DOI Artikel:
Adamski, Jakub: The influence of 13th - and 14th century English architecture in the Southern Baltic region and Poland
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31348#0066
a
31. Ground plans:
a.Gdańsk,Carmelite
Church; b. Pruszcz Gdański,
Holy Cross. Drawing: author
Chełmża and Gosławice. They are the new rib
constructions replacing the accidentally de-
stroyed mid-i4^-century vaults in the choirs
of St Marys Parish Church (Fig. 29a) and of
St Catherines Augustinian Church at Cra-
cows sister town of Kazimierz*"" (Figs. 29b,
30). The former was erected by Master Czipser
(Zipser) from Kazimierz, in compliance with
the contract signed in 1442. Unfortunately, it
was barbarously altered during the renovation
of the church in 1889, when its rich design was
simplified to the pattern of a four-pointed star
with no diagonals. The latter vault could have
been constructed by the same master mason
before 1450 after the earthquake in 1443, and
was founded by a member of the Ligęza fami-
ly (perhaps John from Bobrek Ligęza), which
may be confirmed by numerous bosses with
their Pófkoztc coats of arms. The common
feature of both vaults is the use of triangle
rib extensions based on the formerets, but the
basic pattern of both constructions is slightly
different. At St Mary s it was an exact copy of
the Canterbury lierne stars in a "continental" version simplified at Seeon, while
with St Catherines we deal with a sequence of eight-pointed stars devoid of ridge
ribs. However, the common authorship of both vaults is almost certain. It is not
without significance that Master Czipser was the burgher of Kazimierz where the
Augustinian Convent is located.
The author of both constructions was probably well acquainted with Euro-
pean architecture. He probably knew not only the English lierne vaults, either
directly from Canterbury or indirectly from Seeon, but also a typically Prussian
version of the eight-pointed star pattern, particularly popular in the State of the
Teutonic Order since the great reconstruction of the Upper Castle Chapel at
Malbork in 1331-1344, and especially around 1400*°*. It is also worth noting that
the first lierne stars were used in Cracow as early as in the late 1430s, although
limited in size and thus of an experimental character. Again, it was all thanks to
the building activity of Bishop Zbigniew Oleśnicki, since we are referring here
to the northernmost bay of the eastern walk of the Franciscan Cloister (probably
before 1436) and the ground floor of the Clock Tower of the Cracow Cathedral
(1437), here in a simpler version with no triangular ridge cells*"L They were
probably inspired by the same sources, most likely by Chełmża and Gosławice,
and acted as a catalyst for master Czipser s interest in lierne vaults, which were
100 See my monographic study: J. Adamski, Nurty stylowe.
101 S. Becker-Hounslow, Der Beitrag, pp. 211-222; C. Herrmann, Mittehdterh'che Architektur z'ra
Preusseu/azid, pp. 103-104. About the 14^-century phase of the Malbork Chapel see: S. Skibiński,
Raph'ca za Zamku Wysokim w Maihorku, Poznań 1982, pp. 88-120.
102 M. Walczak, Remarks, pp. 43-44; idem, Dziafalnosc/undacyina biskupa krakowskiego, pars two,
pp. 68-71; idem, Przemiany architektoniczne katedry, pp. 7-21.
64
ARTYKUŁY
Jakub Adamski
31. Ground plans:
a.Gdańsk,Carmelite
Church; b. Pruszcz Gdański,
Holy Cross. Drawing: author
Chełmża and Gosławice. They are the new rib
constructions replacing the accidentally de-
stroyed mid-i4^-century vaults in the choirs
of St Marys Parish Church (Fig. 29a) and of
St Catherines Augustinian Church at Cra-
cows sister town of Kazimierz*"" (Figs. 29b,
30). The former was erected by Master Czipser
(Zipser) from Kazimierz, in compliance with
the contract signed in 1442. Unfortunately, it
was barbarously altered during the renovation
of the church in 1889, when its rich design was
simplified to the pattern of a four-pointed star
with no diagonals. The latter vault could have
been constructed by the same master mason
before 1450 after the earthquake in 1443, and
was founded by a member of the Ligęza fami-
ly (perhaps John from Bobrek Ligęza), which
may be confirmed by numerous bosses with
their Pófkoztc coats of arms. The common
feature of both vaults is the use of triangle
rib extensions based on the formerets, but the
basic pattern of both constructions is slightly
different. At St Mary s it was an exact copy of
the Canterbury lierne stars in a "continental" version simplified at Seeon, while
with St Catherines we deal with a sequence of eight-pointed stars devoid of ridge
ribs. However, the common authorship of both vaults is almost certain. It is not
without significance that Master Czipser was the burgher of Kazimierz where the
Augustinian Convent is located.
The author of both constructions was probably well acquainted with Euro-
pean architecture. He probably knew not only the English lierne vaults, either
directly from Canterbury or indirectly from Seeon, but also a typically Prussian
version of the eight-pointed star pattern, particularly popular in the State of the
Teutonic Order since the great reconstruction of the Upper Castle Chapel at
Malbork in 1331-1344, and especially around 1400*°*. It is also worth noting that
the first lierne stars were used in Cracow as early as in the late 1430s, although
limited in size and thus of an experimental character. Again, it was all thanks to
the building activity of Bishop Zbigniew Oleśnicki, since we are referring here
to the northernmost bay of the eastern walk of the Franciscan Cloister (probably
before 1436) and the ground floor of the Clock Tower of the Cracow Cathedral
(1437), here in a simpler version with no triangular ridge cells*"L They were
probably inspired by the same sources, most likely by Chełmża and Gosławice,
and acted as a catalyst for master Czipser s interest in lierne vaults, which were
100 See my monographic study: J. Adamski, Nurty stylowe.
101 S. Becker-Hounslow, Der Beitrag, pp. 211-222; C. Herrmann, Mittehdterh'che Architektur z'ra
Preusseu/azid, pp. 103-104. About the 14^-century phase of the Malbork Chapel see: S. Skibiński,
Raph'ca za Zamku Wysokim w Maihorku, Poznań 1982, pp. 88-120.
102 M. Walczak, Remarks, pp. 43-44; idem, Dziafalnosc/undacyina biskupa krakowskiego, pars two,
pp. 68-71; idem, Przemiany architektoniczne katedry, pp. 7-21.
64
ARTYKUŁY
Jakub Adamski