ROZPRAWY
Ko n s t a n t y Ka l i n o w s k i
RO M A N A R T IST IC IM PO R T T O W R O C Ł A W . SC U L PT U R E S O F ST. E L IS A B E T H C H A PEL*
The artistic im age o f the S ilesian art o f the second h a lf o f the 17th century w as sig nificantly influenced by the artists from C om o and L om bardy; architects, builders, stone cutters and stuccoers — “p lasticato ri” . Due to their professional and fam ily co n n e c tions in A ustria, B ohem ia, M oravia and the northern H ungary there w ere created the w orks that in their ch aracter and style presented the variations o f the north-Italian form al rep e rto ire .1 An outstanding exception for the countries u nder the reign o f the H absburgs is St. Elisabeth chapel at the W rocław (B reslau) cathedral.
The figurai decoration o f this chapel influenced significantly the style o f the W rocław sculpture o f the first h a lf o f the 18th century. H aving those exem plary w orks sculptors in W rocław after the year 17(X) had the opportunity to get acquainted w ith the w orks representative to the fully form ulated R om an sculpture o f the m id o f the 17th century — that is w ith the style o f G ian L orenzo Bernini and A lessandro A lgardi, also those w ho never had the chance to visit Rom e to m aster their skills there.
St. Elisabeth chapel constitutes a unity o f both a visual aspect and its contents. It is a typical baroque “G esam tkunstw erk" — a com plete com position, that is w hy d is cussing the figurai sculptures separately from th eir spatial and them atic context, co n sidering them exclusively w ithin their stylistic contents w ould lead to o v ersim p lifica tion. The architecture o f the chapel, its sculptural decoration as well as the form in which the com m em orative and devotional contents are co nveyed place the chapel w ithin the m ost prom inent baroque w orks o f the 17th century in central E u ro p e.2
* Th e article is a sl ig h t ly c h a n g e d v er si o n o f the paper p re s en te d at the c o n f e r e n c e ..La scultu ra e gli scultori al Nord d e ll a A lpe : 1 5 0 0 al 1 8 0 0 ” o r g a n iz e d in R o m e 1 0 - 1 2 June, 1991 b y the International R es ea rc h and E x c h a n g e s Boa rd ( U S A ) and P o l is h A c a d e m y o f S c i e n c e s ( P A N ) in the seat o f P A N S ta tio n in R o me — in P a l a z z o Doria.
1 E. H e m p e l , B a r o q u e A r t a n d A r c h ite c tu r e in C e n tr a l E u r o p e , L o n d o n 1 9 65 , p. 6 2 - 1 4 6 ; B a r o c k in
B o h m en , Hrsg. K. M. S w o b o d a , M ü n c h e n 1 964 , p. 11 - 2 0 ; O . J. B l a ż i ć e k , B a r o c k k u n s t in B o h m e n , Prag
1967, p. 1 4 - 4 6 ; J. N e u m a n n , D a s b o h m is c h e B a r o c k , Praha 19 70, p. 1 9 - 3 2 ; P. V o i t , D e r B a r o c k in
U n x a r n , Bud ape st 197 1 , p. 15 - 2 1, 2 6 - 2 8 ; K. K a l i n o w s k i , A r c h ite k tu r a d o b y b a r o k u n a Ś lą s k u , W a r s z a w a
1977, p. 33 - 5 3 ; K. K a l i n o w s k i , R z e ź b a b a r o k o w a n a Ś lą s k u , W a r s z a w a 1 9 86 , p. 8 6 - 8 9 .
2 K. K a l i n o w s k i , K a p li c a ś w . E lż b ie ty p r z y k a te d r z e w e W r o c ła w iu , „ K w ar t al ni k A rc h ite k tu ry i U r ba ni sty k i” 19 69, t. 15, nr 3/4, p. 2 7 3 - 2 9 5 c o m p l e t e b ib li o g r a p h y and s o u r c e s q uo te d. S e e a l s o J. T . P e t r u s ,
6 K O N S T A N TY KALINOW SKI
1. T his R om an work o f art cam e into being north o f the A lps so far aw ay, as a result
o f a fo u n d er’s will, nam ely the bishop o f W roclaw , C ardinal F rideric Landgrave of H essen w ho was a man o f culture; an intellectual o f a sophisticated artistic ta ste .1 His political and church career was strongly connected w ith the p o p e’s court in Rom e. He visited Rom e m any tim es. S om etim es his visit there lasted a few years, som e were even longer. He usually resided in palazzo M ellini-C esi at C orso. It w as there his artistic and aesthetic taste w as form ed during his lively social contacts and direct observations o f the w orks m ade by Bernini, B orrom ini, A lgardi and other artists that were active at those tim es.
D uring his first visit to R om e in the years 1 6 3 6 - 1637 he m ade close friends with cardinal F rancesco B arberini and cardinal prince M aurice de S avoya w ho supported him in his intention o f conversion and w hose affection and help he experienced when in poor financial state.4 S pending m uch tim e in the circle o f Barberini Frideric must have got ac quainted w ith G ian L orenzo Bernini w ho was ju st finishing the construction o f the fam ily residence o f his p atro n .5 F rid e ric 's successive visits to Rom e fall upon the years 1638, 1641 and the y ear 1652 w hen, ow ing to the e m p ero r’s support and som e connections with cardinal C am illo A stali-P am pfili Frideric got the dignity o f car- dinal-d eaco n .6 A fter the death o f Innocent X Frideric cam e to the conclave in January, 1655 and stayed in Rom e for three years till the fall o f 1658. He was one o f the two cardinals w ho in the nam e o f A lexander VII w elcom ed Q ueen C ristina com m ing to Rom e in 16 5 5 .7 F or rtiany years, pop u lar in R om e, il C ardinal landravio rem ained in close contacts w ith the Q ueen and belonged to her closest circle w hich constituted one o f the m ost lively, interesting artistic and intellectual circles in the papal capital.x
The last c a rd in a l’s visit he paid to Rom e w as in the period betw een the years 1666 and 1676.y T he visit that lasted nearly ten years. The idea o f erecting a chaple must have ocurred to him then. A chaple that could serve a double function; o f a m ausoleum o f the founder as w ell as a shrine o f his rich co llection o f relics. The idea probably
K ilk a u w a g o w r o c ła w s k ie j k a p li c y ś w . E lż b ie ty ( W zw ią z k u z p r a c ą K. K a lin o w s k ie g o , K a p lic a św . E lż b ie ty
prcv k a te d r z e w e W r o c ła w iu ) , „R oc /.n ik i Sz tu ki Ś lą s k ie j " 197 3 , t. 9, p. HI - 8 6 . S cu lpt ur e s e e a l s o K. K a l i n o w s k i R z e ź b a b a r o k o w a ..., p. 121 - 124.
* A. R a i s s , K o n v e r tite n s e i t d e r R e f o r m a tio n , t. 5, Fr eiburg 1 867 , p. 4 6 6 ff; Kr atzinger, B e i tr ż g e z u r
G e s c h ic h te d e s L a n d g r a f e n G e o r g II u n d s e in e s B r u d e r s d e s lu in d g r a fe n F r ie d r ic h , „ A r c h iv fur h e s si sc h e
G e s c h i c h t e und A l t e r t u m s k u n d e ” 1 8 7 0, t. 12, p. 161 ff; P. B u c h m a n n , F r ie d r ic h L a n d g r a f von H e s s e n - D a r m
s ta d t, Bre sla u 18 83, p. 1 0 - 2 0 ; F. N o a c k , K a r d in a l F r ie d r ic h vo n H e s s e n , G r o s s p r i o r in H e ite r s h e im , „Zei-
tschrift fiir d ie G e s c h i c h t e d e s O b er rh ei n s " 19 27 , Jg. 4 1 , p. 341 ff; F. N o a c k , D e u ts c h tu m in R o m , Stuttgart 1 9 2 7, t. 1, p. 176, 7 4 4 - 7 4 6 ; t. 2, p. 187; W. D e r s c h , B e itr ú g e z u r G e s c h ic h te d e s K a r d in a l F r ie d r ic h von
H e s s e n , B is c h o f v o n B r e s la u , „ Ze it sc hr ift d es V e r e i n s für G e s c h i c h t e S c h l e s i e n s " 1 92 8, Jg. 6 2 , p. 2 7 4 - 281 .
4 F. N o a c k , D e u ts c h tu m in R o m ..., t. 2, p. 72 .
s R. W i t t k o w e r , A r t a n d A r c h ite c tu r in I ta ly 1 6 0 0 - 1 7 5 0 . L o n d o n 1 958 , p. 70.
6 F. N o a c k , D e u ts c h tu m in R o m ..., t. 2, p. 187; P. B u c h m a n n , op. c i I., p. 20. Titular ch u rc h o f cardinal Frideric w a s S. Maria N o v a e and later S. Ag at ha.
7 S. S t o l p e , K ó n ig in C h r is tin a vo n S c h w e d e n , Frankfurt a/M 1 96 2, p. 2 23 .
x R. S t e p h a n , A N o te o n C h r is tin a a n d h e r A c a d e m ie s , in: Q u e e n Chr ist ina o f S w e d e n . D o c u m e n t s an d S t u d i e s , S t o c k h o l m 1 9 66 , p. 3 6 5 - 3 7 1 .
ROMAN A R TIS TIC IMPORT T O W R O CŁAW 7
crystalized betw een 1671 - 1676 w hen the cardinal w as appointed a bishop o f W rocław which took place in 16 7 l . l(l
Since his convertion to Catholicism F rideric especially w orshiped St. E lisabeth from T huringia. A like all the m em bers o f the landgrave o f H essen fam ily he reckoned h im self as her descendant. P articular adm iration o f this saint was often stressed by the cardinal. He also intended to bring her body from M arburg and bury her in the W rocław chaple to have her near as a com panion o f the eternal rest.
2. W hile staying in Rom e the cardinal began the prelim inary w orks connencted
w ith building o f the c h a p le ." He com m issio n ed the architectural design and chose the artist to w hom the sculptural decoration was com m issioned. He asked the service o f C hristopher Lucatelli w hom he gave big sum s o f m oney in M arch and A pril 1676.12 In the sam e tim e one o f the W ro c law ’s canonics — scholasticus — Jacob B runetti inform ed the chapter in W rocław about the ca rd in a l’s project.
W hile reasonably high am m ounts o f m oney began to be sent to agent in Rom e the realization o f the project w as probably u nder way. On M ay 10, 1679 the cardinal, by good offices o f L ucatelli signed a contract w ith E rcole F errata for carving a statue o f St. E lisa b eth .11 W e can assum e that the final version o f the architectural design m ust have been ready by the end o f 1679, presum ably till April 1680, because the co n stru c tion w orks began in the follow ing season, and obviously som e tim e m ust have been given to m ake construction plans and for establishing the m easurem ents before co m m issioning the w orks to R om an sc u lp to rs.14
The construction began in M arch 1680 and w as co m p leted in N o v em b er in the same year. S tuccoes and M arble lining o f the w alls w ere also c o m p le te d .15 The progress o f the construction was very fast since the fo under could not w ait to see the finish o f his project. H ow ever, he did not live to see the com pletion o f the d ecoration o f the chapel. He died on February 19, 1682 and was buried, according to his will, in the new ly built ch a p el-m a u so le u m .16
111 K. K a l i n o w s k i , K a p li c a .... p. 2 7 5 - 2 7 6 a l s o J. J u n g n i t z , D ie R e liq u ie n d e r Si. E li s a b e th k a p e ll e an
d e r B r e s la u e r K a th e d r a le , „ S c h l e s i s c h e s Pa st oralblatt” 1 9 0 9 , Jg. 30 .
11 T h e d e s ig n o f the ch a p el w a s m a d e 1 6 7 6 - 1 67 9 by an u n k n o w n R o m a n arc hit ect c o m i n g f ro m V al er a (or V a lle , or A l l e di Os tia ). In the man usc ri pt „ A u t h e n t i c o relatio" ( T h e A r c h i v e s o f the a r c h i d i o e e s e in W r o c ła w sign. IIIB 4a) he is c a l le d „berUhmter A r c h it e c t o al Ere s e o " ( f a m o u s arc hit ect o f B r e s c o ) w h i c h is a distorted ad jec ti va l form o f the p la ce the a rchi tect c a m e from , V al F r e s c o - V a le r e s c o . S i n c e the a ut hor o f the leaflet W iir d ig e s A n d e n c k e n and the text A u th e n tic o r e la t io a l s o m i s s p e l l s the n a m e o f Ber nini c h a n g i n g it into B er en ni and the n a m e Ferrata ap pe ars there as H e r c u le Ferrati w h i l e the s p e l l i n g o f n a m e o f G i a c o m o S ci an zi w h o s u p e r v is e d the c o n s t r u c ti o n w a s corr ect, w a ca n d e d u c e that the d e s i g n e r w a s not pres ent in W ro c ła w .
Th e d e s ig n w a s m a d e under a d o m in a t in g i n f lu e n c e o f w o r k s o f G. L. Ber ni ni in R o m e and w a s re al iz e d in W r o c ła w by t w o mast ers from C o m o G i a c o m o S c ia n z i and C ar lo Ro ssi .
12 W . D e r s c h , op. cit., p. 3 0 1 .
’ ' A r c h i v e s o f a r c h i d i o c e s e in W r o c ł a w , sign. 111 B 4 b a bill o f a W r o c ł a w march an t C h r is to p e r R o is s stating the s u m 1 1 4 5 8 Rth. for the y ea r s 1 6 7 8 - 1 6 8 0 B. P a t z a k , D ie E li s a b e th k a p e ll e d e s B r e s la u e r D o m e s , Breslau 192 2, p. 1 1.
14 K. K a l i n o w s k i , K a p lic a ..., p. 27 6 . 15 Ibidem.
8 K O N S T A N TY KALINOW SKI
S im ultaneously w ith building the chapel in W rocław the sculptures w ere m ade in Rom e. At the beginning o f 1680 co n siderable sum s o f m oney w ere paid regularly to the c a rd in a l’s agent in Rom e — S tephano L iberti for the sculptures com m issioned to F errata and D om enico G u id i.17
The greatest problem s the executors o f the c a rd in a l’s w ill had to face, was the trans port o f the sculptures from Rom e to W rocław because at the death o f the founder they had not been finished, and w hat w as m ore, there w ere still considerably high financial oblig atio n s that could not be fulfilled on tim e, although prom ised in the last will, but not paid by the late c a rd in a l’s brother. Still in January 1682 the sculpture o f St Elisabeth w as not finished. In that tim e F errata confirm ed the receipt o f 8(X) -scudi in advance for the actual co m m issio n .18
The second artist — G uidi finished the sculpture o f the cardinal and the tw o a l legorical figures in A pril 168319 and got the last part o f the paym ent in July 1693, because, as it has already been m entioned the executors o f the ca rd in a l’s last will were in a very d ifficult financial situation. F errata m anaged to finish the figure o f St Flisabeth shortly before his death w hich took place on June 11, 16 8 6 .20
B ringing the ready sculptures to W rocław appeared to be rather difficult due to a law suit o f F errata successors and a sequestrator. So the sculpture rem ained to Rom e at the disposal o f a ju d g e until M ay 1696.21 S ince 1695 a few attem pts were m ade by the R om an agent F rancesco Bardi to precipitate the shippm ent o f the sculptures to W ro c ław ,22 but it w as only in M arch 1699 w hen ready sculptures were shipped to G dansk and Silesia. W hen they reached W rocław they w ere placed in the already ren o vated chapel, into the places originally m eant for them . The solem n opening o f the chapel w ith the finally finished d ecoration took place on the 5th o f S eptem ber 1700.21
3. T hus the w orks m ade in R om e becam e the objects o f m aterial im port in 1700
and jo in e d w ith the architecture o f the chapel erected in W rocław . T hey were: 1. The sculpture o f St E lisabeth and tw o adoring angels m ade by E rcole F errata in the years 1 6 7 9 - 1686; 2. the statue o f the cardinal, tw o allegorical figures (V eritas and A eter nitas), putti and som e ornam ents o f the tom b m ade by D om enico G uidi in the years 1 6 7 9 - 1683; 3. the bust o f the fo under also m ade in Rom e (probably in late 1650’s) and placed above the entrance to the chapel already in 1682.
D ouble function o f the chapel; o f a sanctuary o f the saint and o f a m ausoleum o f her d escendant d eterm ined the design o f its interior as well as decided upon form ulating the program o f the b uilding and obviously influenced a form o f sculpture. The main them e — g lo rification o f the saint is com bined w ith the sepulchral and com m em orative
17 B. P a t / a k , op. c i I ., p. 1 I. 111 I b i d em , p. 16.
19 I b i d em , p. 17. 20 Ib id em 21 Ibi de m .
22 A r c h i v e s o f a r c h i d i o c e s e in W r o c ł a w , sign l l l B 4 a B a r d ie 's letters to b is h o p F r a n / L u d w i g v o n N eu bur g and p a y m e n t s to Bardi for h is m e d ia t i o n in br in gi n g the sc ulp tures.
ROMAN A R TIS TIC IMPORT T O W R O CLAW 9
m otives referring to the founder w ho sim ilarly to his saint an c esto r is presented as a man o f greatest C hristian virtue “ p ietas” .
The tw o details significant for the contents o f the interior; the altar and the tom b are situated on the longer axis. A rchitectural division o f the altar apse w hich constitutes the background for the statue o f the saint, is delicate and graphic. The back g ro u n d is standardized by gilding the w hole surface o f w alls, divisions and vaults w hich gives the effect o f a slightly chased b ackground contrastin g w ith the w hite statue o f the saint. The statue is situated u nder a canopy supported by the colum ns. The canopy is an integral detail linking the space o f the chapel w ith the altar apse. The front pair o f colum ns supports the entablature o f the w alls, the second pair o f colum ns situated inside the altar apse constitute a w ing suggesting apparent spread o f the canopy. A ctually, the statue o f the saint is not placed under a flat ceiling supported by the colum ns but it is situated inside the altar apse. T hat is w hy a rather shallow altar apse gives an im pression that the altar m ense is situated inside the chapel and is a p en dentive to the tomb. At the wall opposite to the altar there is a tom b o f the founder. T he fram e o f the tom b — freely standing colum ns support bent en tablature o f the wall. T he fram e corresponds visually and structurally to the fram e o f the altar apse. T he statue o f the cardinal is situated betw een the colum ns in the sem icircular niche d ecorated w ith gilded acanthus ornam ent. Here also the use w as m ade o f the contrast o f colours; o f the golden background and o f the w hite m arble statue.
C olour plays an im portant role in the interior d ecoration o f the chapel, stressing its function. P articular details are defined in space by m eans o f various colours. T hus, the low er part o f the interior is in dark blue and gray colour o f the Silesian m arble. The united colours o f the m ain part o f the chapel stay in contrast w ith the golden altar apse; the sanctuary o f the saint and the c a rd in a l’s tom bstone w hich are w hite and gold. The identical colours o f both details suggest their close relation in the m ausoleum . The gold and w hite stuccoes on the ceiling, m ade by S ebastiano R ossi and G iovanni Sim anetti, also the bright colours o f the paintings on the cupola, m ade by G iacom o Scianzi, define the upper zone o f the interior — the heavenly space as a place o f g lo ri fication o f the saint.
The light concentrated in the central part o f the chapel, together with the dynam ic structure o f the w alls m agnify the im pression o f the central interior. D im ly lit side vaults are contrasted w ith the light focusing on the statues o f the saint and o f the ca r dinal.
The figure o f the saint situated above the altar m ensa, a statue being a m aterial object o f devotion, to w hom the building was dedicated, constituet the m ain plastic detail o f the program presenting the m erits and glorification o f St Elisabeth.
Strong side light w ith the source hidden to the eyes o f an observer in com bination with the golden background gives an im pression o f a visionary presentation. T he saint, with her hands stretched out in a theatrical gesture is kneeling in the clouds. H er head is slightly inclined, her eyes looking in the direction o f the cardinal kneeling opposite the altar.
The saint is accom panied by tw o adoring angels flying in the air. St E lisabeth is dressed in a habit o f a Franciscan o rd er and a princely coat finished w ith erm ine and put around her shoulders, her head covered w ith a w id o w ’s k erc h ief is crow ned w ith
10 K O N S T A N TY KALINOW SKI
corona ra d ia ta ,24 Putti at her feet hold a septer and a coronet, the sym bols o f her status and they seem to be a reference to her earthly dignity she gave up. T here are also bread and a purse, all together sym bolizing privileges, generosity and charity.
The w ay o f presenting St. E lisabeth as a young beautiful w om an in her cloister robe and a princely coat is different from other, generally applied iconographical m odels o f presentation o f this saint. She w as usually show n as a m atron in a hum ble dress. A lso the collection o f all her attributes (but the m odel o f a church and roses) is rather unusual. S om e d ifficulties arise w hen one tem pts to find a hom ogeneous interpretation o f the three crow ns that ap p ear in the iconography o f the saint since the second half o f the 15th century. T hey are view ed as sym bols o f her holy life w hen she was a virgin, then a w ife, then a widow . It can be also interpreted as an allusion to her purity, m artyr dom and apostleship. N otew orthy is the m ultiplication o f the attributes show ing her social status: the erm ine coat, coronet, septer, their significance becom es understandable only in a context o f the program g lo rifying the fam ily o f landgraves o f H essen.25
E rcole F erra ta’s style, although close to the one represented by G. L. Bernini due to m any y e a r’s co o peration o f both artists, in the individual realizations seem s to have m ore features in com m on w ith the creativity o f A lessandro A lgardi; for exam ple the ch aracteristic ex ag g erated idealization o f a figure p articularly noticeable in the sculpture in W rocław . Soft and delicate m odelling is also one o f the features. Also the gesture o f the hands and a turn o f a slightly raised head belong to a co nstant repertoire o f this artist. It can be com pared w ith the sculpture o f St A gnes from the St A gnes church at P iazza N avona in R o m e.26
The statue o f St E lisabeth show s the characteristics for the R om an sculpturs o f B er n in i’s circle, m asterly freedom in the application o f plastic m eans, accuracy in depicting m ateriality o f a robe and flesh. F errata does the m odelling o f folds in a soft chiaroscuro by m eans o f w hich he obtains the effect o f peace and certain classicism . The pair of angels flanking the saint in this com position can be com pared with the angels carrying the fram es o f the altar paintings in the church in Castel G andolfo, designed by Bernini (in 1 6 5 8 - 1661) and in S A ndrea in Rom e (1658 - 1670).21
The tom b o f the founder, in its architectural shape, rem ains in a direct relation to the altar as its counterpart, although the program dedicated to the cardinal begins already at the chapel portal above w hich the c a rd in a l’s bust and his coat o f arm s were placed.
"4 F. S c h m o l l , D ie H e ilig e E lis a b e th in d e r h ild e n d e n K u n st d es /.(. h is 16. J u h r h u n d e rls, Marburg 1918; K. K i i n s t l e , I k o n o g r a h ie d e r H e ili g e n , Fr eiburg 19 26, p. 198 - 2()6; 1 Rea u, I c o n o g r a p h ie d e l'a r t
c h r e tie n , t. 2, P a n s 1 9 5 8 , p. 4 1 8 .
2ST h e g lo r i f y i n g ch a ra cte r o f the pr o g ra m o f the ch a p el is cl ea rl y st re ss ed by the title o f a leaflet printed in 17(X) on the o c a s i o n o f b ri n gi n g fi gu re s to the ch a p el „ W ü r d ig e s A n d e n c k e n v o n d e m D u r ch le u ch t ig s t en S t a m m H a u s e der HI. E li sa b et h Fürstin und Lan dg ràf in zu H e s s e n w i e auch D e r o ga n t z e n .. .F am il ia e von de r HI El i sa b et h an b is s a u f f F r ie d e r i c u m .. .” . T h e subje ct o f the p a in t in gs d ec o r a ti n g w a ll s and the voults o f the c h a p l e are d e v o t e d to the life, d e e d s and virtue s o f the saint, w h i c h , a c c o r d in g to ba roque s y m b o l i c s are fina ll y c r o w n e d by the g lo r if ic a ti o n s c e n e pr es en te d in the h e a v e n l y sph ere — in the c u p o la o f the ch a p le ; s e e K. K a l i n o w s k i , K a p li c a .... p. 291 - 2 9 2 .
2 6 R. W i t t k o w e r , A r t..., fig. 119A .
27 R. W i t t k o w e r , G . L. B e r n i n i , L o n d o n 1 955 , p. 2 2 3 - 2 2 4 , fig. 75 , 79 . S im il a r in st yle an ge l e x e c u te d by E. Ferrate in the altar o f St. T h o m a s o f V il l a n o v a . R o m e . S. A g o s t i n o , s e e J M o n ta g u , R o m a n B a r o q u e
ROMAN A R TIS TIC IMPORT T O W R O CŁAW 1 1
The m o tif o f eternal adoration w as realized in the W rocław chapel in a classical way em phasizing the o stentatious th eatricality so ch aracteristic o f baro q u e.28 W hat is different here is placing the object o f adoration in front o f the altar, on the axis o f the chapel, not at its side, as found in m ost o f the arrangem ents o f that kind in Rom e. Such an arrangem ent em phasizes a direct relation betw een the figure o f the saint and the founder.
The figure depicts the cardinal in his choral vestm ent (rochet and ca p p a m agna) kneeling on a richly d ecorated hassock. He is turning tow ards the altar w ith his hands put together in a praying gesture. Putti hold the attributes signifying the social status o f the dead: c a rd in al’s hat — a sym bol o f the church dignity, biretta — a sym bol o f priesthood, a cro sie r and sw ord at the coat o f arm s are the sym bols o f c a rd in a l’s ec c le siastical authority as a bishop o f W rocław , as a prince o f N ysa and the subprefect general o f Silesia. At the sides o f the socle there are p ersonifications o f V eritas trading o ver C alum nia, w hich could be interpreted, in the spirit o f co unterreform ation as H eresy ;29 and A eternitas30 expressing in a sym bolic language a deep conviction that the truth about honourable deeds o f the cardinal and his com bat w ith heresy are everlasting. And the saintliness o f his life and actions are the g u arantee o f eternal m em ory.
The com m em orative inscription was put in a form o f a sym bolic door to the grave.31 A bove the com m em orative plaque is a tondo w ith the allegory o f F aith32 and the car d in al’s m otto "P ro Deo et E cclesia” . A bove the tondo is a m o tif o f V anitas — a scull in a crow n and lions holding extinguished oil lam ps — the allusion to passing o f earthly dignities.33 The V anitas group and the door to the grave define the border line betw een the earthly life and the eternal life. A bove that line the cardinal is depicted as raised from the dead, w hich is em phasized by a shell closing the niche; a sym bol o f rebirth.34
B r u h n s , D a s M o tiv d e r e v ig e n A n b e tu n g in d e r r o m is c h e n G r a b p la s tik d e s 16, 1 7 u n d IN J a h r -
h u n d e r ts, „ R o m i s c h e s Ja hrbuch für K u n s l g e s c h i c h l e " 1 9 40 , t. 4 , p. 3 6 0 ff; W. T a ta rk ie w icz, N a g r o b k i z
f ig u r a m i k lę c z ą c y m i, ,,Stud ia R e n e s a n s o w e " 1 9 56 , t. 1, p. 2 7 4 - 3 2 8 .
It w a s very c a m m o n in Fre nch s ep ul ch ra l art o f 16th c. t o s h o w a d ead m a n as an ac t i v e k n e e li n g figure in ge s tu re o f ad oration, for e x a m p l e : the royal t o m b s in St. D e n i s o f C h a r le s VIII. L o u is X l l and Q u e e n A nn , Fra nc is 1 and h is w if e . S im il a r t o m b s c o u l d be s e e n in Sp a in , e v e n earlier, o f C h a r le s V, Phil ip II and their f a m i l i e s in Escurial. In Fr ance a k n e e l i n g fig u re o f a d e a d w a s usu al ly c o n n e c t e d w ith an im a g e o f a d ead „in transi". S uc h a kind o f p res en ta tio n w a s spread in Fra nc e, E n g la n d and in the N e t h er la n d s . Othe r Eu rop ean c o u n tr ie s f o l l o w e d the pattern o f R om e: the t o m b s o f p o p e s. In R o m e the im a g e o f a dead w a s not c o n n e c t e d w ith an im a g e „in transi", s e e E. P a n o f s k y , G r a b p la s tik , K o l n 1 9 6 4 , p. 8 3 - 9 1 . A n e x c e p ti o n a l e x a m p l e o f referring to Fre nc h tradition is the C h a p l e o f the R a im o n d i f a m il y by Be r ni ni , w h e re b e s id e s the portraits o f the d ea d s s h o w n in the act o f w o r s h i p p i n g , turned t o w ar d the altar there are a ls o pres ent ed as d ead b o d i e s in op en c o f f i n s . S uc h a w a y o f p re s en ti n g the d ea d is e x p l a i n e d by the c o n n e c t i o n s the R a im on di fa m il y had w it h Fra nce , s e e A. Blun t, G ia n lo r e n z o B e r n in i: lllu s io n is m a n d M y s tic is m , ..Art History" 19 78, t. I, nr 1, p. 73.
29C. R i p a , D e ll e p iù c h e n o v is s im a I k o n o lo g ia , P ad ou a 16 30, p. 3 0 9 . 10 I bid em , p 9 IO.
1 J B i a t o s t o c k i. S y m b o lik a d r z w i w s e p u lk r a ln e j s z t u c e b a r o k u , in: Sa rm a tia artistica. W a r s z a w a 19 68, p. 107 - I 19; J B ia ł o s t o c k i , T h e D o o r o f D e a th . S u n ’iv a l o f a C la s s ic a l M o t i f in S e p u lc h r a l A r t, .J a h rb uc h der Ha m b u rg er K u n s t s a m m l u n g e n ” 19 73, X V I I I , p. 7 - 3 2 .
’2 J. T. P e t r u s , op. c i t ., p. 83.
U J. B i a ł o s t o c k i , V a n ita s. Z d z ie jó w o b r a z o w a n ia id e i m a r n o ś c i' i 'p r z e m ija n ia ' w p o e z j i i s z tu c e , in: T eo r ia i t w ó r c z o ś ć . Po z n a ń 1 961 , p 105 a l s o b ib li o g r a p h y ref. the a b o v e p ro b le m .
12 K O N S T A N TY KALINOW SKI
G uidi, as we may guess, had only a vague idea about the arrangem ent o f the sculp tures in the chapel, because o f that fact the proportions and placing o f particular figures in the chapel as w ell as the w hole arrangem ent o f the tom b hardly m atch w ithin the fram es d efined for them by the architecture. The figure o f the cardinal is too big. It is placed on a too high socle and is filling tightly the niche. The figure is covering the gold b ackground so essential to the w hole com position. The parts o f the tom bstone m ade in W rocław by a local ca rv er — Joseph F ischer do not constitute an integral unity w ith the G u id i’s sculptures.
4. The origin o f the spatial arrangem ent o f the chapel, on the basis o f an elipse
ground plan is rooted in R om an architectural tradition o f the second and the third quarter o f the 17th ce n tu ry .35 The closest m odel w as S. A ndrea al Q uirinale by Bernini erected in the years 1658 - 16703h w here we can trace all the im portant details em ployed also in the co nstruction o f the St. E lisabeth chapel in W rocław : the eliptical cupola situated transversal to the axis, installing the altar in a separate apse on a shorter axis o f an elipse and designing it as a scene separated from the rest o f the interior by a pair o f colum ns supporting the bent entablature. V iew ing S. A ndrea church as an index o f form s seem s to be unquestioned here, how ever, it is possible to point out som e other w orks by B ernini that could have served the purpose: The R aim ondi chapel at S. Pietro in M ontorio, dating from 1 6 4 2 - 164537 and C o m aro at S M aria della V ittoria, dating from 1645 - 1652.38T he R aim ondi chapel served as a m odel for designing the frame o f the altar and the way o f independent illum ination o f the altar. In the C o m aro chapel we also com e across a sim ilar, stagelike design o f a retabulum w ith a source o f light hidden to the observer. A nother w ork by B ernini, o f a sim ilar com positional design is the altar o f blessed L odovica A lbertoni in the A ltieri chapel in S. F rancesco a Ripa in R om e (1671 - 1674).39 T he only difference betw een the chapel in Rom e and the one in W rocław is a transposition o f the colum n m o tif and the stage apse with the light at its side. The light com ing from the altar retable into the w hole altar apse, the solution sim ilar to the arrangem ent in S. A ndrea church.
The chaples o f the C o m aro and o f the R aim ondi and the W rocław chaple are o f a sim ilar functional charakter; they are sanctuaries and m ausolea, that is why the typical m o tif o f eternal adoration o f a fo under is present in each o f them . Frideric must have visited both chaples, since they w ere finished during his stay in Rom e. C ertainly they m ust have influenced the crystallization o f his concept o f the W rocław sanctuary-m au- soleum .
Not only the arc hitecture but also the tom b itself show s the resem blance with the R om an w orks o f G. L. Bernini and his works such as: the tombs o f the pope U rban VIII
, s W e s h o u l d m e n t io n here the ea rl ier w o r k s o f 16th c., s e e W . Lotz , D ie a v a le n K ir c h e n r u u m e lies
C in q u e c e n to , „ R o m i s c h e s Jahrbuch fiir K u n s t g e s c h i c h t e " 19 55, t. 7, p. 35 ff, a l s o S. A nd re a in via Fla min ia
( 1 5 5 1 - 15 54 ), S. A n n a dei Pal afrenieri ( 1 5 7 2 - 1616 ). '6 R. P a n e , R e m in i a r c h ite tto , V e n e z i a 1 9 5 3, p. 6 7 ff. 17 R W i t t k o w e r . A r t..., p. 105.
18 R W i t t k o w e r , G. L B e r n in i..., p 2 0 7 ff. 39 I bi d em , p. 2 3 6 ff.
7. E. Ferrata. St. A g n e s from St. A g n e s ch u r c h at P i a z z a N a v o n a in R o m . 1 66 0 ( R ep . W i t t k o w e r , Art and A rc h it ec tu r e 1 1 9 A )
9. D. G u id i. Putto. 1 6 7 9 - 1683. (Phot. A r c h i v IMS P o z n a ń )
10. D. G u id i. Putto. 1 6 7 9 - 1683. (Pho t. A r c h iv 1HS P o z n a ń )
I I . I). G u id i. Veri tas . 1 6 7 9 - 1683. (Ph ot . Arch iv IMS P o / n a ń )
12. I). G u id i. A et er n ita s . 1 6 7 9 - 16X3. (Ph ot . A r c h iv IMS P o / n a ń )
18. D. G u i d i . T o m b o f c o u n t C a s p a r e T h i e n c in S A n d r e a d e l l a V a l l e in R o m e . 1 6 7 6 - 1678. ( R e p . B r u h n s . fig. 3 1 6 )
19. D. G u id i. T o m b o f G i o v a n n i Batt ista d e L u c a in S S p ir it o dei N e a p o li t a n i. R o m e 16 8 3. ( R ep . Bruh ns, fig . 3 1 8 )
2 0 . A . A lg ar d i. T o m b o f p o p e L e o X I. 16 3 4 1652. (R ep . W i t t k o w e r , Ari and A rc h ite c tu r e. .., fig. 9 7 A )
21 . I). G u id i. T o m b o f car din al L o r e n z o Im pe ria le in S A g o s t i n o . R o m e 1673. (R e p . Bruhns, fig. 2X1)
24. I). Cluiili. T o m b o f Ph il ip tie la V ri ll ie re. C h a t e a n e u f — sur — Loir e. 1680. (R ep . S c h l e g e l fig. 9 6 )
27 . G . L. B e r n i n i . B u s t o f c a r d i n a l P i e t r o V e l i e r . 1627. V e n i c e S e m i n a r i o ( K e p . W i t t k o w e r , B e r n i n i , p. 17S fig. 1(1)
28 . G. L. Be r ni ni . Bust o f c ar d in al A g o s t i n o V e li e r . 1 627 . V e n i c e S e m i n a r i o (R ep . W it tk o w e r . Ber nini p. 178 fig. 11)
2 9 . G . L. Ber nin i, Bu st o f F r a n c e s c o Barberini. 1 62 5 S a m u e l H. K re ss C o l l e c t i o n . N a t io n al G a l le r y W a s c h in g t o n . (R ep . W it t k o w e r . Ber nini..., p. 189 fìg. 2 7 )
3 0 . G . L. Ber nin i. Bust o f car dinal A l e s s a n d r o M on ta lt o. 162 2 - 1623. K u n s th al le Ha m b u rg .
(R ep . „ T h e B u rl in g t o n M a g a z i n e ” . Jan. 1 9 85 fig. 3 7 )
ROMAN A R TIS TIC IMPORT T O W R O CLAW 13
(1628 - 1647) and o f the Pope A lexander VII (1671 - 1678).40 T he design o f the low er part o f the tom b follow s the pattern o f U rban V III’s tom b but w ith som e reasonable m odifications. Instead o f a sarcophagus situated in the centre a large equilateral plaque w ith an inscription was introduced; the plaque is crow ned w ith the tw isted volutes adapted from the crow ning (copestone) o f U rb a n ’s VIII sarcophagus. B etw een the valts, instead o f a skeleton, there is a skull in a crow n; a m o tif o f sim ilar m essage. Also situating the allegorical figures at the sides o f the plaque im itates the com position o f the Rom an m onum ent. H ow ever, p articular details do not constitute, as in their original m odel, an integral unity. The figures and extended bordering o f the epitaph with the tondo and putti sitting on the volutes do not rem ain in any com positional or em otional link, neither with each o th e r nor w ith the statue o f the dead.
The idea o f situating the statue o f a kneeling cardinal on a high socle and his gesture o f eternal adoration directed to the altar was adopted by G uidi from the tom b o f A lex ander V II.41 Follow ing the arrangem ent o f B ernini G uidi clearly referred in his elab o ra tion o f details to the creativity o f his teach er — A lgardi. Like in the w orks by A lgardi, the allegorical figures are situated in such a way that they rem ain only in a loose relation to the rest o f the m onum ent. G u id i’s w ork lacks also the definite co lo u r dom inanta tow ards the centre o f the com position; the effect that w as so ch aracteristic o f the w orks by Bernini. The W rocław tom b reveals som e m otives so ch aracteristic o f G u id i’s w orks and originate from the w orks by A lgardi. T hus, A eternitas is a successive variation o f a type o f figure ch aracteristic o f G u id i's creativity. F or exam ple: P rudentia o f the tom b o f count G aspare T hiene in S A ndrea della V alle in R om e (1676 - 1678)42 or the statue o f the tom b o f G iovanni B attista de Luca in S S pirito dei N apolitani in Rom e (1683).41 Both repeat the m odel o f A lgardi — the figure o f T em p eran tia o f the tom b o f Leo XI in S Peter ( 1634 - 1652).44 A lso the way o f arranging the figure o f the cardinal in his pose o f eternal adoration follow s the pattern o f the tom b o f A lex an d er VII. It had been exploited before, in the seventies by G uidi in the tom b o f cardinal Lorenzo Im periale in S A gostino in R om e.45
S ituating the W rocław tom b in the w ay ch aracteristic o f the R om an elaboration o f m otives o f eternal adoration, assum ing the link betw een the altar and the statue o f the dead, and ow ing to the architectural design o f the chapel, gained a great intensity o f coexistence o f objects situated on the sam e axis. The objects that are the clim ax o f the program and w hose correlation w as em p h asized by the stage architecture. It is w orth m entioning here som e ea rlier com positions o f a sim ilar content — o f the eternal
adora-411 I bi d em , p. 193 ff; 2 3 8 ff.
41 S im il a r arr ang em ent o f a k n e e l i n g figure o f the d ea d pr es en te d in p rof il e Ber nini ap p l ie d in the d e s ig n o f a to m b o f cardinal D o m e n i c o P i m e n t e le , 1 6 53 , in S. Maria sopra M i n e r v a in R o m e , s e e R. W i t t k o w e r ,
G. L B e r n in i..., p. 2 1 7 .
4 2 1. F a l d i , La s c u ltu r a b a r o c c a in I ta li a , M i l a n o 19 58, p. 128, fig. 42; L. Bru h n s, op. cit. , p. 3 9 4 , fig. 316 .
4' L . B r u h n s , op . cit. , p. 3 9 7 , fig . 31 8.
44 I bi d em , p. 3 5 8 ; Fal di, op. cit. , p. 1 1 1 - 1 1 2 , fig . 28; M . H e i m b i i r g e r - R a v a l 1 i, A le s s a n d r o A l g a r d i
S c u lto r e , 19 73, fig. X X I V , p. 8 2 - 8 4 .
4:s L. B r u h n s , op. cit., p. 3 5 9 , fig. 2 8 1; the qe st ur e o f ha nd s sli gh t turn o f the b o d y is s im il a r t o figure o f car dinal R o b e r t o B e l la r m i n e ( 1 6 2 2 - 1 62 4 ) in the ch u rc h II G e s ù in R o m e , s e e R. W i t t k o w e r , G . L B e r
14 K O N S T A N TY KALINOW SKI
tion, in the original nev er realized design o f a tom b o f cardinal O liverio C araffa in a crypt o f the cathedral in N aples ( 1 5 0 3 - I508).46 T he statue o f the dead kneeling in front o f the confession o f St January.
The W rocław p roject w as realized sim ultaneously with tw o o ther big realisations by G uidi; with the tom b o f cardinal L orenzo Im periale and the tom b o f count C aspare T hiene so, it is not surprising that the style o f sculptures in all these realisations is sim ilar. In co n trast to free arrangem ent o f the allegorical figures the statue o f the c a r dinal is rigidly posed and d ifferently elaborated. A llegorical figures have decorative robes o f clearly broken surfaces and deeply cut folds w hich brings about the effect o f m assive silhuette and chiaroscuro effect on their surface. T he figure o f the cardinal has a com pact closed line, the folds are not cut so deeply and the surface is not so m uch d ifferentiated. The face resem bles the type o f a veristic portrait w ithout an attem pt at presenting the psychological characteristics o f a m odel.
The W rocław sculptures prove a very high level o f the a rtist’s skills. The elaborating o f figures as well as o f the details is very precise and gives evidence to m astering the technology and subduing the m aterial by G uidi and by his collaborators (apprentices). A llegorical figures are ch aracteristic o f their correct anatom ical proportions, natural and dynam ic poses and pictorial line o f the figures. The em phasis put on m otion and d ifferentiated positions o f the heads in relation to the legs give an im pression o f fluency and dynam ics. R ichly d ecorated robes do not hide, they underline the differences o f poses and gestures. In contrast to the sharply cut folds o f the robes with the effect m agnified by chiaroscuro, the faces and the naked parts o f th eir bodies are sm oothly polished and softly elab o rated with the feeling o f flexibility o f the tissue. Sim ilar tech nique o f polishing putti brings about the effect o f softness o f their naked bodies. The life-size figure o f the cardinal in a conventional pose o f the eternal adoration was m od elled sim ilarly to the allegorical figures with sharp cuts o f a chisel strenghtening the effect o f light. The closed con to u r and the em phasis on the vertical rhythm o f the folds give the figure a m onum ental and calm character. O w ing to clear m odelling and to revealing the m im ic (there are seen deep w rinkles and m uscles o f the face), the portrait o f the cardinal is realistic and full o f vitality. O nly the w orking o f the h air,'sh o w n in schem atic series o f curls, lacks subtlety. The sculpture in W rocław show s a great re sem blance in w orking out the details, to the portrait o f Philip de la V rilliere in C hateaneuf-sur-L oire o f the 1680.47
U neven level o f the m asterly touch o f particu lar details is undoubtedly a result o f participation o f o ther em ployees o f the w orkshop in the process o f creation. The nam es o f tw o o f G u id i’s assistants are know n from the bills paid in the year 1683. They were: M ichele M aglia (active in Rom e in 1676 - 1707) and F ilippo C arcani (since 1678 a m em ber o f the St. L uca A cad em y ).48 The tom b in W rocław , despite som e m inor faults
4 6 L. B r u h n s , op. cit. , p. 2 6 9 ff.
47 D . O s i o w s k a , R z e ź b a p o r t r e t o w a n a Ś lą s k u o d p o ł o w y X V II d o p o to w y X V III w ie k u , ..R oc zn ik i Sztuki Ś l ą s k i e j ” 1 9 7 9 , t. 12, p. 35 , 45; U. S c h l e g e l , D ie ita lie n is c h e n B i l d e m e r k e d e s 17 u n d d es IH J h r. D ie
B ìld e r w e r k e d e r S k u lp tu r e n g a le r ie B e r lin , Bd. I, B er lin 1 978 , p. 4 2 - 4 6 fig. 9 6 ( b o z z e t t o kat. nr 14. lig. 24).
4 s B. P a t z a k , op. cit. , p. 17 both m a k e their a p pe a ra n ce in the s tu d io o f Ber nini, s ee R. W i t t k o w e r ,
G. /.. B e r n in i..., p. 4 0 ; M a g l i a ca r v ed a c o u p e w ith e m b r o i d e r y o f the statue o f A le x a n d e r VII by Bernini,
ROMAN A R TIS TIC IMPORT T O W R O CLAW 15
in com position, resulting very often from reasons beyond the a rtist’s control, can be recognized as one o f his best works.
5. The figure o f the cardinal situated betw een tw o ideal spheres — the earthly and the heavenly ones w as included, together w ith his tom b by liturgy into functioning o f the sanctuary. Rich liturgical program defined in the act o f fo undation,49 com pleted and enriched the program expressed by the plastic m eans. In the liturgical program o f the chapel, apart from the cult o f the patron there w as also a liturgy o f the dead and the cult o f the Holy C ross. The liturgy o f the dead consists o f “O fficium d efu n cto ru m ” , "C om m em oratio S. E lisabeth", “co llect" for the founder, psalm s “ M iserere" and “ De P rofundis" and absolution.
All those prayers sang or pronunced in the nam e o f the cardinal by the b eneficiaries o f the chapel becam e an earnest request o f a suffering soul and an expression o f hope for G o d 's m ercy.50
W ith the help o f St E lisabeth F rideric hoped to get forgiveness and eternal life. The tom b was included in the liturgy o f the dead in such a way that, on the will o f the founder, the absolution was given to him in front o f the tom b on every anniversary o f his death.51 The oil lam ps, in their shape resem bling candle sticks placed in the lions’ paw s m eant to hold lit candles during the funeral rites, suggest that the tom b served a function o f “castrum d o lo ris” on such o ccasio n s.52
In this baroque “ theatre" operating inside the chapel the dead fo under m ediates b e tw een people and his canonized ancestor, show ing the w ay to salvation through the faith (the burning heart at the socle) — co nstant and true, good w orks and “ v irtue” .
The church o f St E lisabeth in W rocław w as in that tim e a protestant church, so the foundation o f the bishop com pensated, in a sense, the catholic church the loss o f a cult place o f the saint so popular in Silesia. A ctually it w as an an tireform ational act on the part o f a catholic official, w hich is show n not only by the figure o f V eritas treading over H eresy but also by the extended cult o f the H oly C ross as a sym bol o f victory w hich becom es an “ instrum ent to believers, a b anner in the battle against the evil, w isdom for barb arian s.”53
6. Before the year 17(X), in the W rocław chapel there appeared one m ore rem arkable piece o f Rom an sculpture — the portrait bust o f cardinal Frideric w hich w as situated above the entrance to the chapel in the y ear 1682.
4 g W. D e r s c h , up. cit., p. 3 2 7 - 33 0.
V ,L. E i s e n h o f e r . T o te n o ffiz iu m . in: L e x i k o n fur T h e o l o g i e und Ki rch e, t. 10, 1 93 8, p. 2 2 8 - 2 2 9 ; J W i e r u s z K o w a l s k i , L itu r g ik a , W a r s z a w a 19 58, p. 4 0 5 - 4 0 7 .
' I W . D e r s c h , op. cit., p. 3 2 9 .
52J. T. P e t r u s , op. cit., p. 84; J. C h r u ś c i c k i , P o m p a f u n e b r i s , W a r s z a w a 1 97 4 p a s s im ; s e e ef. o f sim il ar fu nc tio n are fully plastic hand s h o ld in g c a n d le s t ic k s in the set o f ep it a p h s in L ig o t a G ó r n a o f the b e g in n in g o f the 18th c., se e c a t a l o g u e o f M o n u m e n t s o f Art in Poland, K a ta l o g Z a b y tk ó w S ztu k i u P o ls c e , t. 7, W o je w ó d z tw o o p o ls k ie , z. 4. P o w i a t k lu c z b o r s k i, T. C h r z a n o w s k i , A. C i e c h a n o w i e c k i . W a r s z a w a I 9 6 0 , p. 3 4 , fig. 106.
16 K O N S T A N TY KALINOW SKI
The w ork w as probably m ade during c a rd in a l's stay in Rom e in the years 1655- 1658.54 C ontem porary sources as well as o ther literature attribute this w ork definitely to G ian L orenzo Bernini (m entioned in “ A uthenthico relatio” as “ C avaliere B erenni” ). O nly since the beginning o f the 20th century, in som e publications follow ing N ick el’s su rv ey 55 have there appeared som e doubts w hether Bernini executed it h im self or rather the w ork w as only created in his w orkshop about the y ear 1668.56
In the light o f recent studies upon w orkshops o f baroque sculptors in general and o f G ian L orenzo B ern in i’s w orkshop in p articular, such considerations lose their e v a l uating sig n ific an c e.57 N o d oubt the w ork is a d istinguished w ork o f art created by B er nini in his R om an w orkshop.
It represents a charak teristic type o f portrait busts by Bernini follow ed later by other baroque artists. The portrait o f the cardinal represents a psychological im age o f a po r trayed person, so characteristic o f B e rn in i’s creativity. It is also w orth noticing that a line o f slightly parted lips becam e typical since the portrait o f cardinal B orghese (in the y ea r 1633).58 Soft m odelling o f the bust has a rich, full o f nuances surface anim ated by contrasts o f sm ooth, subtly d ifferentiated planes. The elicit face with cleanly cut eyebrow s and w rinkles around the eyes and the m outh. The im age strikes with adequate characteristics. A lso m odelling o f hair, that fall in loose curls, as w ell as m odelling the garm ent w ith full feeling o f the texture is analogical to o ther w orks by Bernini o f w hich the m ost sim ilar are the bust o f cardinal B orgia from palazzo V enezia in R om e,59 the bust o f cardinals Pietro and A gostino V elier (1 627),60 the bust o f F rancesco B ar berini (1625) in the N ational G allery in W ashington (Sam uel H. K ress C ollection),61 the bust o f D om enico G innasio ( 1 6 3 2 - I63 3)62 or the bust o f cardinal A lessandro D am ascen i-P eretti-M o n talto ( 1 6 2 2 - 1623) in the K unsthalle in H am burg.63
The com pact com position o f the bust o f a peaceful closed contour, outline o f the arm s show n by slight vertical foldings o f the garm ent, delicate surface plane m odelling avoiding deep penetration o f the m aterial, the w ay o f m odelling o f beard and m oustache show s a close link betw een the bust in W rocław and a group o f early sculpture bust portraits created by B ernini in the third and the fourth decades o f the 17th c.
M D. O s t o w s k a , op. c i t ., p. 3 5 , 4 5 kal. nr 8. a l s o ear lier b ib li o g r a p h y . O s t o w s k a dat es the bust for ab. 1668.
W . N i c k e l , D ie B r e s la u e r S te in e p ita p h ie n a u s R e n a is s a n c e u n d B a r o c k , Strassburg 1924, p. 3 0 - 31, 4 7 - 49 .
54 J. B i a ł o s t o c k i , D w u g ło s o B e r n in im , W r o c l a w 19 62 , p. XII; K K a l in o w s k i, R z e ź b a .... p. 52. ' 7 S e e te xt s in: E n tw u r f u n d A u sfu h r u n g in der e u ro p a iw /i i- n B a r o c k p la s tik , Hrsg. P. V o lk , M ü n ch en 1 986 ; S tu d ie n z.ur W e r k s ta ttp r a x is d e r B a r o c k s k u lp tu r im 17 u n d I ti J a h r h u n d e r t, Hrsg. K. K a l i n o w s k i , Po z n a n 1 992 , J. M o n t a g u , B e r n in i S c u lp tu r s noI b y B e r n in i, in: G. L. Ber nini. N e w A s p e c t s o f h is A r t and T h o u g h t . A. C o m m e m o r a t i v e V o l u m e , sup. I. La vin , P e n s y l v a n i a - l . o n d o n 1985. p. 25 ff. M o n t a g u , R om an b ar og u e seulpture. 58 R W i t t k o w e r , G . L B e r n in i..., p. 15, 194 - 195. 59 D. O s t o w s k a , op. cit. , p. 45. 6 0 R. W i t t k o w e r , G . L B e r n in i 1 9 0 - 191, fig. 10-1 1. 61 U. M i d d e l d o r f , S c u lp tu r e s f r o m th e S a m u e l H. K r e s s C o lle c tio n . E u r o p e a n s c h o o ls X I V X IX c, L o n d o n 19 7 6 , p. 8 0 - 8 1 , kat. nr K 1828. 62 E. B e n k a r d , G io v a n n i L o r e n z o B e r n in i, Frankfurt 19 26, p. 43 , fig. 71 .
6 1 1. Lavin, B er n in i's B u st o f C a r d in a l M o n ta lto , „ T h e B u r l i n g t o n M a g a z i n e ” January 19 85 , C X X V I I . p. 3 2 - 38.
ROMAN A R TIS TIC IM PORT T O W R O CŁAW 17
It also helps dating the W rocław sculpture for the tim e o f cardinal F rid e ric’s visit in Rom e in 1655 - 1658 w here he belonged to a circle o f the Q ueen C ristina. The sculpture is o f a private, inform al character, a p o rtrait m eant for a private appartm ent. It som etim es happened that portraits o f that kind w ere placed in ch u rch es as epitaphs o f a portrayed person.64
Em ploying three different R om an artists such as G. L. B ernini, E. F errata and D. G uidi at m aking particu lar details o f the figurai d ecoration o f the St E lisabeth chapel resulted in creating a kind o f “ v ad em ecu m ” for the local sculptors not only introducing a new style but also — o f no less im portance — the repertoire o f form s and sculpture techniques.
The sculptures that w ere created 20 years before they w ere placed in the W rocław chapel, represented, in the y ea r 1700 already outd ated style form ula, nevertheless, they not only established the Italian o rientation o f the W rocław artists but also d ecid ed upon a long tradition o f post-B ernini style in W rocław sculpture in the first h a lf o f the 18th century.
T ran slated by I. S ank iew icz-K alin o w sk a
M W e ca n o b s e r v e s im il a r c a s e s o f t w o o th er Italian im p o r t s in the W r o c ł a w cathedral: the bust o f the sufragan Jan Baltasar L is c h v on H o m a u (d. 1681 ) and a c a n o n i c u s C as p a r H en ry O b e r g (d. 1 6 7 9 ) , s e e K. K a l i n o w s k i, R z e ź b a .. . p 51 - 5 2 .
