Cyfrowa Etnografia

8e864aa9a229a18c7c8a7c4db843f819.pdf

Media

Part of Summary / Polska Sztuka Ludowa - Konteksty 1961 t.15 z.1

extracted text

P

O

L

I

S

QUARTERLY PUBLISHED

N. 1

H

F

BY THE A R T INSTITUTE

O

L

K

OF T H E POLISH

Y E A R BOOK X V
SUMMMARY OF ARTICLES

Jacek Olędzki
— THE ANNUAL BAKING
RITUAL CAKES I N SOUTH-EAST P O L A N D

A
ACADAMY

R

T

O F SCIENCES

1961

OF

the feast day o f the H o l y T r i n i t y i n Prostynia. There
is an o l d legend attached to this t r a d i t i o n up t o this
very day that the H o l y T r i n i t y appeared i n Prostynia
The custom of baking cakes i n the f o r m of
on a goat. T h e age o f this legend proves that the
figures
and symbolical-imaginary
shapes,
until
magic function o f the r i t u a l cakes must have died
recently connected w i t h magic rites, has survived
out earlier i n Podlasie than t h e r i t u a l function o f
in the south-east of Poland as a custom observed
the " N o w e l a t k a " i n K u r p i e and Mazury.
at the New Year, T w e l f t h Night and the Annuncia­
I n t h e d i s t r i c t o f Bielsk Podlaski, r i t u a l cakes
tion of the Blessed V i r g i n Mary. The motifs of the
were baked i n the f o r m o f a five-fingered stork's
cakes baked at the New Year and f o r T w e l f t h Night
foot (fig. 42); there were also some made i n the
were things that had material value i n t h e villages
f o r m o f a g r i c u l t u r a l implements (fig. 43, 44). T h e
and were connected w i t h stock breeding o r hunting.
custom o f baking these r i t u a l cakes was preserved
So the villagers shaped the cake dough i n t o cows,
up to the end o f t h e 19th century on the day o f the
oxen, bulls, and calves (fig. 1, 2, 5), horses a n d foals
Annunciation of t h e Blessed V i r g i n , when the people
(fig. 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 13), sheep, ewes a n d lambs (fig.
greeted the r e t u r n i n g storks, w h i c h according t o the
10—12), poultry (fig. 14, 17, 22); sometimes pigs
old folk sayings were t h e protectors o f farms. I n
(fig. 15, 16) or dogs (Fig. 11). I n some cases the cakes
recent years this custom has lost its magic meaning
represented forest animals such as stags (fig. 25—26).
and the "Stork's Feet" are only baked to celebrate
roe-deer and goats (fig. 27, 30). A l l these figures
the coming of Spring. I n the village o f Sokółka and
were called "Nowe l a t k a " (New Year Cakes). This
the surrounding districts, the custom o f baking
was the name o f one k i n d of cake made i n the f o r m
" L a r k s " o n the day o f the Annunciation of t h e
of a ring w i t h either just animals round i t o r w i t h
Blessed V i r g i n has been preserved to this very day.
a shepherd surrounded b y animals (fig. 20—22). This
The "Stork's Feet" and "Nowe L a t k a " are baked
ring was once the symbol o f a magic ring. Another
f r o m wholemeal o r r y e flour, w h i l e the goats are
group of motifs is connected w i t h f a m i l y life —
made exclusively f r o m wheat flour. I n Ostrowa Ma­
representing " M a n " , "Woman", " C h i l d " and wedding
zowiecka, they are painted after baking. The shaping
rings. Sometimes there is a scull, cross and ladder
of a l l forms o f r i t u a l cakes begins f r o m m a k i n g the
representing death (fig. 31—32).
rough shape; t h e n i t is modelled and lastly details
In the second half of the 19th century the custom
are added. T h e consistency o f the dough had a n
of baking ritual cakes i n Warmia, Mazury and K u r p i e
influence o n the form, w h i c h developed towards
still had great significance. A t t h e New Year i t was
very broad forms o f artistic expression.
said i t o have magic power; the k i n d and number of
The K u r p i e and Mazury r i t u a l cakes also have
animals on the r i n g were supposed to contribute to
counterparts i n other parts o f the country (Kujawy,
increasing the number of young animals that w o u l d
parts o f Małopolski) w h i c h proves that t h e custom
be born. The cakes were shaped b y the men w i t h
was widespread i n m a n y parts o f Poland. We f i n d
the ceremonial assistance o f members o f the family.
analogical examples i n the r i t u a l cakes baked i n the
Some of the cakes were kept i n a place of honour
Łużyc region and i n Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and
for the whole o f the following year to ensure
Bulgaria. I n spite o f this s i m i l a r i t y , the Mazury and
prosperity. Sometimes they were used i n the practice
K u r p i e r i t u a l cakes are an original phenomenon
of magic rites — to safeguard the animals f r o m
o w i n g to the exceptional w e a l t h o f motifs connected
sterility. Then again they were used f o r telling
w i t h t h e peasants'farm l i f e a n d the realistic w a y
fortunes.
they are represented.
A t the end o f the 19th century, the magic signi­
ficance of the r i t u a l cakes began t o d i e out. They
Jerzy Czajkowski — T H E L A S T BARDIÓW POTTER
were only baked to keep up the o l d traditions, and
Bardiów, a historical l i t t l e town on the ancient
since the last w o r l d w a r these " N o w e l a t k a " have
Polish-Hungarian route, w a s once a pottery centre
been made i n several K u r p i e villages f o r competitions
that played a n i m p o r t a n t role i n the development of
and exhibitions o f folk art. A p a r t f r o m the " N o w e
folk culture both i n Slovakia and i n the neighbouring
latka" another k i n d o f cake was baked called
Polish territories. I t was the meeting place on market
"Fafernuchy" and although they gradually ceased to
days f o r t h e people f r o m both sides o f the Car­
be used for magic practices people w e n t o n baking
pathians, and the Bardiów pottery found many ready
them because they were very tasty.
buyers i n Poland — i n the southern part o f Rzeszów
The "Pros'tynia Goats", baked i n t h e village of
Voivodship and p a r t o f Cracow Voivodship.
Prostynia, are a counterpart o f t h e "Nowe l a t k a " .
The pottery trade existed i n Bardiów u n t i l 1928.
They are traditionally l i n k e d w i t h the Podlasie region
A l l k i n d s o f pots, jugs, cups, plates, bowls, cand­
and sold on religious feast days and at fairs. For
lesticks, baking moulds, painted and glazed toys and
commercial reasons they have n o w become stan­
even ornamental tiles were made there. Ferruginous
dardized and there is n o t such a w e a l t h o f motifs
medium fat clay was used b y the potters. Each potter
as w i t h the "Nowe l a t k a " . They represent sheep,
designed his o w n decorative motifs, most frequently
horses, dogs, goats and stags (fig. 34—39). For several
taking t h e w o r k o f his father o r grandfather as
dozen years t h e b a k i n g o f "Prostynia Goats" has
a model o r copying the ornamental motifs of other
been confined exclusively to Ostrowa Mazowiecka,
potters seen at the market. Some o f the pottery was
and their production has become a source of income
sold on the spot and a lot was sold all over Slovakia
to many of the poorest families. Their o r i g i n however
and Poland. T h e demarcation o f the Polish-Czecho­
is most probably l i n k e d up w i t h the o l d magic rites.
slovak frontier after the First W o r l d War, cutting
The sale of the „goats" is t r a d i t i o n a l l y connected w i t h

es

off the Polish market, as w e l l as the reduction i n
the prices of clay products caused a drop i n pro­
duction and hastened its disappearance. Jan F r a n kovic, who gave this information to the author, is
the last potter i n Bardiow. He keeps to the t r a d i t i o n a l
forms and decorative technique i n his wide assortment
of pottery. His pots are usually painted and glazed,
mostly multi-coloured, i n b r o w n , green, w h i t e and
blue. A frequently used decorative element is the
'spot" appearing i n various sizes and arrangements
(fig. 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9), and also the „herring-bone"
motif (fig. 3, 4, 5, 7). Birds are painted on the
bottoms of bowls and plates (fig. 2, 3).
This article is aimed at d r a w i n g the attention of
research
workers to the possibility of
mutual
infiltration i n t h e ceramic ware on both sides of the
Carpathians, w h i c h is confirmed by
Frankovic's
information about potters copying the ornamental
motifs of others seen at markets.
Paul Henri Stahl — T H E SUN, MOON A N D STARS
I N R U M A N I A N F O L K A R T OF T H E 19th CENTURY
A l l through the centuries, celestial phenomena
have given rise to legends and beliefs w h i c h are
also reflected i n art. Star motifs are found i n
European folk art. The author of this article discusses
the occurrence of these motifs i n Rumanian folk
art, emphasizing their connection w i t h the cosmogonic
conceptions of ancient times. The most common
motif is the sun. w h i c h was the object of widespread
cult and w i t h w h i c h a number of rites were con­
nected. M y t h i c a l reliefs testify to the pre-historic
origin of this cult i n Rumania.
Ancient beliefs and artistic imagination gave
anthropomorphic representations of the sun. The
most simple representation of the sun is a circle,
found i n ceramic ware, wood carvings, on gates,
coffers, articles of everyday use and on votive m o ­
numents. Anthropomorphic elements are often d r a w n
i n t h e circle (eyes, nose, mouth), these elements
being found most frequently, on votive monuments.
The centre of the circle is often accentuated, and
it is surrounded by rays, v a r y i n g i n number. I n
a number of cases, there are several concentric
circles. These forms are imost common i n wood
carving. Forms where t h e rays are bent inwards
inside the circle or where the rays d o not radiate
from one central point are n o t frequent, b u t are
found i n painted Easter eggs and sometimes i n
icons.
Other forms rarely found are the sunflower — i n
woven fabrics and ceramic w a r e — and the horse
motif — l i n k e d up w i t h the sun i n legends.
I n Rumanian folk art, t h e moon m o t i f is not
found so frequently as the sun. Magic powers were
attributed to the moon, w h i c h gave rise to various
superstitious customs.
I t is always shown as the new moon. The n e w
moon m o t i f is often found i n icons painted on glass
and i n church m u r a l paintings. I t is rarely found i n
ceramic ware.
The star m o t i f is l i n k e d u p w i t h age-old beliefs.
I t takes various forms i n f o l k art. Very common is
the star carried by carol singers — a n d this applies
to the whole of Europe. The star motif is used, very
often i n ceramic ware, where its o r i g i n can be traced
to Byzantine ceramic ware. I t is also found i n icons,
on Easter eggs, very frequently i n fabrics, but rarely
in wood carvings. There are special legends about
the " M i l k y Way" — this m o t i f is used i n pottery.
The analysis made justifies the statement that
the above-mentioned
motifs are w i d e l y used i n
almost a l l kinds of Rumanian folk a r t i n a l l regions,
and that these motifs w h i c h today are of an exclusi­
64

vely decorative character, have their o r i g i n i n
ancient cosmogonic
conceptions w h i c h were not
only confined to Rumania. Thus, analogous motifs
can be found i n the a r t of various European nations,
although t h e v a r y i n g development of the different
communities changed their meaning at different
periods.
Zofia Barbara Głowa — D E C O R A T I V E F O L K I R O N ­
W O R K I N T H E OPOCZNO D I S T R I C T
Decorative m e t a l - w o r k i n the Opoczno district is
not so rich and varied as the weaving and embroidery
of these parts; i t is only found on doors andi carts
and, i n a few rare cases, at t h e tops of shrines and
crosses. The decorative i r o n w o r k on doors is found
on lock settings, w h i c h are cut i n various shapes
(plate 1.). The surface of the lock settings is very
rarely ornamented. On the carts, the m e t a l parts of
the shaft are ornamented (fig. 5.). The i r o n - w o r k of
the shaft brackets is cut i n decorative shapes. The
surface of the i r o n w o r k at the f r o n t of the cart is
usually decorated w i t h a stamped design made up
of t h e most simple elements (fig. 8.). There are
striped patterns (plate I I ) and centrifugal designs on
round or ellipsoid discs (plate I I ) . The composition
of the m e t a l - w o r k ornamentation on carts lays
emphasis on purely decorative form. This ornamented
i r o n - w o r k was always executed by the local black­
smith. According to the i n f o r m a t i o n gained., the
fashion of ornamenting carts came f r o m the Mało­
polski region and died out after the outbreak of the
First W o r l d War. Decorative i r o n - w o r k i n Opoczno
district has many features similar to that found i n
other parts of Poland; i n the south, the east and
some parts of the n o r t h , and also i n west Poland and
Silesia.
Maria Przeździecka —• W I N C E N T Y F L A K ,
SELFT A U G H T SCULPTOR
A m o n g self-taught r u r a l sculptors, Wincenty Flak
(born 1871 died 1943) occupied a special position
because his creative w o r k developed outside his own
m i l i e u and d i d n o t f o l l o w t h e t r a d i t i o n a l forms of
f o l k a r t . He sought purchasers for his w o r k i n
"higher spheres". W i n n i n g a competition f o r a church
sculpture i n 1913, w h i c h established h i m the repu­
tation of a talented self-taught sculptor, aroused his
ambitions. I n the same year he executed a carved
" p i c t u r e " for the Pope, and i n 1914 made a sculpture
for the Emperor and transported i t to h i m i n Vienna.
His artistic plans became m o r e a n d more ambitious
and about 1920 he undertook to m a k e a monumental
sculpture called „The Resurrection of Poland" on
w h i c h he w o r k e d t i l l his death. Flak's smaller
sculptures w e r e also mostly destined for " w o r t h y "
purchasers, be they churches or r u l i n g personages
such as Marshal Piłsudski, President
Mościcki,
Marshal Rydz-Smigły and even H i t l e r .
Flak d i d n o t make any religious sculptures for
wayside shrines o r cottage rooms. He d i d lay and
church wood carvings, sculpted figures for churches,
as w e l l as portraits, bouquets of flowers and carved
religious and lay "pictures". He always d i d his
sculptures i n l i n d e n wood, leaving the natural
polished wood surface, only ornamenting t h e m some­
times w i t h engraving or stencilled designs. He used
stencils of cardboard and p l y w o o d for decorative
elements that were repeated m a n y times. When
sculpting figures, he first sketched the outline on
the wood i n pencil.
As Flak's sculptures d i d not f o l l o w the traditions
of folk art, its subjects, forms a n d motifs, they were
not sought 'after by the r u r a l people a n d d i d not
have any influence on the development of local
sculpture.

CZASOPISMA I N S T Y T U T U S Z T U K I
wydawane

PAN

przez

P.P. W Y D A W N I C T W A A R T Y S T Y C Z N E I

FILMOWE

B I U L E T Y N H I S T O R I I S Z T U K I , k w a r t a l n i k , ponad 100 str. dużego
formatu, około 100 ilustracji. Cena 24 zl, prenumerata półroczna 48 zł,
roczna — 96 zł.
P O L S K A S Z T U K A L U D O W A , k w a r t a l n i k 64 str. dużego formatu,
bogaty materiał ilustracyjny. Cena 18 zł, prenumerata półroczna 36 z!,
roczna — 72 zł.
P A M I Ę T N I K T E A T R A L N Y , k w a r t a l n i k , ponad 170 str. d r u k u , około
100 ilustracji. Cena 18 zł, prenumerata półroczna 36 zł, roczna — 72 zł.
K W A R T A L N I K F I L M O W Y , około 100 str. d r u k u , kilkanaście ilustracji.
Cena 10 zł, prenumerata półroczna 20 zł, roczna — 40 zł.
M U Z Y K A , k w a r t a l n i k , około 130 str. d r u k u , liczne przykłady nutowe.
Cena 18 zł, prenumerata półroczna 36 zł, roczna — 72 zł.
PRENUMERATA
Zamówienia i przedpłaty na prenumeratę przyjmowane są w terminie
do d n i a 15-go miesiąca poprzedzającego okres prenumeraty — przez:
Urzędy Pocztowe, listonoszy oraz Oddziały i Delegatury „Ruchu".
Można również zamówić prenumeratę dokonując wpłaty na konto
P K O n r 1-6-100020 — Centrala Kolportażu Prasy i W y d a w n i c t w
„Ruch" — Warszawa, u l . Srebrna 12.
Cena prenumeraty za granicę jest o 40 /o droższa od ceny podanej w y ­
żej. Przedpłaty na tę prenumeratę p r z y j m u j e na okresy półroczne
i roczne Przedsiębiorstwo Eksportu i I m p o r t u „Ruch" w Warszawie,
Wilcza 46, k o n t o 2-6-71 w Narodowym B a n k u Polskim w Warszawie,
ul. Warecka 10.
<)

SPRZEDAŻ
Egzemplarze zdezaktualizowane można nabyć w sklepie „Ruchu" przy
u l . Wiejskiej 14 w Warszawie. Zamówienia spoza Warszawy należy
kierować d o Centrali Kolportażu Prasy i W y d a w n i c t w „Ruch", War­
szawa, u l . Srebrna 12.
Aktualne numery czasopism I n s t y t u t u Sztuki P A N
w większych księgarniach miast wojewódzkich.
Białystok — L i p o w a 43
Bielsko — Dzierżyńskiego 33
Bydgoszcz — 1 Maja 17, D w o r ­
cowa 14
B y t o m — Kościuszki 4
Chorzów — Wolności 13
Częstochowa — A l . N M P 8
Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz — Grunwaldz­
ka 8
Gdynia — Świętojańska 47
Gliwice — Zwycięstwa 31
Grudziądz — Rynek 13
Inowrocław — Królowej J a d w i ­
gi 31
Kalisz — Śródmiejska 14
Katowice — Warszawska 11
Koszalin — Młyńska blok 12
Kielce — Sienkiewicza 30, Sien­
kiewicza 60
Kraków — Podwale 6
Lublin
—
K r a k o w s k i e Przed­
mieście 68

są

do

nabycia

Łódź — Piotrkowska 102a
Poznań — Marcinkowskiego 21,
A r m i i Czerwonej 37
Przemyśl — Franciszkańska 19
Radom — Żeromskiego 27
Rzeszów — Kościuszki 3
Słupsk — PI. Zwycięstwa 11
Sandomierz — płk. Skopenkł 4
Sopot — Bohaterów Monte Casino 26
Sosnowiec — Czerwone Zagłę­
bie 23
Toruń — Rynek Staromiejski 30
Warszawa — K r a k o w s k i e Przed­
mieście 7, Kredytowa 9, Pięk­
na 31/37, Bracka 20, Nowy
Świat
35, Rynek
Starego
Miasta 22/24.
Włocławek — 3 M a j a 25
Wrocław' — Kuźnicza 42
Zabrze — Wolności 276

Stołeczne Z a k ł a d y G r a f c l z n e . Z . W. W - w a , Podchorążych 39. Z a m . 858. P a p .
i l u s t r . k l . I I I , 120 g A l + k a r t o n biały k l . I I I , 220 g. B I . N a k ł a d 1320 egz. S-67
D r u k ukończono w m a r c u 1961 r.