DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25050#0044
The flourishing of painting and sculpture was matched by
a very high level of decorative arts. In this domain, Late Gothic
forms survived throughout the sixteenth century, and even later.
An outstanding example of silver work is the head reliquary of
St Stanislaus, by Marcin Marciniec (1504), which is adorned with
figural scenes. The story of St Stanislaus is also illustrated on the
splendid contemporary embroidery which decorates a chasuble
commissioned by Piotr Kmita, the Cracow Palatine.
The Late Gothic art of Cracow and Lesser Poland belonged to
the North European sphere of influence. It shows the closest
affinities with the regions of Silesia, Bohemia and southern
Germany. It forms a common artistic region with Slovakia
(historical Upper Hungary) across the Carpathians. Cultural ex-
change and the spreading of influences was made easier by the
mandatory wanderyear by apprentices, the mobility of artists in
search of good commissions, and the common practice of using
pattern-books, especially German woodcuts and etchings. Im-
portant stylistic influences arrived from as far away as the
Netherlands. Fifteenth-century Netherlandish realism could not
have been unknown to Stoss, and the direct impact of this style
of painting is seen in the Lamentation from Chomranice, in the
panels of Our Lady of Sorrows triptych, and in other pieces. Much
looser and less discernible were ties with Italy but the early
adoption of the iconography of St Bernardino of Siena in Cracow
proves that they existed.
The Sixteenth Century. The death of Casimir Jagiellon in
1492 marked the end of an era in the history of Cracow and
Poland. In the next dozen or so years, the political system of
the country swiftly evolved towards overwhelming dominance
by the nobility. They pursued their political and economic in-
terests to the detriment of the other estates, the peasants and
burghers, and although things went well for Cracow almost
throughout the century, signs of impending crisis were increas-
ingly evident.
4i
a very high level of decorative arts. In this domain, Late Gothic
forms survived throughout the sixteenth century, and even later.
An outstanding example of silver work is the head reliquary of
St Stanislaus, by Marcin Marciniec (1504), which is adorned with
figural scenes. The story of St Stanislaus is also illustrated on the
splendid contemporary embroidery which decorates a chasuble
commissioned by Piotr Kmita, the Cracow Palatine.
The Late Gothic art of Cracow and Lesser Poland belonged to
the North European sphere of influence. It shows the closest
affinities with the regions of Silesia, Bohemia and southern
Germany. It forms a common artistic region with Slovakia
(historical Upper Hungary) across the Carpathians. Cultural ex-
change and the spreading of influences was made easier by the
mandatory wanderyear by apprentices, the mobility of artists in
search of good commissions, and the common practice of using
pattern-books, especially German woodcuts and etchings. Im-
portant stylistic influences arrived from as far away as the
Netherlands. Fifteenth-century Netherlandish realism could not
have been unknown to Stoss, and the direct impact of this style
of painting is seen in the Lamentation from Chomranice, in the
panels of Our Lady of Sorrows triptych, and in other pieces. Much
looser and less discernible were ties with Italy but the early
adoption of the iconography of St Bernardino of Siena in Cracow
proves that they existed.
The Sixteenth Century. The death of Casimir Jagiellon in
1492 marked the end of an era in the history of Cracow and
Poland. In the next dozen or so years, the political system of
the country swiftly evolved towards overwhelming dominance
by the nobility. They pursued their political and economic in-
terests to the detriment of the other estates, the peasants and
burghers, and although things went well for Cracow almost
throughout the century, signs of impending crisis were increas-
ingly evident.
4i