DOI article:
Mühlemann, Joanna: Opowieść o rycerzu Ereku zachowana na krzyżu z diademów w skarbcu katedry krakowskiej na Wawelu
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19892#0047
A TALE OF THE KNIGHT EREC ON THE CROSS OF CORONETS IN THE TREASURY
OF CRACOW CATHEDRAL ON WAWEL
S u ni m a r y
The figural story set in the openwork decoration (opus duplex)
of a 13lh century crown applied onto the transverse bearn of the so-
called cross of coronets (see the colour photograph preceding the
article), clearly refers to one of the most popular genres of the
medieval epic - the Arthurian romance. The stories in which the
title heroes are individual knights from the circle of the legendary
King Arthur were created and developed not only in verbal (orał
and written) tradition but - as is confirmed by the mural paintings in
the castle at Rodenegg, dated in the 1220s, which concem the knight
Ywain - they soon found their way to iconographic forrns and
penetrated into various domains of art. In the literaturę in the French
and German languages. the romances representing the Breton current
onginated from the knight Erec therne. And it is to him that the
cycle of representations on the crown applied onto the transverse
beam of the cross of coronets, in the treasury of Cracow Cathedral
on Wawel, is devoted.
This adomment of secular origin, containing scenes of the famous
romance, has survived its mtegration with an object of religious cult
in relatively good condition, though it has been known sińce long
ago that the crown is not preserved complete. The seąuence of five
wider segments altemating with six narrower ones (all hinged
together), spread along the transverse beam, obviously needs
supplementing. Accordmg to the technical norms of construction of
the object, at least one morę (wider) segment is reąuired to fili the
gap between the narrower links which are now set on the left and
right ends of the arm (see fig. 1). However, there is every indication
that the crown originally consisted of 14 portions (as did the second
crown of the cross of coronets, applied onto its vertical beam, and
the crown on the reliąuary of St Sigismund in the treasury of Płock
Cathedral - the objects most closely akin to it). This would mean
that not one but three segments are lost (see fig. 4) - two wider and
one narrower; traces of their existence are a pair of box mounts set
at the top of the cross (see fig. 3). This thesis is corroborated by the
here-presented narrative seąuence itself, which in order to form a
logical whole cannot do without reconstruction of some scenes, and
that exactly preceding the second segment - now opening the cycle
- and following the tenth segment which closes it (see fig. 6).
The action of the cycle - rendered by means of miniaturę figurines,
cast in gold and carefully chased, fastened in the vine of each wide
segment of the crown (see fig. 5) - is composed on two, lower and
upper, tiers (fig. 6). It first takes place in successive triangular tops
(each containing four figurines) and next in a seąuence of rectangular
segments (each containing six figurines arranged symmetrically in
pairs). However, the scenes do not cover the whole of the narrative
materiał known to us from the extant texts, but only the initial stage of
Erec’s fortunes as described in the literaturę. They depict lais first
adventure (Initialaventiure) which, when viewed in the perspective of
a romance and its classical, two-stage scheme of events, attains no
morę than aprovisional climax. In terms of composition the adventure
is delimited on one side by the white stag hunt organized by King
Arthur and on the other by the appendant privilege for the fortunate
huntsman to receive a kiss from the most beautiful lady of the court.
This forrns a setting for the vicissitudes of Erec, who sets out together
with the ąueen and her retinue to follow Arthur, and is unexpectedly
insulted by the dwarf Maliclisier, servant of the knight Iders and his
beloved. Maclisier villainously treats the ąueeifs envoys to Iders,
beating with a nding-whip first one of her ladies-in-waiting and then
Erec. This offence is naturally an affront to the pride of the young,
promising knight. It is also (on a larger scalę) an outrage against the
honour of Arthufs court, assuming the proportions of overt provocation
which demands a prornpt reaction. Therefore, Erec, unaimed but irate,
sets out at once in pursuit of the malefactor. The route followed by
Iders, his damę, and their companion Maliclisier, leads Erec at the
same time to a meeting with Enid, a maiden of outstanding beauty,
daughter of an impoverished count, Coralus. Coralus enlightens the
young knight as to who his enemies are and reveals to him the aim of
their joumey - a beauty contest organized at the Tulmein castle by
Prince Imain, Enid’s uncle. It is already for two successive years that
Iders has carried off the rnain prize for his beloved. If he succeeds this
year too, the fme sparrow-hawk will rernain his property. Erec is ąuick
to understand that the competition at Tulmein is a chance not to be
wasted. It provides a pretext for him to get even with Maliclisier for
the wrong suffered from liim (for which Iders is responsible) and
affords an opportunity to win Enid’s favour, which will be crucial
both to his knightly career and to his private life. Dazzled by the girfs
beauty, the hero decides to win for her in the sparrow-hawk toumament
the title of champion; hence while proposing in Coralus’s house, Erec
also asks permission for Enid’s paiticipation in the festivities and in
the beauty contest. Iders, challenged by him to single cornbat, fights
furiously on behalf of his damę (who competes with Enid), but is
finally completely defeated. This gives satisfaction to the whole
Arthurian court, represented by Erec, but according to the agreement
with Coralus, it also validates his betrothal to Enid. The love theme
developed round the sparrow-hawk toumament reaches its climax in
the ceremony of mamage of Erec and Enid at Arthur’s court. Piior to
this, however, the young couple succeed in preventing a conflict
connected with the kiss expected at the end of the hunt: By tradition, it
is Arthur himself who has the right to receive it, but the necessity to
choose among the ladies present the fairest one who would be privileged
to crown the efforts of the brave huntsman, puts him in a very awkward
position. The winner of the Tulmein contest, cut out for this role, delivers
him from the predicament.
Although the adventure summarized above becarne the leitmotiv
of the artistic arrangement of the discussed crown, owing to its being
assimilated and interpreted in new means of expression, adapted to
practical purposes and technical reąuirements of the bearer of its
content, it must be regarded as a separate and fully valuable concept
of the story of Erec and Enid. In this connection there immediately
arises the following ąuestion: how far may the Cracow cycle be
discussed in terms of its dependence on the text? On the basis of the
available materials, i.e. the extant manuscripts or their fragments,
presented and commented on in critical analyses, it is now possible
only to attempt to assign it to a definite literary tradition. These
materials are merely a fraction of the medieval picture of particular
works of the knightly epic, formed anew in different versions,
perpetuated in copies, renascent in numerous editions, and reviving
in orał tradition. They give no morę than an approximate idea of the
wealth of their once existent forms. In this situation, it is surely
obvious that the fuli pedigree of the story of Erec, as represented on
the crown, is practically past reconstruction, and the method of
comparing its scenes with the contents of the surviving written
records of the romance ałlows probable conclusions only.
37
OF CRACOW CATHEDRAL ON WAWEL
S u ni m a r y
The figural story set in the openwork decoration (opus duplex)
of a 13lh century crown applied onto the transverse bearn of the so-
called cross of coronets (see the colour photograph preceding the
article), clearly refers to one of the most popular genres of the
medieval epic - the Arthurian romance. The stories in which the
title heroes are individual knights from the circle of the legendary
King Arthur were created and developed not only in verbal (orał
and written) tradition but - as is confirmed by the mural paintings in
the castle at Rodenegg, dated in the 1220s, which concem the knight
Ywain - they soon found their way to iconographic forrns and
penetrated into various domains of art. In the literaturę in the French
and German languages. the romances representing the Breton current
onginated from the knight Erec therne. And it is to him that the
cycle of representations on the crown applied onto the transverse
beam of the cross of coronets, in the treasury of Cracow Cathedral
on Wawel, is devoted.
This adomment of secular origin, containing scenes of the famous
romance, has survived its mtegration with an object of religious cult
in relatively good condition, though it has been known sińce long
ago that the crown is not preserved complete. The seąuence of five
wider segments altemating with six narrower ones (all hinged
together), spread along the transverse beam, obviously needs
supplementing. Accordmg to the technical norms of construction of
the object, at least one morę (wider) segment is reąuired to fili the
gap between the narrower links which are now set on the left and
right ends of the arm (see fig. 1). However, there is every indication
that the crown originally consisted of 14 portions (as did the second
crown of the cross of coronets, applied onto its vertical beam, and
the crown on the reliąuary of St Sigismund in the treasury of Płock
Cathedral - the objects most closely akin to it). This would mean
that not one but three segments are lost (see fig. 4) - two wider and
one narrower; traces of their existence are a pair of box mounts set
at the top of the cross (see fig. 3). This thesis is corroborated by the
here-presented narrative seąuence itself, which in order to form a
logical whole cannot do without reconstruction of some scenes, and
that exactly preceding the second segment - now opening the cycle
- and following the tenth segment which closes it (see fig. 6).
The action of the cycle - rendered by means of miniaturę figurines,
cast in gold and carefully chased, fastened in the vine of each wide
segment of the crown (see fig. 5) - is composed on two, lower and
upper, tiers (fig. 6). It first takes place in successive triangular tops
(each containing four figurines) and next in a seąuence of rectangular
segments (each containing six figurines arranged symmetrically in
pairs). However, the scenes do not cover the whole of the narrative
materiał known to us from the extant texts, but only the initial stage of
Erec’s fortunes as described in the literaturę. They depict lais first
adventure (Initialaventiure) which, when viewed in the perspective of
a romance and its classical, two-stage scheme of events, attains no
morę than aprovisional climax. In terms of composition the adventure
is delimited on one side by the white stag hunt organized by King
Arthur and on the other by the appendant privilege for the fortunate
huntsman to receive a kiss from the most beautiful lady of the court.
This forrns a setting for the vicissitudes of Erec, who sets out together
with the ąueen and her retinue to follow Arthur, and is unexpectedly
insulted by the dwarf Maliclisier, servant of the knight Iders and his
beloved. Maclisier villainously treats the ąueeifs envoys to Iders,
beating with a nding-whip first one of her ladies-in-waiting and then
Erec. This offence is naturally an affront to the pride of the young,
promising knight. It is also (on a larger scalę) an outrage against the
honour of Arthufs court, assuming the proportions of overt provocation
which demands a prornpt reaction. Therefore, Erec, unaimed but irate,
sets out at once in pursuit of the malefactor. The route followed by
Iders, his damę, and their companion Maliclisier, leads Erec at the
same time to a meeting with Enid, a maiden of outstanding beauty,
daughter of an impoverished count, Coralus. Coralus enlightens the
young knight as to who his enemies are and reveals to him the aim of
their joumey - a beauty contest organized at the Tulmein castle by
Prince Imain, Enid’s uncle. It is already for two successive years that
Iders has carried off the rnain prize for his beloved. If he succeeds this
year too, the fme sparrow-hawk will rernain his property. Erec is ąuick
to understand that the competition at Tulmein is a chance not to be
wasted. It provides a pretext for him to get even with Maliclisier for
the wrong suffered from liim (for which Iders is responsible) and
affords an opportunity to win Enid’s favour, which will be crucial
both to his knightly career and to his private life. Dazzled by the girfs
beauty, the hero decides to win for her in the sparrow-hawk toumament
the title of champion; hence while proposing in Coralus’s house, Erec
also asks permission for Enid’s paiticipation in the festivities and in
the beauty contest. Iders, challenged by him to single cornbat, fights
furiously on behalf of his damę (who competes with Enid), but is
finally completely defeated. This gives satisfaction to the whole
Arthurian court, represented by Erec, but according to the agreement
with Coralus, it also validates his betrothal to Enid. The love theme
developed round the sparrow-hawk toumament reaches its climax in
the ceremony of mamage of Erec and Enid at Arthur’s court. Piior to
this, however, the young couple succeed in preventing a conflict
connected with the kiss expected at the end of the hunt: By tradition, it
is Arthur himself who has the right to receive it, but the necessity to
choose among the ladies present the fairest one who would be privileged
to crown the efforts of the brave huntsman, puts him in a very awkward
position. The winner of the Tulmein contest, cut out for this role, delivers
him from the predicament.
Although the adventure summarized above becarne the leitmotiv
of the artistic arrangement of the discussed crown, owing to its being
assimilated and interpreted in new means of expression, adapted to
practical purposes and technical reąuirements of the bearer of its
content, it must be regarded as a separate and fully valuable concept
of the story of Erec and Enid. In this connection there immediately
arises the following ąuestion: how far may the Cracow cycle be
discussed in terms of its dependence on the text? On the basis of the
available materials, i.e. the extant manuscripts or their fragments,
presented and commented on in critical analyses, it is now possible
only to attempt to assign it to a definite literary tradition. These
materials are merely a fraction of the medieval picture of particular
works of the knightly epic, formed anew in different versions,
perpetuated in copies, renascent in numerous editions, and reviving
in orał tradition. They give no morę than an approximate idea of the
wealth of their once existent forms. In this situation, it is surely
obvious that the fuli pedigree of the story of Erec, as represented on
the crown, is practically past reconstruction, and the method of
comparing its scenes with the contents of the surviving written
records of the romance ałlows probable conclusions only.
37