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DOI Artikel:Samek, Jan: Italian quadretti in Polish collections
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18938#0040
Jan Samek
ITALIAN QUADRETTI IN POLISH COLLECTIONS
In 1926, Bronisław Gembarzewski included the following information in his valuable book
Muzeum Narodowe iv Warszawie (National Museum in Warsaw), published in Cracow as a volumc
in the series Muzea Polskie (Polish Museums): „Reliąuary with an image of the Assumption
oftheVirgin, 17th c. Sheet silver, gilded, witb white enamel and coral sculptures; height 85x61.
Inv. no. 1175. Donated by Kaz. Barylski", accompanicd by a photograph of the monument1,
In an abridged form („reliąuary of gold, coral and enamel, Venetian school, mid-17th c")
the information was cited by Tadeusz Mańkowski and Stanisław Gebethner in their guide to
the Decorative Arts Department of the National Museum in Warsaw, published in 19392.
I havc had an opportunity to examine the monument in detail, in connection with my studies
of coral in the Polish collections of goldsmithery3. Ilere are the results of my survey.
I. Italian Quadretti in Poland
The smali altar-picce from the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, one of the
earlier acąuisitions (it was purchased before World War II) is executed of gilded sheet silver>
using various techniąues, including repousse work and engraving, with white painted enamel and,
on a large scalę, coral, now and then sculptured (Fig. 1). The dimensions of the ąuadretto are
85 X 61 cm. It has the form of a standing octagon, not regular, but a much elongated one. The
centrę of the composition includes a coral statuę of the Virgin and Chiłd surrounded by the
Adoration of Angels, and winged cherub heads, the former and the latter executed in coral..
The statuę is also surrounded by six symbols of the Virgin derived from the Litany of Our Lady
of Loretto. Pointed and undulating rays, variously treated, are shown spreading from the image
of the Virgin. The whole is placed within a profiled frame, richly decorated with coral, witłi
triangular lacy superimpositions, varying in size. The broader ones, oceur along the axes of
the sides, and narrower ones, in the corners of the altar-piece. Besides, a lacy coping, whose
shape may be embraced within a triangle, is placed in the top section. It should be added that
the aceretions are composcd of floral elements. The weakly deve!oped cartiłaginous ornament
oceurring in the ąuadretto permits us to estabhsh the date of the monument as the second ąuarter
of the 17th century.
1. B. Gembarzewski, Museum Narodowe w Warszawie, Muzea Polskie III, Kraków, 1926, p. 16, n° 99.
2. T. Mańkowski, S. Gebethner, Przewodnik po dziale sztuki zdobniczej Muzeum Narodowego w Warszawie (Guide to the De-
corative Arts Department of the National Museum in Warsaw), Warszawa, 1938, Table IX a.
3. Cf. J. Samek, „Monstrancja paulińska z r. 1706 i relacja o niej Benedykta Chmielowskiego oraz koral w rzemiośle artys-
tycznym w Polsce" („Paulite Monstrance from 1706 and Benedykt Chmielowskfs Account of it; Coral in Polish Arts andi
Crafts"), Folia Historiae Artium, X, 1974, p. 156, note 32.
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ITALIAN QUADRETTI IN POLISH COLLECTIONS
In 1926, Bronisław Gembarzewski included the following information in his valuable book
Muzeum Narodowe iv Warszawie (National Museum in Warsaw), published in Cracow as a volumc
in the series Muzea Polskie (Polish Museums): „Reliąuary with an image of the Assumption
oftheVirgin, 17th c. Sheet silver, gilded, witb white enamel and coral sculptures; height 85x61.
Inv. no. 1175. Donated by Kaz. Barylski", accompanicd by a photograph of the monument1,
In an abridged form („reliąuary of gold, coral and enamel, Venetian school, mid-17th c")
the information was cited by Tadeusz Mańkowski and Stanisław Gebethner in their guide to
the Decorative Arts Department of the National Museum in Warsaw, published in 19392.
I havc had an opportunity to examine the monument in detail, in connection with my studies
of coral in the Polish collections of goldsmithery3. Ilere are the results of my survey.
I. Italian Quadretti in Poland
The smali altar-picce from the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, one of the
earlier acąuisitions (it was purchased before World War II) is executed of gilded sheet silver>
using various techniąues, including repousse work and engraving, with white painted enamel and,
on a large scalę, coral, now and then sculptured (Fig. 1). The dimensions of the ąuadretto are
85 X 61 cm. It has the form of a standing octagon, not regular, but a much elongated one. The
centrę of the composition includes a coral statuę of the Virgin and Chiłd surrounded by the
Adoration of Angels, and winged cherub heads, the former and the latter executed in coral..
The statuę is also surrounded by six symbols of the Virgin derived from the Litany of Our Lady
of Loretto. Pointed and undulating rays, variously treated, are shown spreading from the image
of the Virgin. The whole is placed within a profiled frame, richly decorated with coral, witłi
triangular lacy superimpositions, varying in size. The broader ones, oceur along the axes of
the sides, and narrower ones, in the corners of the altar-piece. Besides, a lacy coping, whose
shape may be embraced within a triangle, is placed in the top section. It should be added that
the aceretions are composcd of floral elements. The weakly deve!oped cartiłaginous ornament
oceurring in the ąuadretto permits us to estabhsh the date of the monument as the second ąuarter
of the 17th century.
1. B. Gembarzewski, Museum Narodowe w Warszawie, Muzea Polskie III, Kraków, 1926, p. 16, n° 99.
2. T. Mańkowski, S. Gebethner, Przewodnik po dziale sztuki zdobniczej Muzeum Narodowego w Warszawie (Guide to the De-
corative Arts Department of the National Museum in Warsaw), Warszawa, 1938, Table IX a.
3. Cf. J. Samek, „Monstrancja paulińska z r. 1706 i relacja o niej Benedykta Chmielowskiego oraz koral w rzemiośle artys-
tycznym w Polsce" („Paulite Monstrance from 1706 and Benedykt Chmielowskfs Account of it; Coral in Polish Arts andi
Crafts"), Folia Historiae Artium, X, 1974, p. 156, note 32.
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