WaW(3l in Vilnius
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From t he Jagiellor^ ians t o t h e Er^ d
of t he Po lish- Lit huanian Co m m o n w eal t h
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Waw^ l in Vi l n i u s
From the Jagiellonians to the E nd of
the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Catalogue of L ithuania's Millenium
Programme's E xhibition
V ilnius, Museum of A pplied A rt
July 5 - October 4, 2009
Wawel Royal Castle - The National Art Collection
Lithuanian Art Museum
National Museum the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
Vilnius, 2009
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'1
O ne o f a series o f four textiles wit h coats o f arms, with the Polish
Whit e E agle, surmounted by a crown, and the Lithuanian K night the
Vytis, surmounted by a ducal coronet, shown under the protection o f
Ceres, the goddess o f summer, abundance, prosperity and auspiciousness. Ceres - in ancient costume, wit h a wreath o f corn on her forehead, and holding a sickle and ho rn o f plenty - occupies the centre o f
the composition. O n either side o f her there are medallions with the
coats o f arms supported by pairs o f putti and surrounded by festoons
o f fruits and vegetables, among whic h are exotic specimens from the
New Wo rld, such as, corn cobs and cocoa pods. T he red background
o f the composition gives them a distinguished, stately air. T he whole
image rests on a frame o f pliable slats, characteristic o f Netherlandish
grotesque, influenced by earlier ornamental tapestries with figures o f
T AP E ST R Y W I T H T H E P O L I SH AN D
gods (called " T he G rotesque Months" ), whose cartoons were made in
L I T H U AN I AN COAT S OF AR MS AN D T H E
GO D D E SS C E R E S
I taly in the workshop o f Perino del Vaga (1501-1547), commissioned
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by Admiral Andrea D oria (the so-called
D oria Series A and B - Pi-
wocka, 1972, pp. 3 5 0 - 3 5 2 and 3 5 8 - 3 6 7 ). O ther modified versions o f
Brussels, c. 1550-1560,
based on a cartoon by an Antwerfian
circle of Comelis Floris (1514-1575)
and Cornelis Bos
workshop sign attributed to Frans Ghieteels
artist from the
(1506/ 10-1556);
this kind o f tapestry, designed by Flemish artists, were woven in Brussels from the 1560s onwards [Die Groteskenmonate 1973, pp. 54-84).
Wool, silk, silver and gilt silver threads;
T he patron o f the mo nth o f August in that series clearly imitates the
7-8 warp threads/ cm; 177x
facial features and figure o f the goddess from the Wawel tapestry {Die
Inv. no. 87
410 cm
Groteskenmonate 1973, p. 65, fig. 56).
T he symbolic depiction o f the combined Polish and Lithuanian
coats o f arms in the tapestries wit h Ceres illustrates the consolidation
o f the two parts o f the Commonwealth by Sigismund Augustus, sealed
by the act o f the U nio n o f L ublin in 1569. T hat idea was one o f the
main pillars o f the last Jagiellon's policies.
Literature: Morelowski 1929, p. 46, fig. 45; G^barowicz-Marikowski 1937, pp. 150-152,
fig. 63; Piwocka 1972, p. 350; Les tapisseries flamandes \972, p. 472, position 88; Kunst in
Polen 1974, p. 71, catalogue no. 31; Polonia 1975, pp. 62- 63, catalogue no. 39; Polen 1986,
p. 374, catalogue no. 234 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); T appiseries 1987, pp. 38-39, catalogue
no. 12; OrzelBialy 1995, p. 253, catalogue no. I V 8, fig. 60; Piwocka 2007, pp. 57 and 93,
position 49; Tesori d'arte 2008, catalogue no. 17 ( M. Piwocka).
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I t belongs to a group o f eight tapestries with the same composition, in which Victoria, the winged goddess o f victory, standing in
the centre, between the cartouches wit h the Polish and Lithuanian
coats o f arms, promises fame and peace to the two combined parts o f
T AP E ST R Y W I T H T H E P O L I SH AN D
L I T H U AN I AN COAT S O F AR MS AN D T H E
GO DDE SS V I C T O R I A
Brussels, c. 1550-1560,
1.4), the ornamental background presents Netherlandish grotesque,
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whose warp - a scrollwork structure o f pliable slats - here supports
based on a cartoon by an Antwerpian
circle of Cornelis Floris (1514-1575)
and Cornelis Bos
workshop sign attributed to Frans Ghieteels
Wool, silk, silver and gilt silver threads;
7-8 warp threads/ cm; 154 x 287cm
Inv. no. 79
the Commonwealth. As in the tapestries with Ceres (c£ catalogue no.
artistfrom the
(1506/ 10-1556);
heavy festoons o f fruits and vegetables. T he panoplies arrayed at the
goddess' feet and the broken spear and laurel wreath in her hands
symbolise the hardships o f war, crowned by peace. T he figure o f Victoria, in a light breastplate over a Roman tunic, is largely based on the
Antwerpian print by Hieronymus Cock dated 1552, which is itself a
copy o f Frans F loris' decoration o f the triumphal arch (Jerome Cock
1970, p. 40, position 104) built by the G enoans in 1549 in commemoration o f the visit to Antwerp o f Prince Philip; later K ing Philip I I
o f Spain (Piwocka 1972, p. 352).
Literature: T reasures 1966, catalogue no. 50; Mille ans d'art 1969, catalogue no. 77;
WOO Years of Art 1970, catalogue no. 62; Gobeliny 1971, catalogue no. 13 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); Piwocka 1972, p. 352; T apisseriesflamandes 1972, p. 471, position 80; Piwocka
1975, p. 'h'yL\Arrasyflamandzkie 1975, p. 471, position 80; Le Grand H eritage 1984; T appiseries 1987, p. 37, catalogue no. 11 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); OrzelBialy, p. 253, catalogue
no. I V 9 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); H ennel-Bernasikowa 1998, plate X X X V I I ; Le retour
2001, p. 55, catalogue no. 2 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); Orzel i Trzy Korony 2002, p. 103,
catalogue no. I. 14 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); T hesauri 2002, p. 142, catalogue no. I l l 9;
Piwocka 2007a, pp. 57 and 93, position 48.
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I t depicts a pair o f bearded satyrs holding a shield wit h the
king's initials SA [Sigismundus Augustus). B oth the monogram and ,
the cartouche are surmounted by closed crowns. T he figures o f the
cloven-hoofed creatures, wit h muscular torsos entwined wit h ivy and
vine garlands are incorporated into a scrollwork frame consisting o f
two large semicircles and conchate bases. I n the background is sylvan
scenery wit h the sky seen in the clearing in the centre.
T he tapestry wit h the satyr pavisiers belongs to a group o f textiles wit h coats o f arms and monograms, in which the king's coat o f
arms and initials are presented on a Netherlandish grotesque background. I t is part o f a series o f five portieres wit h identical composition (typical reposteros) whose function was to represent the king,
and - through his person - the entire kingdom. T he idea o f using
satyrs as pavisiers has its origin in Late Medieval and Renaissance
heraldic traditions o f Northern E urope. Woodland men and satyrs which are identified wit h them - appear in the sixteenth century
as supporters holding coats o f arms o n portals and the book frontispieces in G ermany, Switzerland and France (B ernheimer 1952).
T he Wawel portieres, where the artist endowed the figures o f satyrs
wit h vivid expressions, are characterised by a remarkable illusion
o f space - o wing to the details which come to the fore and almost
appear to extend from the picture, represent an advanced phase o f
Mannerism.
Marian Morelowski put forward the suggestion that the tapestries may have inspired Jan K ochanowski during the writing o f Satyr
abo dziki mqi, (Satyr, or W i l d Man), published in K rakow in 1563
(Morelowski 1929, pp. 4 3 - 4 4 ). T his conjecture, although still only
intuitive, but supported by many scholars (Ulewicz 1968, pp. 1 9 2 193; Piwocka 1972, pp. 347-348), seems close to the truth. I f it is
accepted the poet must have seen the portieres at the K rakow court
before 1559.
T he tapestry bears two unidentified embroiderers' symbols.
T he first, a geometrical shape, representing one o f the most prolific
weavers o f that circle who was active from the 1540s to the 1570s,
appears in the Jagiellonian collection twenty eight times. Apart
from that it is found on the excellent grotesque from the series called
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T AP E ST R Y W I T H T H E R OY AL I N I T I AL S SA
D oria B in G enoa (Palazzo B ianco, inv. no. P.B. 1581), in The H is-
AN D SAT Y R S AS P AVI SI E R S
Brussels, c. 1550-1560;
based on a cartoon by an Antwerpian
circle of Comelis Floris (1514-1575)
tory of Moses cycle in Madrid (Patrimonio Nacional, series 24 ) and
artist from the
and Cornelis Bos (1506/ 10-1556);
of two unknown weavers' workshops
signs
Vienna (inv. no. series I ) and a host o f others, often along with the
sign o f Jan van T ieghem. T he second unidentified mark, in the form
o f a loop (which also appears in Sigismund Augustus' collection on
Wool silk, silver and gilt silver threads;
the verdure A Dragon T ightinga Panther [inv. no. 38]), is found on
7-S warp threads/ cm; 245.5 x 225 cm
the tapestries from the series The Seven Virtues (Vienna, K unsthisto-
Inv. no. 103
risches Museum, inv. no. 1/ 1-9 - Hitter von B irk 1883,1, pp. 2 2 9 230), brought to K rakow in 1553 as part o f the dowry o f Catherine
o f Mantua, the third wife o f Sigismund Augustus and taken back by
her to Austria in 1566 (G fbarowicz, Mankowski 1937, p. 8).
Literature: Morelowski 1929, p. 44, fig. 33; G^barowicz, Mankowski 1937, pp. 147 and
152, fig. 61; T reasures 1966, catalogue no. 48; Mille ans d'art 1969, catalogue no. 81;
1000 Years of Art 1970, p. 51, catalogue no. 67; Gobeliny 1971, p. 19, catalogue no. 15,
fig. 12; Piwocka 1972, pp. 346-348, 350; Les tapisseries flamandes 1972, p. 474, position
104; Kunst in Polen 1974, p. 71, catalogue no. 30, fig. 1\\ 1975, p. 62, catalogue no.
38; Polen 1986, p. 374, catalogue no. 205, fig. 82 ( M. H ennel-B ernasikowa
1987, pp. 44- 45 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); H ennel-Bernasikowa 1998, pp. 110-111, position X X X V ; Le retour 2001, pp. 38-39, catalogue no. 3 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); Orzel
i Trzy Korony 2002, pp. 103-104, catalogue no. I. 15 { M. H ennel- Bernasikowa); T hesauri
2002, pp. 142-143, catalogue no. I I I . I O ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); Piwocka 2007a, pp. 56,
93, fig. 43; Piwocka 2007b, pp. 140-143; Tesori 2008, catalogue no. 16 ( M. Piwocka).
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7/
T AP E ST R Y W I T H T H E R OY AL MO N O GR AM
himself) used the decoration o f the frontispiece from an undated
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SA AN D SAT Y R S P L AY I N G MU SI C AL
Flemish and a French edition dated 1546 o f the Livre de Moresques
I N ST R U ME N T S
Tresutile et necessaire a tous Orfevres, T ailleurs, Graveurs, Painctres,
Tapissiers, Brodeurs, Lingieres, etfemmes, qui besongnent de lesguille
Brussels, c. 1550-1560,
based on a cartoon by an Antwerpian
the circle of Cornelis Floris (1514-1575)
and Cornelis Bos
artistfrom
(1500/ 10-1556);
Jan van Tieghem's workshop.
Wool, silk, silver and gilt silver threads; 7-8 warp threads/ cm; 243.5 x 178 cm
Inv. no. 92
(Paris 1546), only replacing the text in the central field wit h the royal
initials (Piwocka 1972, pp. 3 3 8 -3 3 9 ).
T he rapid appearance o f a tapestry based on the innovative design o f the Antwerpian artist, soon after its publication, represents
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the most convincing pro o f o f the pioneering nature o f the Wawel
T his is one o f four monogrammed tapestries, where the cartouche with the royal initials entwined in festoons o f flowers and fruits is
placed against the background o f colourful Netherlandish grotesque.
At the bottom o f the composition, o n either side o f a large openwork
basket are two satyrs playing long, twisted shepherds horns. L o o king
down on them from above, beyond the balustrade are female figures
with elaborate turbans o n their heads.
T he whole composition, apart from the central cartouche,
is based on a print from the title page o f a book o f moresques, designed by Cornelis Bos for a series o f ornament patterns (mostly by
Francesco Pellegrino). T he cartoons designer (possibly Cornelis Bos
textiles wit h grotesques, i.e. their fundamental contribution in the
spread o f new forms o f that type o f Netherlandish ornament. Co mparing the simplified details o f Bos' woodcut wit h the significantly
richer, more sophisticated outline in the tapestry's composition demonstrates the superiority o f the meticulously painted cartoon over the
uncomplicated, linear and in some places misshapen prototype.
Literature: Piwocka 1972, pp. 338-343; T apisseries flamandes 1972, p. 473, position 93;
Piwocka 1975, pp.334-338; Arrasyflamandzkie 1975, p. 472, position 93; Polen 198S, pp.
374-375, catalogue no. 236, fig. 83 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); T appiseries 1987, pp. 40-41,
catalogue no. 13 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); H ennel-Bernasikowa 1998, pp. 106-107, plate
X X X U l ; Piwoc ka2007, pp. 56-58, position 40.
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1969, pp. 5 7 - 6 4 ). T he red backgrounds o f the grotesque tapestries in
the royal collection, whic h give them a remarkable character, refer to
the colour o f backgrounds in classical murals.
Literature; Piwocka 1972, pp. 338 and 342; T apisseries flamandes 1972, p. 473, position 98; Piwocka 1975, pp. 339-342; Arrasy flamandzkie 1975, p. 473, position 98; Tappiseries 1987, pp. 42- 43, catalogue no. 14 ( M. H ennel-Bernasikowa); Hennel-Bernasikowa
1998, pp. 108-109, plate X X X I V ; Piwocka 2007, pp. 56-58, position 42.
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T AP E ST R Y W I T H T H E I N I T I AL S SA AN D
9 - / 0 / C E I L I N G R O SE T T E S
SE AT E D N Y MP H S
Krakow, second quarter of the 16''' century
Brussels, e. 1550-1560,
based on a cartoon by Antwerpian an artistfrom the
circle of Cornelis Floris (1514-1575)
and Cornelis Bos
(1500/ 1510-1556);
Frans Ghieteels' workshop (?)
Wool, silk, silver and gilt silver threads;
Lime wood; carving, gilding, polychromy;
diameter 79 cm, height 26 cm
Inv. no. 3929/ 1-2
Inv. no. 7033
7-8 warp threads/ cm; 247.5 x 174 cm
Inv. no. 97
E ach rosette comprises o f two elements attached together in
the middle wit h an iron screw. T he base o f each flower is created by
six twisted acanthus leaves wit h buds at their base. T he convex fleuron also consists o f six concentrically twisted leaves with a bursting
T his is one o f three initialled tapestries o f identical composition, with an oval medallion wit h the royal initials located in the
centre o f a scrollwork frame o f pliable slats, characteristic for N etherlandish grotesque. A t the b o tto m o f the tapestry are two female
figures in classical costumes, holding palm leaves. A pair o f winged
putti holding light blue drapery flank the medallion wit h Sigismund
Augustus' initials. Above them are figures o f native American I ndians.
The young Indians in feather headdresses testify to the fascination o f
people from Habsburg countries wit h the newly discovered land and
its curiosities. Such exotic motifs entered the repertoire o f F lemish
decorative art after 1520, when Hernan Cortez displayed trophies
brought from America for the first time at the Brussels court (Dacos
pomegranate in the centre.
T his kind o f gilded rosette initially decorated the square coffers o f the ceilings in the Renaissance Wawel Royal Castle. T he most
magnificent o f them were carved in Sebastian Tauerbach's workshop
in the 1530s in cooperation wit h Hans the woodcarver. T he original
location o f these rosettes is not known. T he excellent quality o f the
carving and also their dimensions suggests that they may have originally been located o n the ceiling o f the Wawel Castle from where they
were removed when the Austrian occupying force converted the interiors at the beginning o f the nineteenth century.
Literature: Bona Sforza 2000, catalogue no. 122.
KK
T apestry with the royal initials SA and satyrs as pavisiers (I.
T apestry with the initials SA and seated nymphs (1.8)