms IC XC are incised with the con-
traction marks, below it, in similar symmetrical disposition, the syllables NI KA appeai.

Above the cross a circulas medallion is partially inscribed into the tympan of the wing. It
is filled with an ornamental cross-motive composed of four stylized lilies, growing eoncentri-
cally from the peryphery of the medallion.

The text of the inscriptions of the obverses does not include any peculiarity that could throw
light on the provenance of the diptych. The palaeographical analysis allows to push the date
of the work back to the XIth century. To this period also the carver's linguistic errors may
Łelong that witness to the insafficiency of his education (especially, the phonetic transcription

fejL (pHX>-€ for %ic rq)ND;e )6- . . .

In view of such scarce indications furmshed by the inscriptions the mc:ii arguments for dating
•of the diptych and determining its artistic origins must be drawn from the analysis of the style
and iconography of the images and of the sccpe of the iconographic program.

The tiny figures of the obverses, souat and, as their dimensions are reduced, even grotesque,
step rigidly on their massive feet directiy upon the lower edge of the compartments, turn
-en irois-quarts toward the centrę of the scenę or place themselves frontally, without contrapposlo.
Their big heads, mounted on stooped, too narrow bodies. are bordered with thick bair.
All the faces arg exponents of a characteristic physiognomical type with oval outline, Iow fore-
Łead, intensely looking eyes, arched eyebrows. straight flattened nose, fleshy lower lip and
roundcd chin. In the faces of women Eastern ethnic features are incontestable.

<>. I base myself on the optaion of Professor CA. Trypanis The similar opinion was expressed by ProFessor I. Sevćenko.
9C>