Modus: Prace z historii sztuki (15.2015)

a



5. Vautts of the chapter
houses of: a. Satisbury
Cathedrat; b. Lincoln Cathe-
dra). Photo: author

In Germany, until the early 1320s, when the Malbork Chapter House was under
construction, triradial umbrella vaults had been applied as formal experiments
only in small, secondary spaces like crypts, chapels or chapter houses, and they
were still incomparable to the splendid halls of the Knights. Even the geographic
proximity of the crypt at Nowe is not sufficient to treat it as a decisive inspiration
for the Malbork rooms, notwithstanding the fact that they share some features.
The comparable Southern-German constructions, such as the Summer Refectory
at Bebenhausen (c. 1335) and Chapter Houses at Maulbronn (probably 2"^ quarter
of the 14* century)^ and Eberbach (c. 1345) all come later. When we consider terms
of architectural exuberance, the only notable construction that may have indeed
exerted a general influence on the conception of the Malbork Chapter House is
naturally the I am convinced that Paul Crossley and Norbert NuBbaum
were right to see a direct link between both buildings^, while Becker-Hounslow s
proposition that only a fully identical use of triradials would suffice as proof is
certainly a misconception that undermines the creativity of medieval architects^.
In the Southern Baltic plain, the was the most novel achievement of
the early 14*'' century. We must not forget that it was a splendid addition to the
most important parish church of the entire Hanseatic area, thus it was an attrac-
tive model. The Teutonic Knights and the unknown architects must have seen or
heard of the Liibeck Chapel - a veritable architectural gem. The principal castle of

b

23 This traditional chronology of the Maulbronn Chapter House was questioned by liirgen Michler,
who proves that it was ready by 1273/1274; cf. J. Michler, Dor Kapitelsaal des Zzsferzienser/c/osfers
Maulbronn. Lin Beitrayzur Zisterzienseryotik,"Zeitschrift des Deutschen Vereins fiir Kunstwis-
senschaft", 52/53,1998/1999, pp. 299-321. Still, I do not acknowledge this construction as a direct
source of inspiration for the Malbork Chapter House.
24 Cf. P. Crossley, Lincoln and Baltic, p. 179; N. NuBbaum, Deutsche Kirdienbaukanst der Gotik,
Darmstadti994,pp.151-152.
25 Cf. S. Becker-Hounslow, Malbork, p. 396.

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ARTYKUŁY

Jakub Adamski