DOI article:
Taradaj, Paulina: Quo non augustior alter: a few remarks on the series of small medals issued to commemorate the maneuvers of the Saxon armies at Mühlberg in 1730
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49247#0196
PAULINA TARADAJ
192
Należy ona do grupy jedenastu dotychczas rozpoznanych medali, w tym jednej,
nieopublikowanej w katalogu medali Wermutha autorstwa Corduli Wohlfahrt,
odmiany znajdującej się w zbiorach Gabinetu Numizmatycznego Muzeum Naro-
dowego w Krakowie. Autorka zastanawia się, czy w wypadku powyższych medali
mamy do czynienia z oficjalnym zleceniem królewskim. Sam wizerunek konny,
typowy dla rzymskiej sztuki triumfalnej i chętnie wykorzystywany w okresie
nowożytnym zwłaszcza w absolutystycznym systemie władzy, takim jak monar-
chia Ludwika XIV (1643-1715), nie jest wystarczającą wskazówką. Być może są
nią inskrypcje, przeanalizowane w obrębie całej wspomnianej grupy medali, jak
również pewne schematy ikonograficzne stosowane przez Christiana Wermutha,
który był powszechnie znany z wykonywania medali o charakterze satyrycznym
bądź szyderczym.
SŁOWA KLUCZOWE: medal, August II Wettyn, Christian Wermuth, Mühlberg
1730, portret konny
Despite his long and turbulent reign, Augustus II (Frederick Augustus I, 1697—
1706,1709-1733; the elector of Saxony as of 1694) was unable to shine as a brilliant
leader with numerous military successes to his name. Taking into account the fact
that he had received a military education, this must have been particularly regrettable
for him.1 Thus, it is not strange that he used as propaganda any occasion whatsoever
to display his supposed military prowess.
As regards Frederick Augustus I, the only real event of this kind was his campaign
against the Turks in Hungary in the years 1695 and 1696, a campaign that gave the
elector of Saxony high hopes.2 Proof of this is available in the numismatic material:
the striking of a medallion on the occasion of his arrival in Vienna in connection with
his having become commander-in-chief of the imperial armies;3 the minting of two
medals, one each for the first4 and second5 military campaigns; and the issuing of
commemorative coins for each of these events.6 What we can see in all of this is an
echo of the Battle of Vienna, in which John George III Wettin, Frederick Augustus Fs
father,7 played an important role. It seems to me that what we can also see here is an
1 STASZEWSKI 1998: 17,34.
2 STASZEWSKI 1998: 41^12.
3 See: HUTTEN-CZAPSK1 1891: 110, no. 7809 (Inv. no. MNK Vll-Md-1569); TENTZEL 1981a: 687-688;
IDEM 1981b: Table 73, X; sec also: CONRADI 1797: 3-4.
4 TENTZEL 1981a: 688-689; IDEM 1981b: Table 73, XI; WOHLFAHRT 1992: 152, no. 95001.
5 TENTZEL 1981a: 692; IDEM 1981b: Table 74, V; WOHLFAHRT 1992: 159, no. 96014.
6 For issues from 1695, sec: KAHNT 2009: 205, no. 233; 206, nos. 234 and 235. For issues from 1696, sec:
Ibidem-. 207, no. 236; 208, no. 237.
7 Nor did John George III Wettin fail to celebrate his success with a number of medals, including one - perhaps
the most impressive - that, nota bene, was executed by Jan Höhn the Younger from Gdańsk, who made medals for
John III Sobieski. Sec the medal in: HUTTEN-CZAPSK1 1916: 34-35, no. 10390 (Inv. no. MNK VIl-MdP-1401).
192
Należy ona do grupy jedenastu dotychczas rozpoznanych medali, w tym jednej,
nieopublikowanej w katalogu medali Wermutha autorstwa Corduli Wohlfahrt,
odmiany znajdującej się w zbiorach Gabinetu Numizmatycznego Muzeum Naro-
dowego w Krakowie. Autorka zastanawia się, czy w wypadku powyższych medali
mamy do czynienia z oficjalnym zleceniem królewskim. Sam wizerunek konny,
typowy dla rzymskiej sztuki triumfalnej i chętnie wykorzystywany w okresie
nowożytnym zwłaszcza w absolutystycznym systemie władzy, takim jak monar-
chia Ludwika XIV (1643-1715), nie jest wystarczającą wskazówką. Być może są
nią inskrypcje, przeanalizowane w obrębie całej wspomnianej grupy medali, jak
również pewne schematy ikonograficzne stosowane przez Christiana Wermutha,
który był powszechnie znany z wykonywania medali o charakterze satyrycznym
bądź szyderczym.
SŁOWA KLUCZOWE: medal, August II Wettyn, Christian Wermuth, Mühlberg
1730, portret konny
Despite his long and turbulent reign, Augustus II (Frederick Augustus I, 1697—
1706,1709-1733; the elector of Saxony as of 1694) was unable to shine as a brilliant
leader with numerous military successes to his name. Taking into account the fact
that he had received a military education, this must have been particularly regrettable
for him.1 Thus, it is not strange that he used as propaganda any occasion whatsoever
to display his supposed military prowess.
As regards Frederick Augustus I, the only real event of this kind was his campaign
against the Turks in Hungary in the years 1695 and 1696, a campaign that gave the
elector of Saxony high hopes.2 Proof of this is available in the numismatic material:
the striking of a medallion on the occasion of his arrival in Vienna in connection with
his having become commander-in-chief of the imperial armies;3 the minting of two
medals, one each for the first4 and second5 military campaigns; and the issuing of
commemorative coins for each of these events.6 What we can see in all of this is an
echo of the Battle of Vienna, in which John George III Wettin, Frederick Augustus Fs
father,7 played an important role. It seems to me that what we can also see here is an
1 STASZEWSKI 1998: 17,34.
2 STASZEWSKI 1998: 41^12.
3 See: HUTTEN-CZAPSK1 1891: 110, no. 7809 (Inv. no. MNK Vll-Md-1569); TENTZEL 1981a: 687-688;
IDEM 1981b: Table 73, X; sec also: CONRADI 1797: 3-4.
4 TENTZEL 1981a: 688-689; IDEM 1981b: Table 73, XI; WOHLFAHRT 1992: 152, no. 95001.
5 TENTZEL 1981a: 692; IDEM 1981b: Table 74, V; WOHLFAHRT 1992: 159, no. 96014.
6 For issues from 1695, sec: KAHNT 2009: 205, no. 233; 206, nos. 234 and 235. For issues from 1696, sec:
Ibidem-. 207, no. 236; 208, no. 237.
7 Nor did John George III Wettin fail to celebrate his success with a number of medals, including one - perhaps
the most impressive - that, nota bene, was executed by Jan Höhn the Younger from Gdańsk, who made medals for
John III Sobieski. Sec the medal in: HUTTEN-CZAPSK1 1916: 34-35, no. 10390 (Inv. no. MNK VIl-MdP-1401).