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Part of Summary of articles / Polska Sztuka Ludowa - Konteksty 1959 t.13 z.1-2
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QUARTERLY PUBLISHED BY THE STATE INSTITUTE OF ART
N. 1—2
YEAR BOOK X I I I
1959
SUMMMARY OF ARTICLES
Roman Reinfuss — THE PROBLEM OF THE
CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS I N RESEARCH ON
FOLK CULTURE
I n Polish ethnography there are many problems
which cannot be thoroughly examined, nor can they
be solved by research limited to our own State ter
ritory. A typical example of this is the question of
the genesis and development of folk culture in Po
lish mountain regions, which is a complex problem
going far beyond the section of the Northern slopes
of the Carpathian Mountains which comes within
the Polish frontier. From the point of view of scien
tific research, this question is linked up with the
whole of the research embracing the Carpathian
Mountains from Moravian Gap in the North West,
to the Danube, together with the Balkan peninsular.
The Carpathian Mountains, not very high and with
several easily accessible passes were not a serious
obstacle to communication between the people l i
ving on both sides of the Carpathian range. Nume
rous archeological relics show that in the most
ancient times communication routes led over the
passes of the 'Carpathian Mountains. Traffic over
these routes was of a transit character. Settlers were
reluctant to go up into the' Carpathian mountains,
for the forests and the soil, which was difficult to
cultivate, were not an attraction for a man only
having primitive tools for production. In the middle
ages, the wave of settlers stopped in the fertile
mountain valleys and sometimes crossed over the
mountain range to live on the other side. Economic
exploitation of the Carpathian forests was started
by shepherds from Walachia who came there with
their herds and encamped in these parts. The time
of their coming and also the ethnological features
of this group have not yet been definitely esta
blished. They are mentioned in historical documents
as from the XV century.
Under the influence of State orders and the pres
sure exercised by big feudal landowners, the church
and lay landowners, the process of mass settlement
of the shepherd population began and reached its
peak in the Carpathian mountains in the X V I cen
tury. I t was then that most of the villages were
built in the Carpathian mountains; some regions, for
instance, the Silesian Beskid Mountains, or the
Huculskie villages on the slopes of the Czarnohora
were set up considerable later. Similarly the shep
herds from Walachia settled in the regions where
they spent the winter season.
The Walachian shepherds brought a specific type
of herd economy to the Carpathian regions, as well
as a complicated cultural superstructure. In their
wanderings along the Carpathian Mountains they
met with various ethnological elements on their way
from the north and the [south. They were farmers
who were penetrating ever further into the moun
tains from the valleys. There was the inevitable
meeting and then a merging of the two cultures.
The shepherd element 'gradually gave way to the
forms introduced by the farmers. „While the shep
herd culture is the „clasp" fastening the Carpathian
116
Mountains to the Balkans, the elements coming to
the mountains from the North and the South were
a factor bringing diversities to the mountainous
regions, both in the ethnological and cultural sense:
huculski, bojkowski, łemkowski, Polish and Mora
vian-Slovak. Further cultural differences which can
be observed in certain groups are the result of lo
cal factors: geographic, historical, economic and
others.
I t can be seen from what has been said about the
evolution of the folk culture of the Carpathian
Mountains that in 'starting an ethnographic work on
any section of the Carpathian Mountains research
should embrace both aspects at the same time, that
is, both the general shepherd culture of the Car
pathian Mountains which is linked with the Balkans,
and all the population of the Carpathian Mountains
as a result of the settlement processes which have
taken place there".
In view of the extent and complexity of Car
pathian problems, research devoted to these pro
blems should be of an allround character. I t is
essential that representatives of different branches
of science should cooperate: archeologists, historians,
anthropologists, language experts and even zoolog
ists and botanists. Of course ethnographists have
the widest field for action here.
The main line of research should be Walachian
problems, being the decisive element in the specific
culture of the Carpathian Mountains.
The necessity of a historical approach in our re
search on these problems makes it essential to in
clude all outside factors which influenced the evo
lution of the highlanders' culture in the Carpathian
Mountains, and therefore, the culture of the farming
population from the regions at the foot of the moun
tains.
One of the most important fields of ethnographic
research is folk art in all its forms. So far, there
has been very little Polish scientific literature on
this subject. In the field of music there is only
A. Chybinski's work. Research on folk dances is one
of the most neglected fields in Polish ethnography.
In the field of plastic art, there is Tadeusz Dobrowolski's valuable work „Walachian Traditions in
the Artistic Culture of the Silesian Highlanders"
issued in 1931. In spite of the interesting problems
dealt with by Dobrowolski in his work, nobody con
tinued work in this field. I n this situation the
broadening of this research to include a wider range
of subjects and cover more ground was felt to be
essential. Therefore, the State Art Institute came
forward With the initiative to commence internatio
nal research on the Carpathian Mountains and the
Balkans. This initiative was first put forward at
a conference of the Polish Academy of Sciences in
1954, discussed more broadly at the Congress of the
Polish Ethnological Society in 1956 and is now being
put into practice. An agreement on joint research
has already been concluded between the Polish Aca
demy of Sciences and the Slovak Academy of
Sciences.
Zofia Glowa — THE LASOWIAKS AND INTERIOR
DECORATION
Interior decoration in the cottages of the Lasowiaks (regional group inhabiting the area at the
fork of the Vistula and San rivers) only developed
at the end of the X I X century. Before that time
most of the dwellings in this area were without
chimneys, which made the development of decora
tive art impossible. The earliest forms of decoration
were some types of Chandelier, and, a little later,
paper cuts. After the Second World War, curtains
made of white tissue paper, paintings on paper and
attempts at direct decoration of the walls with pa
intings began to be general in this region. The
authoress deals successively with the various deco
rative forms, giving the technique used and the
typical variations found.
Chandeliers: (decorations hung from the ceilings
of rooms). The oldest type, the so-called globular
type, were made from a lump of clay, dough or
a potato into which straws with coloured paper at
the ends were stuck all round in every direction
(fig. 1). The next type were crystalline chandeliers
made from straws in the shape of a pyramid with
a rectangular base (fig. 2). There were chandeliers
made from several wire hoops joined by threads
hung with ornaments. The hoops themselves were
covered with strips of cotton fabric or tissue paper.
The youngest form is the ray type chandelier com
prising chains made from straws and paper radia
ting from a central point, often covering the whole
ceiling.
Paper cuts: These were not a general form of
decoration in the area under review. They were
made from coloured tissue paper in square and cir
cular shapes {fig. 4). Paper cuts disappeared after
the First World War.
Wall decorations frequently met with now are
patterns made from sewing cone scales on paper
(fig. 6) and wall hangings from pressed straws
glued on fabric (fig. 7). Another type of wall han
ging is painting on paper (fig. 10 and 11). Wall pa
intings have not long traditions with the Laskowiaks. The wall paintings most often met with are
flower motifs painted with the aid of a stencil in
the form of a band. Hand painted designs are also
met with here and there (fig. 8).
Barbara Bazielich, Stefan Deptuszewski —
.SZLACHCICE" AND „DZIADY" — FOLK
SPECTACLES
The authors of the article describe folk customs
connected with Christmas and the New Year, which
have survived to this day. A t this time, processions
of masqueraders pass round the village giving
a special kind of spectacle and at the same time
greeting the (farmers. The village of Rupienka i n
which these customs were examined in detail is si
tuated on the borderline between Śląsk Cieszyński
and Małopolski which accounts for the penetration
of elements of the culture of both regions in this
place. The customs described are characteristic of
the Żywiec region whence they came to Rupienka.
„Szlachcice" (nobles) is a custom where several
farm boys dress up and visit the various cottages
with singing and music on the evening of St. Szczepan's Day. About 50 years ago this custom was still
practiced in the vicinity of Żywiec, but i t was not
known in the little town of Żywiec itself. Now this
custom has gone south and is practiced in the villa
ges of Kamesznica, Szare and Rupienka. The group
of „Szlachcice" comprises a noble and his subjects:
a Highlander, a butcher, a Jew, a Jewess and musi
cians. They all make satirical speeches in the cotta
ges they visit, which are specially compiled to suit
the current time (they are quoted in the article). The
texts they recite are interwoven with singing. Of
course all the characters are dressed up in suitable
costumes and have their faces painted. On the other
hand, the Jew wears a wooden carved mask painted
in colour with a moustache and beard made from
animal hair and sheepskin.
Similar in character is the spectacle „Dziady",
which is given on Christmas Eve and New Year's
Eve. This custom is also limited to only certain
parts, namely, part of the Żywiec region and its
south-western borderline. As opposed to „Szlach
cice", the group is very large and the number and
disguise of the various persons taking part is not
always the same. I t depends on the will and the
imagination of the participants. Those taking part
in the spectacle are exclusively men. The custom of
„Dziady" is probably connected with the attacks of
the Walachian shepherds who settled in the Carpat
hian Mountains in the X I V century. They saved
themselves from hunger during winter spent in the
„hale" (mountains) by stealing from the people in
the villages. The basic dress of the „Dziady" are
sheepskins and masks with horns and their „props"
are bells hung at their belts and whips. The costu
mes of the „Dziady", formerly carelessly made are
now becoming aver more far fetched. Apart from
the „dziady", being the main part of each group,
there are devils (fig. 2—4), chimney sweeps, old wo
men, death (fig. 5—7), Jews (fig. 9—12), bears (fig. 6),
horses (fig. 20), etc. The faces of the masquerading
participants are covered with masks. Formerly they
were made from paper, often with bread pasted on
them. As time went on, wooden painted masks began
to be made, modelled on the paper ones and supple
mented with ram's horns. The devils and Jews
(fig. 4) have the most carefully made masks, which
are very often of great artistic interest. A big band
of „Dziady" runs through the village with much
noise, laughter and music, playing all kinds of tricks
on the villagers and giving various kinds of spec
tacle on their way. The first to enter the room is
the priest who greets the host and then come the
horses with farm boys and gypsies. A l l of them
joke and sing. Before the cottage, Death and devils
run about among the onlookers, sparring With the
bears and accosting girls. The next to enter the room
are two Jews, old and young. The old Jew is made
to Confess by the priest and next both Jews sing
a specially compiled song of ridicule directed against
themselves.
Maria Przeździecka — ON THE MARGIN OF THE
GENISIS OF KASZUBIAN EMBROIDERY
This article is a supplement to an extensive
article published by Maria Przeździecka in No 3/1958
of ,.Polish Folk Art". The authoress analyses ma
terials recently acquired from the collections of
Professor Wrzosek — photographs of figures of the
Madonna on embroidered dresses (found even before
the last war in Kaszubian cottages. The embroidery
on the dresses shows close kinship with the histo
rical convent embroidery from Żuków. They were
most probably embroidered by nuns, or under their
direct supervision in convent schools. They cannot
be regarded as a source of Kaszubian folk embroide
ry, nor even as an indirect element.
Ewa
Frys — IRON BOUND FOLK COFFERS
Coffers are found relatively early in folk (furnis
hings in Western Europe. (Specimens from the end
of the X V I I I century (fig. 2) have many features
typical of styled coffers, which can be seen above
all in the very decorative iron work: several deco-
117
rative teehni*ues were then used, such as tracery
an the edge of the iron work, open-work and beaten
metal work. The Polish coffers found along the
Western frontiers — in Silesia, in the Poznań region
(fig. 3) and also in Pomerania and the Mazury Lake
District, belong to this group which differs very
little from the styled forms. They mostly date back
to the X V I I I century and the first half of the X I X
century. On the other hand, in central and Eastern
Poland these coffers appeared earliest in the small
towns, whence — as from German and Dutch rural
colonies also — they came to the peasant cottages
in the second half of the X I X century. The increased
use of coffers in these areas was in connection with
the higher standard of living of the peasants and
also changes in fashion. The coffers, made by car
penters from the towns were probably first destined
to mett the needs of the courts and towns — people
and later became popular in the countryside repla
cing ordinary chests. A large number of coffers were
brought to the countriside by seasonal emigrants
and returning emigrants. Young men called to mi
litary service and girls seeking service began to use
small coffers. But the coffers were used, like chests,
above all, for keeping clothing and were an integral
part of the outfit of young married women.
The authoress analyzes in detail the different
kinds of construction used by rural carpenters in
making coffers, their shape and ornamental elements
(iron work) all over Poland.
Paulina Chrzanowska — JÓZEF MINOR'S TOYS
As compared to other Polish folk toys, Minor's
work is different and — as far as we know — quite
unique. Firstly owing to their form which is more
akin to the cult carvings of primitive peoples, and
secondly—• owiny to the purpose for which they were
carved. For Minor's toys are not toys in the ordinary
sense of the word. They were not made for children
to play with. But Minor was right in calling them
toys. For they are figures whose ingenuity is not
in the sphere of plastic art, but in the actions they
perform. And again we have an effect making them
quite unique among folk carvings or toys. For their
humour is of a sexual nature. Unfortunately we do
not know anough about Minor to explain this fact
and also the strange kinship with primitive carvings.
Minor began to carve his toys as from 1954, a few
years 'before his death. He was then an old man
of about 80 and unfit for work. The most typical
of Minor's toys are comical moving figures made
from willow branches and painted in three colours:
black, white and grey. The size of the toys varies
from 5—25 cm. Apart from the characteristic comic
moving (figures, Minor also made toys of a traditional
character linked with the Cracow region. He depicts
memories of his youth when he participated with
his friends in carol singing rounds. In all Minor's
toys we see the same characteristic formal features:
a tendency to make simplified solid figures, always
symmetrical, following the geometrical pattern of
a cylinder placed on straight parallel legs.
Marta Michalska — IRON CROSSES I N WIELUŃ
DISTRICT
During the years 1935—1939 the authoress made
a study of 70 iron wayside and cemetery crosses,
hand-wrought by rural blacksmiths. She conducted
her work on her own initiative and by herself w i t
hout gaining any support from the authorities. Du
ring her travels as an agricultural instructor she
sketched and wrote descriptions of the iron crosses
she found in the villages. During the last war, almost
all the crosses were destroyed by the occupant. The
majority of the drawings and descriptions made by
the authoress were also destroyed. Those Which she
Was able to save we are now publishing in „Polish
118
Folk Art". Today, they constitute the only material
concerning this field of artistic smithery in the v i
cinity of Wieluń. The oldest crosses noted by the
authoress dated back to about 1890. The ornamen
tation of these crosses was then very modest. The
most beautiful crosses were wrought in the years
1900—1920.
Jerzy Czajkowski — FRANCISZEK ZAREMBA
The development o f Zaremba's sculpturing is an
interesting and quite typical example of the develop
ment of a talented rural self taught artist from the
traditional folk sculpture to handicraft work. Zarem
ba was born of a peasant family near Miechów.
As a child he made religious figures, dolls and little
animals from wood or clay while tending the animals
in the meadows and he often modelled his work
on illustrations in school text-books. When he was
15 years old he did his biggest work — a wooden
altar (fig. 1, 2, 3). Next he attended the Artistic
Industry School in Cracow and served as an appren
tice to a stone mason in Częstochowa. His sculpture
of Ursus, inspired by Sienkiewicz's book „Quo Vadis"
(fig. 5) was done at this time. Now, Zaremba is
sculpting altars and holy figures for the surrounding
churches.
Ludwig Dubiel — JÓZEF BRYCHCY — FOLK
SCULPTOR
Józef Brychcy ,a peasant from the village of Ru
dzica, Bielsko District in Silesia, was always an
amateur and did his carving as a hobby. During his
life he has made several dozen altars carved in wood
in Gothic, Romanesque or other styles, many wooden
birds and toys. He hardly ever carved figures. He
made his altars from linden wood and painted them
in various coloured oil paints. He never used sketches
when working, putting his ideas straight into the
wood carving.
Jacek Olędzki — KURPIE FISHERMEN SPEAK
ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OF FISHES
(Contribution to research on the aesthetic sense
of the people)
The aesthetic value of folk art is often attributed
exclusively to the aesthetic sensitivity o f the artist.
However, it seems that, all the more so with folk
artists than with trained artists, the aesthetic value
of a work is often the result of the influence of
many factors not directly connected with the sensi
tivity of the artist himself. The uncritical attitude
of the folk artist towards the problem of aesthetic
sensitivity was shown particularly clearly in analysis
of their creative incentive in depicting the world
of nature. The results o f this analysis in most cases
confirmed the unconscious aesthetic sensitivity of
folk artists.
The material contained in the article does not aim
at showing the importance of the aesthetic sensiti
vity of folk artists in the process of producing
a work of art. I t is only a beginning, dealing with
a problem which can only be more broadly elabo
rated on the basis of local research. The author
quotes the remarks of several dozen fishermen from
Puszcza Zielona Kurpiowska. From the remarks he
noted down, the author observed that the criterion
of the aesthetic values of fishes is, above all, their
material value. On the other hand, he was successful
in obtaining some remarks where the fishermen
described the fishes according to aesthetic criteria.
These were i n most cases observations by fishermen
of the younger generation (up to 35 years). This may
be a proof of a gradual change in the aesthetic
sense of the people in the Kurpie region. The ma
terial collected is unfortunately insufficient to be
able to state whether this change applies to every
thing in the world of nature.
ralism to completely worthless items being a reflec
tion of the cheap souvenir production developed
in the vicinity of Iwonicz.
Janina Petera — RESEARCH ON FOLK ART
IN ALBANIA
Albania, one of the youngest countries of Europe,
is up till today a rarely met with reserve of folk
culture. In Albania it constitutes a large and integral
part of the national culture, which only to a very
small degree is subjected to the process of urbani
zation. I n the mountainous and poor country of A l
bania, for long centuries oppressed under the foreign
yoke, folk culture comes to meet the researcher
halfway as it were. The historical situation of A l
bania, occupied by Turkey until 1912, and then, after
a short period of relative independence, by Italy
(from 1939) is the reason why the first Albanian
research work on folk art and the organization of
museums only began after 1944, Janina Petera deals
with this research work in her article, with the
Albanian methods, and results, giving a list of re
search institutes and general information about the
scientific literature already issued in the field of
ethnography.
Wanda Widigrer — EXHIBITION OF JAN JACHIMIAKS PAINTINGS ON GLASS
Jachimliak, a young highlander from Tylmanowa
(born i n 1930) is one of the most interesting modern
painters of peasant origin. Jachaniak came of country
folk and his art was born from the traditional
Podhale painting on glass. At present however his
link with tradition is very loose, and the artist
himself, although self-taught has been accepted as
a member of the Artists Union.
The exhibition of Jachmiak's works held in Zako
pane in 1958 was a review of all his work so far,
from his first works — decorative birds painted
when he was learning from the artist S. Miklaszew
ski, then pictures painted under the influence of He
lena Roj-Kozłowska (a highland woman artist paint
ing on glass) to his last works, showing the already
well defined individuality of the artist partly inspi
red by modern painting.
Franciszek Kotula —. INFORMATION ON FOLK ART
During research i n various localities, objects in the
field of folk art are sometimes discovered, appearing
either as single specimens of something which is
just being born or as unique relics. A number of
specimens of this type can give material for broader
synthesis. Therefore, „Polish Folk A r t " is introducing
a new section of short pieces of information, commu
niques and notes. We are first publishing material
sent in by Franciszek Kotula, Director of the M u
seum in Rzeszów.
„Smieciarz". I n the Sandomierz Puszcza region
it was an ancient custom for boys to put straw
puppets in the farmyards of girls that were disliked.
Now one can see satirical paintings of the same
significance on the doors of sheds and barns (fig. 5).
..Shepherd's art". In the Rzeszów region one often
meets with boys who fill their free time an the
meadows by carving in wood or modelling in clay
little satirical figures, memory portraits of persons
whom they wish to ridicule.
„Satirical iron door handles". Kotula gives three
such examples, one on a church in Ropczyce dating
back to 1750 and two from rural houses of the X X
century. They show satirical treatment of human f i
gures, which is a rare thing i n folk smithery
(fig. 2-4).
„Figures in wall paintings". Kazimierz Brzozowski,
a young country boy from Lubzina in Rzeszów
District, painted on the wall of a house a large and
interesting composition of figures depicting a battle
that he saw during the last war as a 9 year-old
boy (fig. 1).
Olga Mulkiewicz — EXHIBITION OF MODERN
FOLK ART OF THE PEOPLE CALLED POGÓRZANIE, DOLINIANIE AND ŁEMKOWIE I N JASŁO
(NOVEMBER 1958)
The Southern part of the Rzeszów Voivodship
is a region where very little ethnographic research
has been carried out. Therefore, every work aimed
at bringing out its traditional culture is of great
importance. The Jasło exhibition did not unfortuna
tely fulfil its task. A number of vital and interesting
fields of folk art were not shown, such as pottery
or furniture. On the other hand the contemporary
sculptures on show were of great interest. The
sculptures shown at the exhibition represented
a greatly varied artistic level, from works which
were decidedly interesting, through „correct" natu
Barbara Bazielich — AFTER THE KATOWICE
VOIVODSHIP PAINTED EASTER EGG COMPETI
TION-EXHIBITION
An exhibition of painted Easter eggs made by the
inhabitants of Katowice Voivodship was held in the
Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom in 1958.
Among the specimens exhibited, a decided majority
were made by the technique of scraping the design
on previously dyed eggs, which is typical in Silesian
Easter egg art. The background for the for the white
lines were coulours repeated according to traditio
nal patterns: black, green, violet and brown. The
decorative motifs, geometrical and taken from plant
life as well as anthropomorphic themes, were mostly
arranged along the perpendicular lines dividing the
eggs.
There were 346 painted Easter eggs on show made
by 34 folk artists. Almost all the exhibits were pur
chased by the Upper Silesian Museum.
Roman Reinfuss — ABOUT THE X I V CRIB COM
PETITION I N CRACOW
iCrib Contests are held every year in December
at the foot of the Mickiewicz Monument in St. Mary's
Square. I n 1958, 41 crib were exhibited. Among
those participating in the competition were all the
most skilled crib makers from previous years. Ho
wever, this time their work, although executed with
great skill, was over-loaded with decorative detail
and the composition as a whole was not very good.
The most interesting crib was made by Władysław
Wiatr, a 50 year-old bricklayer, who until now was
not one of the best. Wiatr is the nephew of the
famous crib maker who was well-known as far back
as before the First World War. In general, the com
petition was marked for a definite tendency towards
reducing the size of the cribs, nor were there any
cribs with a stage and puppets for nativity perfor
mances.
Zofia Głowa — EXIBITION OF ANNUAL RITES
IN THE ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM I N CRACAW
On the ocasión of „Cracow Days", an exhibition
of folk customs was organized in the Cracow Ethnographis Museum. The exhibits included the former
exhibition of Cracow cribs, extended and supple
mented by the staging of annual rites connected with
Christmas, the New Year, Shrovetide and Easter,
as well as family rites. The arrangers of the exhi
bition consciously rejected a strictly scientific ap
proach arranging the exhibits in a way to fire the
imagination of visitors and show them the artistic
values of the folk rites.
119
able to state whether this change applies to every
thing in the world of nature.
ralism to completely worthless items being a reflec
tion of the cheap souvenir production developed
in the vicinity of Iwonicz.
Janina Petera — RESEARCH ON FOLK ART
IN ALBANIA
Albania, one of the youngest countries of Europe,
is up till today a rarely met with reserve of folk
culture. In Albania it constitutes a large and integral
part of the national culture, which only to a very
small degree is subjected to the process of urbani
zation. I n the mountainous and poor country of A l
bania, for long centuries oppressed under the foreign
yoke, folk culture comes to meet the researcher
halfway as it were. The historical situation of A l
bania, occupied by Turkey until 1912, and then, after
a short period of relative independence, by Italy
(from 1939) is the reason why the first Albanian
research work on folk art and the organization of
museums only began after 1944, Janina Petera deals
with this research work in her article, with the
Albanian methods, and results, giving a list of re
search institutes and general information about the
scientific literature already issued in the field of
ethnography.
Wanda Widiger — EXHIBITION OF JAN JACHIMIAKS PAINTINGS ON GLASS
Jachimliak, a young highlander from Tylmanowa
(born i n 1930) is one of the most interesting modern
painters of peasant origin. Jachmiak came of country
folk and his art was born from the traditional
Podhale painting on glass. At present however his
link with tradition is very loose, and the artist
himself, although self-taught has been accepted as
a member of the Artists Union.
The exhibition of Jachmiak's works held in Zako
pane in 1958 was a review of all his work so far,
from his first works — decorative birds painted
when he was learning from the artist S. Miklaszew
ski, then pictures painted under the influence of He
lena Roj-Kozłowska (a highland woman artist paint
ing on glass) to his last works, showing the already
well defined individuality of the artist partly inspi
red by modern painting.
Franciszek Kotula —. INFORMATION ON FOLK ART
During research i n various localities, objects in the
field of folk art are sometimes discovered, appearing
either as single specimens of something which is
just being born or as unique relics. A number of
specimens of this type can give material for broader
synthesis. Therefore, „Polish Folk A r t " is introducing
a new section of short pieces of information, commu
niques and notes. We are first publishing material
sent in by Franciszek Kotula, Director of the M u
seum in Rzeszów.
„Smieciarz". I n the Sandomierz Puszcza region
it was an ancient custom for boys to put straw
puppets in the farmyards of girls that were disliked.
Now one can see satirical paintings of the same
significance on the doors of sheds and barns (fig. 5).
..Shepherd's art". In the Rzeszów region one often
meets with boys who fill their free time an the
meadows by carving in wood or modelling in clay
little satirical figures, memory portraits of persons
whom they wish to ridicule.
..Satirical iron door handles". Kotula gives three
such examples, one on a church in 'Ropczyce dating
back to 1750 and two from rural houses of the X X
century. They show satirical treatment of human f i
gures, which is a rare thing i n folk smithery
(fig. 2—4).
„Figures in wall paintings". Kazimierz Brzozowski,
a young country boy from Lubzina in Rzeszów
District, painted on the wall of a house a large and
interesting composition of figures depicting a battle
that he saw during the last war as a 9 year-old
boy (fig. 1).
Olga Mulkiewicz — EXHIBITION OF MODERN
FOLK ART OF THE PEOPLE CALLED POGÓRZANIE, DOLINIANIE AND ŁEMKOWIE I N JASŁO
(NOVEMBER 1958)
The Southern part of the Rzeszów Voivodship
is a region where very little ethnographic research
has been carried out. Therefore, every work aimed
at bringing out its traditional culture is of great
importance. The Jasło exhibition did not unfortuna
tely fulfil its task. A nuihber of vital and interesting
fields of folk art were not shown, such as pottery
or furniture. On the other hand the contemporary
sculptures on show were of great interest. The
sculptures shown at the exhibition represented
a greatly varied artistic level, from works which
were decidedly interesting, through „correct" natu
Barbara Bazielich — AFTER THE KATOWICE
VOIVODSHIP PAINTED EASTER EGG COMPETI
TION-EXHIBITION
An exhibition of painted Easter eggs made by the
inhabitants of Katowice Voivodship was held in the
Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom in 1958.
Among the specimens exhibited, a decided majority
were made by the technique of scraping the design
on previously dyed eggs, which is typical in Silesian
Easter egg art. The background for the for the white
lines were coulours repeated according to traditio
nal patterns: black, green, violet and brown. The
decorative motifs, geometrical and taken from plant
life as well as anthropomorphic themes, were mostly
arranged along the perpendicular lines dividing the
eggs.
There were 346 painted Easter eggs on show made
by 34 folk artists. Almost all the exhibits were pur
chased by the Upper Silesian Museum.
Roman Reinfuss — ABOUT THE X I V CRIB COM
PETITION I N CRACOW
iCrib Contests are held every year in December
at the foot of the Mickiewicz Monument in St. Mary's
Square. I n 1958, 41 crib were exhibited. Among
those participating in the competition were all the
most skilled crib makers from previous years. Ho
wever, this time their work, although executed with
great skill, was over-loaded with decorative detail
and the composition as a whole was not very good.
The most interesting crib was made by Władysław
Wiatr, a 50 year-old bricklayer, who until now was
not one of the best. Wiatr is the nephew of the
famous crib maker who was well-known as far back
as before the First World War. In general, the com
petition was marked for a definite tendency towards
reducing the size of the cribs, nor were there any
cribs with a stage and puppets for nativity perfor
mances.
Zofia Głowa — EXIBITION OF ANNUAL RITES
IN THE ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM I N ORACAW
On the ocasión of „Cracow Days", an exhibition
of folk customs was organized in the Cracow Ethnographis Museum. The exhibits included the former
exhibition of Cracow cribs, extended and supple
mented by the staging of annual rites connected with
Christmas, the New Year, Shrovetide and Easter,
as well as family rites. The arrangers of the exhi
bition consciously rejected a strictly scientific ap
proach arranging the exhibits in a way to fire the
imagination of visitors and show them the artistic
values of the folk rites.
119
CZASOPISMA PAŃSTWOWEGO INSTYTUTU SZTUKI
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P.P. WYDAWNICTWA ARTYSTYCZNE I FILMOWE
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