DOI Artikel:
Chrościcki, Juliusz A.: Rex et Regnum Poloniae: Z dziejów propagandy w sztuce Wazów
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14265#0189
186
JULIUSZ A. CHR0ŚC1CKI
Officiai documents, frescoes, or paintings in présentable chambers of town councils and those covering élévations
of town halls and castles bore a spécifie décoration, the central element of which was the state emblem. It was a traditional
crowned Jagiellonian eagle, most often bearing the escutcheon of five lields on the chest. with the coat of arms of the Crown,
Lithuania, Sweden, Gotland, and the royal Sheaf ("Vasa" in Swedish) encircled with a wreath of banners and coats of arms of
the provinces of "Corpus Regni". AH the more, the existing tradition enabled the usage of this représentation from c. 1600
until the 3rd quarter of the 17th century.
It was the current coins and royal seals that were of key significance for the codification of state emblems. And what
is not of unimportance, the examples of heroic defence of military banners dénote in the best way. the crucial significance
of the symbols of the Kingdom or the King himself.
The most important set of représentations of the political system during the reign of Sigismund III were undoubtedly
the Statutes and Certificates of Stanisław Sarnicki from 1592 which were presented at the so-called Inquisitional Seym in
1592 "like the 12 plates of the ancient Roman Law", and published by Jan Januszowski Łazanowicz. Both the frontispiece and
the wood-cut engravings added to particular books emphasize not only the characteristic nature of the royal authority but
also the duties of a monarch towards the nation of the gentry.
The frontispiece is composed in the form of a columnal altar-piece, with the predella framed with consoles, and the
volute-lined finial with Doric pilasters. The top of the whole structure is crowned with the personification of "REPUBLICAE"
holding the sword of Justice and the Cross of Faith, placed between the Eagle and Lithuania and just over the coats of
arms of the royal family as well. The personification. the head of which is surrounded by a nimbus and a circle of 12 stars,
assumes the shape of a queen wearing an "antiquitizing" robe. Her throne adorned with the cornucopias is the symbol not
only of Abundance but also of Liberty. Peace. Accord, and Happiness. The représentations of the Primate and the King, both
standing like columns. and forming the parallels of "Basis R[ei] Pfublicas]" combine the symbolism of architecture and
political system (the King and Primate as columns) with the principle of equiponderance of the ecclesiastical and lay
authority. Décoration of pilaster friezes. mouldings, and consoles in the form of coats of arms of the provinces and fief lands
was treated not only as signs of the royal authority over them but also as "fundamenta Rei Publicae".
The propaganda effects of the very popular édition of the Statutes and Certificates were considérable, partly due
to the favourable attitude towards it among the gentry, and formed one of the campaign trends carried on by Jan
Zamoyski to limit royal power.
Of the most essentiel propaganda slogans during the reign of the Vasa kings was to convince the gentry that
Sigismund III, the son of the Swedish king John III Vasa and Catherine Jagiellon, was a new "Jagiellonoid". It undoubtedly
helped Sigismund III to win the élection over the Habsburg candidate. Archduke Maximilian. AH the more, the identifica-
tion of the coats of arms of the Vasas with those of the Jagiellons was not rare in the 2nd half of the 17th century.
Therefore, the 17th-Century Mausoleum of the Vasa dynasty at Wawel carefully followed the architectural style of the
Jagiellonian chapel from the beginning of the 16th century.
Despite the officiai ban on propaganda activity on the behalf of the élection candidate during the reign of the king
Vladislaus IV Vasa paved the way to elect his son both in fine arts (e.g. the Marble Chamber in the Royal Castle in
Warsaw, designed by P. Danckers and G. B. Gisleni) and opera théâtre (e.g. Pucitelli's Enea performed in 1641).
In the years 1620—1668, on the représentative route to Warsaw, Krakowskie Przedmieście, the Vasa Forum was raised
which possessed extraordinary propaganda significance. It gave a place to the chapel of the triumph of the Polish army over
Russia in the war 1609— 11 (transformed in 1668 to the church of the Triumphant Virgin), column of Sigismund III Vasa
from 1643 — 44. obelisk in honour to Vladislaus IV from c. 1648 (not accomplished), and the triumphal arch comme-
morating the victories of John Casimir from c. 1651 (not preserved).
The route in question, as the way to the town, was used by magnate cortèges, hetmans triumphally leading their troops
and captives to the chamber of the Senate in the Royal Castle, as well as by the kings Vladislaus IV and John
Casimir who carried their "entry" to the capital of the state.
The Vasa Forum was a "route" of apotheosis of the House of Vasa and in such a way, was viewed by the
contemporaries, the best évidence of which are the Polish and European original texts quoted in the study.
The purpose of the study was to confront the original aims of propaganda, which long since fell into oblivion, with
the reaction of receivers of political propaganda in Polish art in the years 1587—1668.
Translated hy Piotr Paszkiewicz.
JULIUSZ A. CHR0ŚC1CKI
Officiai documents, frescoes, or paintings in présentable chambers of town councils and those covering élévations
of town halls and castles bore a spécifie décoration, the central element of which was the state emblem. It was a traditional
crowned Jagiellonian eagle, most often bearing the escutcheon of five lields on the chest. with the coat of arms of the Crown,
Lithuania, Sweden, Gotland, and the royal Sheaf ("Vasa" in Swedish) encircled with a wreath of banners and coats of arms of
the provinces of "Corpus Regni". AH the more, the existing tradition enabled the usage of this représentation from c. 1600
until the 3rd quarter of the 17th century.
It was the current coins and royal seals that were of key significance for the codification of state emblems. And what
is not of unimportance, the examples of heroic defence of military banners dénote in the best way. the crucial significance
of the symbols of the Kingdom or the King himself.
The most important set of représentations of the political system during the reign of Sigismund III were undoubtedly
the Statutes and Certificates of Stanisław Sarnicki from 1592 which were presented at the so-called Inquisitional Seym in
1592 "like the 12 plates of the ancient Roman Law", and published by Jan Januszowski Łazanowicz. Both the frontispiece and
the wood-cut engravings added to particular books emphasize not only the characteristic nature of the royal authority but
also the duties of a monarch towards the nation of the gentry.
The frontispiece is composed in the form of a columnal altar-piece, with the predella framed with consoles, and the
volute-lined finial with Doric pilasters. The top of the whole structure is crowned with the personification of "REPUBLICAE"
holding the sword of Justice and the Cross of Faith, placed between the Eagle and Lithuania and just over the coats of
arms of the royal family as well. The personification. the head of which is surrounded by a nimbus and a circle of 12 stars,
assumes the shape of a queen wearing an "antiquitizing" robe. Her throne adorned with the cornucopias is the symbol not
only of Abundance but also of Liberty. Peace. Accord, and Happiness. The représentations of the Primate and the King, both
standing like columns. and forming the parallels of "Basis R[ei] Pfublicas]" combine the symbolism of architecture and
political system (the King and Primate as columns) with the principle of equiponderance of the ecclesiastical and lay
authority. Décoration of pilaster friezes. mouldings, and consoles in the form of coats of arms of the provinces and fief lands
was treated not only as signs of the royal authority over them but also as "fundamenta Rei Publicae".
The propaganda effects of the very popular édition of the Statutes and Certificates were considérable, partly due
to the favourable attitude towards it among the gentry, and formed one of the campaign trends carried on by Jan
Zamoyski to limit royal power.
Of the most essentiel propaganda slogans during the reign of the Vasa kings was to convince the gentry that
Sigismund III, the son of the Swedish king John III Vasa and Catherine Jagiellon, was a new "Jagiellonoid". It undoubtedly
helped Sigismund III to win the élection over the Habsburg candidate. Archduke Maximilian. AH the more, the identifica-
tion of the coats of arms of the Vasas with those of the Jagiellons was not rare in the 2nd half of the 17th century.
Therefore, the 17th-Century Mausoleum of the Vasa dynasty at Wawel carefully followed the architectural style of the
Jagiellonian chapel from the beginning of the 16th century.
Despite the officiai ban on propaganda activity on the behalf of the élection candidate during the reign of the king
Vladislaus IV Vasa paved the way to elect his son both in fine arts (e.g. the Marble Chamber in the Royal Castle in
Warsaw, designed by P. Danckers and G. B. Gisleni) and opera théâtre (e.g. Pucitelli's Enea performed in 1641).
In the years 1620—1668, on the représentative route to Warsaw, Krakowskie Przedmieście, the Vasa Forum was raised
which possessed extraordinary propaganda significance. It gave a place to the chapel of the triumph of the Polish army over
Russia in the war 1609— 11 (transformed in 1668 to the church of the Triumphant Virgin), column of Sigismund III Vasa
from 1643 — 44. obelisk in honour to Vladislaus IV from c. 1648 (not accomplished), and the triumphal arch comme-
morating the victories of John Casimir from c. 1651 (not preserved).
The route in question, as the way to the town, was used by magnate cortèges, hetmans triumphally leading their troops
and captives to the chamber of the Senate in the Royal Castle, as well as by the kings Vladislaus IV and John
Casimir who carried their "entry" to the capital of the state.
The Vasa Forum was a "route" of apotheosis of the House of Vasa and in such a way, was viewed by the
contemporaries, the best évidence of which are the Polish and European original texts quoted in the study.
The purpose of the study was to confront the original aims of propaganda, which long since fell into oblivion, with
the reaction of receivers of political propaganda in Polish art in the years 1587—1668.
Translated hy Piotr Paszkiewicz.