DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23631#0075
remains of the Patron Saints of Poland, St. Adalbert in Gniezno, and St. Stanislaus in Cracow's Wawel
Cathedral, are the work of the Gdansk goldsmith Peter van der Rcnnen. The coffin <>l Si. Adalbert, made
in 1662, rests on six crowned eagles with spread wings. Its sides feature half-figures of praying angels
and bas-relief scenes from the martyr's life. The top of the lid carries a reclining figure of the saint in
pontifical vestments. The coffin of St. Stanislaus, made thanks to funds left for this purpose by Bishop
Piotr Gembicki, was completed in 1671. The silver from which it was made was obtained from an earlier
Gothic coffin, which was melted down. The coffin rests on the shoulders of four kneeling angels. Its
sides are embellished with twelve bas-relief scenes from the saint's life placed between half-figures of
angels. The lid bears a bishop's mitre, crosier and cross supported by two cherubs. The magnificent
coffin of Ladislaus IV, in the crypt of Wawel Cathedral, completed before 1650, is ascribed to the
goldsmith Johann Christian Bierpfaff of Toruh. Its heavily gilded copper ornaments include the royal
coat-of-arms, war trophies and scenes representing the king's victories. Ornaments in similar style adorn
other royal coffins in Wawel Cathedral, in particular that of Queen Cecilia Renata, and royal princes of
the Vasa dynasty, John Albert, Sigismund Casimir, and John Sigismund. The pomp and splendour which
accompanied funeral ceremonies was enhanced by coffin portraits and funeral banners bearing the deceased's
likenesses.
Sarmatian baroque splendour was unquestionably the golden age of Polish artistic craftsmanship.
Never before, and never after, did craftsmanship emerge in such abundance, variety and originality of
shape and form and never before was it so closely linked with the principal spheres of both material and
spiritual life. Objects of artistic craftsmanship of that period were mutually complementary, formed
a uniform image, a specific functional, stylistic and 'ideological' whole. A characteristic feature of this
period was the polonization of both artists and their products since foreign masters quickly succumbed
to the influence of Polish tastes and fashions. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Polish culture
and above all craftsmanship closely followed foreign patterns, usually simplifying them to suit local
tastes and requirements, occasionally adding something new to them. In the 17th century, probably for
the first time in her history, Poland gave inspiration to others, the Polish style and models were copied
elsewhere, and not just in neighbouring countries. The Sarmatian style was admired and imitated
by Russians, Ruthenians and Walachians, occasionally by Swedes and Italians. The style of dress alia
Polacca was known in the Netherlands, Saxony and France. In some fields, such as tapestry, table glass,
horse trappings, costumes worn by the gentry, sidearms and liturgical vessels, Polish craftsmanship
was unsurpassed.
Cathedral, are the work of the Gdansk goldsmith Peter van der Rcnnen. The coffin <>l Si. Adalbert, made
in 1662, rests on six crowned eagles with spread wings. Its sides feature half-figures of praying angels
and bas-relief scenes from the martyr's life. The top of the lid carries a reclining figure of the saint in
pontifical vestments. The coffin of St. Stanislaus, made thanks to funds left for this purpose by Bishop
Piotr Gembicki, was completed in 1671. The silver from which it was made was obtained from an earlier
Gothic coffin, which was melted down. The coffin rests on the shoulders of four kneeling angels. Its
sides are embellished with twelve bas-relief scenes from the saint's life placed between half-figures of
angels. The lid bears a bishop's mitre, crosier and cross supported by two cherubs. The magnificent
coffin of Ladislaus IV, in the crypt of Wawel Cathedral, completed before 1650, is ascribed to the
goldsmith Johann Christian Bierpfaff of Toruh. Its heavily gilded copper ornaments include the royal
coat-of-arms, war trophies and scenes representing the king's victories. Ornaments in similar style adorn
other royal coffins in Wawel Cathedral, in particular that of Queen Cecilia Renata, and royal princes of
the Vasa dynasty, John Albert, Sigismund Casimir, and John Sigismund. The pomp and splendour which
accompanied funeral ceremonies was enhanced by coffin portraits and funeral banners bearing the deceased's
likenesses.
Sarmatian baroque splendour was unquestionably the golden age of Polish artistic craftsmanship.
Never before, and never after, did craftsmanship emerge in such abundance, variety and originality of
shape and form and never before was it so closely linked with the principal spheres of both material and
spiritual life. Objects of artistic craftsmanship of that period were mutually complementary, formed
a uniform image, a specific functional, stylistic and 'ideological' whole. A characteristic feature of this
period was the polonization of both artists and their products since foreign masters quickly succumbed
to the influence of Polish tastes and fashions. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Polish culture
and above all craftsmanship closely followed foreign patterns, usually simplifying them to suit local
tastes and requirements, occasionally adding something new to them. In the 17th century, probably for
the first time in her history, Poland gave inspiration to others, the Polish style and models were copied
elsewhere, and not just in neighbouring countries. The Sarmatian style was admired and imitated
by Russians, Ruthenians and Walachians, occasionally by Swedes and Italians. The style of dress alia
Polacca was known in the Netherlands, Saxony and France. In some fields, such as tapestry, table glass,
horse trappings, costumes worn by the gentry, sidearms and liturgical vessels, Polish craftsmanship
was unsurpassed.