DOI Artikel:
Prószyńska, Zuzanna: "Fidem fati - virtute sequemur": The portrait of Stanislaus Augustus with an hourglass
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18942#0006
2. Capricorn Emblem, engraving in Silvestri a Petrasancta, Symbola Heroica, Amstelaedami,
1682 (Phot. Microfilm Dept., of the National Library in Warsaw)
the King's posturę and depicted possessions. Fournier~Sarloveze, Batowski and Niesiołows-
ka- Rothertowa brought up the subject but failed, however, to carry out a complete analysis."13
In reply to this justified stipulation, interpretative attempts were undertaken to discover the
strictly metaphorical meanings of the painting. These studies were initiated by Krzysztof Załęski
who suggested a close link existed between the portrait and masonie symbolism, well known to
the King, a member of the Warsaw masonie lodge operating under the name of Three Helmets.14
Though supported by cogent argument and in itself logical, Zalęskis interpretation may be
questioned on the grounds that the portrait of Stanislaus Augustus was created at a critical
moment, which was by no means conducive to the advocation of progressive ideas and
popularisation of the pattern of sapientia Salomoni; as neither was the concept of the "dispersal
of darkness", so peculiar to the masons. The country's independent existence was, after alI, in
danger, and its futurę was at stake. On the other hand, Jakub Pokora is justified when he warns
that "it is extremely difficult, perhaps even impossible, to identify masonie symbolism in the
works of the Enlightenment for not only is the traditional pre-masonic Solomonic motif (of the
ideał sovereign) superimposed on the masonie motif but also on the principal, rationalistic motif
of the Enlightenment... For this reason, attemps at isolating pure masonie motifs in, for instance,
4
1682 (Phot. Microfilm Dept., of the National Library in Warsaw)
the King's posturę and depicted possessions. Fournier~Sarloveze, Batowski and Niesiołows-
ka- Rothertowa brought up the subject but failed, however, to carry out a complete analysis."13
In reply to this justified stipulation, interpretative attempts were undertaken to discover the
strictly metaphorical meanings of the painting. These studies were initiated by Krzysztof Załęski
who suggested a close link existed between the portrait and masonie symbolism, well known to
the King, a member of the Warsaw masonie lodge operating under the name of Three Helmets.14
Though supported by cogent argument and in itself logical, Zalęskis interpretation may be
questioned on the grounds that the portrait of Stanislaus Augustus was created at a critical
moment, which was by no means conducive to the advocation of progressive ideas and
popularisation of the pattern of sapientia Salomoni; as neither was the concept of the "dispersal
of darkness", so peculiar to the masons. The country's independent existence was, after alI, in
danger, and its futurę was at stake. On the other hand, Jakub Pokora is justified when he warns
that "it is extremely difficult, perhaps even impossible, to identify masonie symbolism in the
works of the Enlightenment for not only is the traditional pre-masonic Solomonic motif (of the
ideał sovereign) superimposed on the masonie motif but also on the principal, rationalistic motif
of the Enlightenment... For this reason, attemps at isolating pure masonie motifs in, for instance,
4