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Part of Summary/ Polska Sztuka Ludowa - Konteksty 1960 t.14 z.1
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о
Р
L
I
S
QUARTERLY
N.
1
H
PUBLISHED
BY
O
THE
STATE
YEAR BOOK
SUMMMARY
Jacek
Olędzki
- WAX VOTIVE
THE VILLAGES OF BRODOWE
NOWŁOGA
WIELKA
F
OFFERINGS FROM
ŁĄKI AND KRZY
T h e c u s t o m a m o n g p e a s a n t s of m a k i n g v o t i v e
o f f e r i n g s is k n o w n i n m a n y c o u n t r i e s o f E u r o p e . T h i s
c u s t o m a l s o e x i s t e d i n P o l a n d , a l t h o u g h t h e r e is n o
reliable ethnographic m a t e r i a l on this subject w h i c h
w o u l d m a k e i t p o s s i b l e t o e s t a b l i s h t h e scope a n d
c h a r a c t e r of this practice. J . Oledzki's a r t i c l e is the
result of research m a d e b y t h e a u t h o r i n the n o r t h
eastern regions of Poland, p a r t i c u l a r l y i n the K u r p i e
region.
A t t h e outset, t h e a u t h o r w r i t e s a b o u t t h e e x i s t i n g
v i e w s o n t h e o r i g i n a n d h i s t o r y o f t h e c u s t o m of
m a k i n g v o t i v e o f f e r i n g s i n E u r o p e , a n d n e x t expresses
the v i e w that i n Poland, v o t i v e offerings w e r e most
probably introduced f r o m Bavaria by the Cistercian
O r d e r — about the 14th or 15th century, i n the p e r i o d
w h e n t h e social a n d economic position of t h e pea
sants w a s i m p r o v i n g a n d , i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h i s ,
t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of f a r m i n g a n d s t o c k - b r e e d i n g . T h e
c u s t o m was to ensure successful stock-breeding, cattle
rearing and p o u l t r y breeding. This custom was a conti
n u a t i o n of t h e recreation practices w h i c h at t h a t t i m e
were d y i n g o u t o w i n g to the spread of the catholic
r e l i g i o n i n the Polish countryside. I n the 16th c e n t u r y
there are u n d o u b t e d proofs of the practice of v o t i v e
offerings. A p a r t f r o m the v o t i v e offerings of the
„rich" people, made f r o m gold a n d silver, the c o m m o n
people made t h e i r o w n v o t i v e offerings f r o m w a x .
S u c h v o t i v e o f f e r i n g s w e r e also k n o w n i n S l o v a k i a ,
B a v a r i a a n d t h e T y r o l , b u t t h e r e , t h e y w e r e soon
replaced b y i r o n v o t i v e offerings, w h i l e i n Poland,
most probably o w i n g to poverty, only the w a x f o r m
of o f f e r i n g continued.
T h e y w e r e the peasants'
wax
t r i b u t e to the
C h u r c h . H o w e v e r , o w i n g to difficulties i n o b t a i n i n g
wax,
etc,
as t i m e
went,
on,
church
helpers
engaged i n m a k i n g v o t i v e offerings a n d they became
an object of exchange f o r offerings i n money a n d
f o o d t o t h e C h u r c h f r o m b e l i e v e r s . T h e f o r m of t h e
votive offerings
themselves
changed a n d became
m o r e u n i f o r m . B u t as f r o m t h e 1 6 t h c e n t u r y t h e r e
was a decline i n the p o p u l a r i t y of this custom a m o n g
t h e p e a s a n t r y so t h a t i t i s n o w v e r y r a r e l y p r a c t i c e d .
D u r i n g h i s r e s e a r c h w o r k i n n o r t h east P o l a n d , t h e
author o n l y met w i t h votive offerings i n t w o pa
rishes: i n t h e K u r p i e region — B r o d o w e Łąki, a n d
i n t h e Przasnysz
District — Krzynowłoga
Wjelka.
T h e p r e s e r v a t i o n o f t h i s c u s t o m i n these places c a n
be e x p l a i n e d b y t h e e c o n o m i c b a c k w a r d n e s s of t h a t
area, its distance f r o m i m p o r t a n t c o m m u n i c a t i o n cen
tres a n d routes. T h e c h u r c h i n Krzynowłoga
was
e r e c t e d as f a r b a c k as t h e 1 3 t h c e n t u r y , w h i l e t h e
c h u r c h i n B r o d o w e Łąki was b u i l t i n the 19th cen
tury.
T h e c u s t o m o f m a k i n g v o t i v e o f f e r i n g s is o b s e r
ved i n b o t h parishes on the Day of the T r a n s f i g u r a t i o n
( A u g u s t 6 t h ) a n d i n K r z y n o w ł o g a t h e c u s t o m is a d d i
t i o n a l l y o b s e r v e d o n F e b r u a r y 1 4 t h — St. V a l e n t i n e ' s D a y
L
K
INSTITUTE
A
OF
XIV
R
T
ART
I960
OF ARTICLES
( t h e p a t r o n s a i n t of t h e c h u r c h ) . T h e p r a c t i c e of
m a k i n g t h e s e o f f e r i n g s has u n d e r g o n e c e r t a i n changes
a n d t o d a y i t is n o t t h e s a m e i n b o t h of t h e s e p a
rishes. T h e v o t i v e offerings are m a d e b y so-called
„ b r a s t e w n y " (peasants k n o w n f o r t h e i r h o n e s t y a n d
piety, engaged i n m a k i n g v o t i v e offerings,
hiring
t h e m o u t , etc). I n K r z y n o w ł o g a t h e v o t i v e o f f e r i n g s
w e r e m a d e s e v e r a l score y e a r s ago, w h i l e i n B r o d o w e
Ł ą k i t h e y a r e n e w l y m a d e each t i m e b y t h e „ b r a s
tewny":
M o s t of t h e v o t i v e o f f e r i n g s t a k e t h e f o r m of
a n i m a l s - p a r t i c u l a r l y horses ( f i g . 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11),
t h e r e a r e also c o w s ( f i g . 14, 15), c a l v e s ( f i g . 16), sheep,
v e r y r a r e l y p i g s ( f i g . 17). S o m e o t h e r s r e p r e s e n t d o
mestic
p o u l t r y ( f i g . 1 8 - 2 3 ) , b u t t h e y a r e less p o p u l a r
i n Krzynowłoga. O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , one f i n d s t h e r e
v o t i v e o f f e r i n g s i n t h e f o r m of bees ( f i g . 24) a n d
h i v e s ( f i g . 25), w h i c h d o n o t e x i s t i n B r o d o w e Ł ą k i .
A s e p a r a t e a n d less n u m e r o u s g r o u p r e p r e s e n t s y m
b o l s o f h e a l t h a n d success: a „ r i n g " , w r e a t h s , b a l l s ,
a n d , i n K r z y n o w ł o g a — h e a r t s , j a w s , legs,
arms
( f i g . 4). I n b o t h p a r i s h e s t h e v o t i v e o f f e r i n g
of
a „ c h i l d " is k n o w n ( f i g . 27, 28, 29), a l t h o u g h i t
appears v e r y r a r e l y
in
B r o d o w e Łąki,
like the
„hearts", legs" a n d „arms", w h i c h are f o u n d v e r y
often however i n Krzynowłoga. The author explains
the difference i n subjects of interest between b o t h
parishes, t h e differences i n the social m i l i e u s a n d
conditions of life, s h o w i n g the stronger influence
of bourgeois ideals i n Krzynowłoga, w h e r e the p o
p u l a t i o n is c o m p o s e d o f t h e d e s c e n d e n t s of f o r m e r
nobles.
T h e a u t h o r also o b s e r v e d d i f f e r e n c e s i n t h e a r t i
s t i c f o r m of t h e v o t i v e o f f e r i n g s , w h i c h i n K r z y n o
włoga are closely connected w i t h t h e properties o f the
m a t e r i a l s used t o m a k e t h e m w h i l e i n B r o d o w e Łąki
t h e y a r e s i m i l a r to t h e s c h e m a t i c d e s i g n of t h e d o u g h
figures
still
widely made i n the K u r p i e region
( f i g . 30, 3 1 , 32, 33, 34). T h e B r o d o w e v o t i v e o f f e r i n g s
a r e u s u a l l y 12—14 c m . h i g h , w h i l e t h o s e m a d e i n
K r z y n o w ł o g a a r e u s u a l l y 6—7 c m .
I n spite of these differences i n f o r m , t h e v o t i v e
offerings f r o m b o t h parishes have a n u m b e r of fea
tures i n c o m m o n — p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e w a y of seeing
the objects represented, i n t h e l a p i d a r y approach a n d
e l o q u e n c e of f o r m . T h e v o t i v e o f f e r i n g s d i f f e r f r o m
all other folk sculptures, above a l l i n t h e i r function —
t h e y are not m a d e to satisfy aesthetic needs — b u t
e x c l u s i v e l y f o r g a i n i n g c e r t a i n graces f r o m G o d . T h i s
specific f u n c t i o n determines b o t h t h e subject a n d t h e
general
artistic expression
of
these
wax
votive
offerings.
Aleksander
Błachowskt THE
FOLK
ART
OF
P A I N T E D CHESTS
FROM
RESEARCH
ON
THE
OPOLE
REGION.
O n t h e basis o f m a t e r i a l c o l l e c t e d d u r i n g r e s e a r c h
i n t h e O p o l e r e g i o n (1953) t h e a u t h o r m a k e s a n a n a
l y s i s of t h e p a i n t e d chests f r o m t h i s r e g i o n .
The
63
T
O p o l e chests a r e m a d e f r o m
pine wood
and
arc
r e c t a n g u l a r i n shape. T h e y a r e d e c o r a t e d w i t h p a i n
t e d o r n a m e n t a t i o n , _ t h e f r o n t o f t h e chests is d i v i
ded i n t o t w o squares f i l l e d w i t h t r a i l i n g f l o w e r resigns.
T h e r a n g e of c o l o u r s u s e d is r e l a t i v e l y b r o a d . T h e
o r n a m e n t a t i o n has several
common elements
and
t h i s p o i n t s t o t h e e x i s t e n c e of a d e f i n i t e r e g i o n a l
group. B u t there are h o w e v e r v a r i a t i o n s i n the t y
p i c a l e l e m e n t s . T h e a u t h o r g i v e s as e x a m p l e s chests
f r o m t h e O l e s n o ( f i g . 2—9, 12, 15, 16—22), K l u c z
b o r k ( f i g . 10 - ) a n d S t r z e l c e ( f i g . 13, 14) d i s t r i c t s ,
p o i n t i n g to the characteristic differences i n construc
tion and decoration. A f t e r analysing the different
t y p e s , t h e a u t h o r m a k e s a c o m p a r s i o n b e t w e e n chests
from
Opole
and from Upper
Silesia,
remarking
a n u m b e r of c o m m o n f e a t u r e s , b o t h w i t h r e g a r d t o
t h e a r r a n g e m e n t of t h e o r n a m e n t a t i o n a n d f i n a l l y
the v e r y composition of the decoration.
B u t a p a r t f r o m these c o m m o n f e a t u r e s , t h e O p o l e
chests d i f f e r f r o m t h e U p p e r
Silesian
ones,
both
in their richer ornamentation and colour
scheme,
a n d i n a n u m b e r of details w h i c h give t h e m t h e i r
o w n special appearance.
Olga
Mulkiewicz
-
OPEN-WORK
WOVEN
FABRICS
T h e F o l k A r t Research Section at the State I n s t i
t u t e o f A r t has c o l l e c t e d m a t e r i a l o n o p e n - w o r k
w o v e n fabrics i n Podlasie region a n d the n o r t h e r n
part of L u b l i n region.
„ T h o u g h t h i s t e c h n i q u e is a l i e n t o t r a d i t i o n a l
r u r a l methods of w e a v i n g — Miss M u l k i e w i c z w r i t e s —
i t is w o r t h y o f b e i n g s t u d i e d p r e c i s e l y because o f i t s
peculiar character, differing m u c h f r o m traditional
m e t h o d s of w e a v i n g a n d also because i t is q u i t e
f r e q u e n t l y used n o w . I t was not possible to ascertain
w h o i n v e n t e d t h i s t e c h n i q u e o f w e a v i n g , b u t i t is
certain that i t was u n k n o w n before the Twenties
a n d possibly i t was i n t r o d u c e d o n l y after the Second
World War."
T h e authoress gives a d e t a i l e d d e s c r i p t i o n of the
open-work weaving technique a n d w r i t e s that the
f i n i s h i n g stage is t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t one, because
h e r e b y f a s t e n i n g loose s k e i n s o f y a r n t h e w e a v e r
can o b t a i n v a r i o u s designs w h i c h , j u d g e d b y the
collected m a t e r i a l , are q u i t e l i m i t e d i n n u m b e r .
Because
of
their
character open-work
woven
f a b r i c s a r e m o s t l y used as t a b l e - c l o t h s o r c u r t a i n s .
Zbigniew
Jasiewicz
FERS F R O M T H E
- M O U L D FOR B A K I N G
WA
VICINITY
OF MIĘDZYRZECZE
T h e a u t h o r o f t h e a r t i c l e discusses one of t h e
most interesting folk art relics f r o m the Lubusz
r e g i o n , f o u n d i n K a l s k i n 1958 b y a g r o u p of P o l i s h
e t h n o g r a p h e r s . I t is a d e c o r a t e d i r o n o b j e c t ( t i t l e
page) a n d t h e d e c o r a t i v e m o t i f s a n d t h e i r p r i m i t i v e
a r r a n g e m e n t ( f i g . 1) p o i n t t o i t s f o l k o r i g i n . F u r t h e r
research revealed t h a t this object h a d been used f o r
b a k i n g wafers. The very unique decorative
motifs
a n d t h e t e c h n i q u e u s e d i n d e c o r a t i o n , s h o w i n g basic
differences between the K a l s k tongs a n d analogical
relics found i n B r a n d e n b u r g a n d L o w e r Saxony lead
one t o a t t r i b u t e i t t o t h e r e g i o n i n w h i c h i t w a s
f o u n d . T h e m o t i f — a b u n c h o f g r a p e s — is k n o w n
f r o m t h e e m b r o i d e r y of t h e L u b u s z r e g i o n . I t is also
k n o w n that the b a k i n g of wafers (factory made, it
is t r u e ) w a s v e r y w i d e s p r e a d i n t h i s r e g i o n . O u r
r e s e a r c h l e a d s us t o t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t t h e b a k i n g
m o u l d f o u n d dates b a c k to t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y .
St. F. Cajerski
- MATERIALS
OF T H E POTTERY CENTRES
SURROUNDING
DISTRICTS
FOR T H E HISTORY
IN POTYLICZ
AND
The author publishes materials f r o m various ar
chive collections. T h e oldest documents
(materials
f r o m i n s p e c t i o n s a n d i n v e n t o r i e s ) d a t i n g b a c k t o 1460,
64
concern Potylicz
a n d g i v e i n f o r m a t i o n as t o the
n u m b e r of potters w o r k i n g there a n d t h e i r duties
u p t i l l t h e t i m e of t h e p a r t i t i o n s o f P o l a n d (1772).
I n the period after the partitions, Potylicz was still
famous for its pottery. M a t e r i a l collected b y the
State A r t I n s t i t u t e t h r o w s l i g h t on the p e r i o d pre
c e d i n g t h e F i r s t W o r l d W a r , w h e n t h e r e w e r e 10 p o t
ters w o r k i n g there, w h i l e i n the i n t e r - w a r period,
10 p o t t e r y w o r k s h o p s w e r e o p e r a t i n g i n w h i c h t h e
p o t t e r s w o r k e d as p a i d l a b o u r e r s . T h e i r p r o d u c t s
w e r e w i d e l y sold.
A n o t h e r pottery centre near Potylicz — Dziewię
c i e r z — also h a s o l d t r a d i t i o n s , i n v e n t o r i e s " s h o w
t h a t the n u m b e r of potters w o r k i n g there
varies
a g r e a t d e a l ( f o r i n s t a n c e , i n 1710 — 17 a n d i n 1 7 1 6 4) a n d also g i v e a n i d e a o f t h e i r d u t i e s t o t h e c o u r t .
B e f o r e 1939 a n d i n t h e f i r s t y e a r s a f t e r t h e S e c o n d
W o r l d W a r 10 p o t t e r s w e r e w o r k i n g h e r e . T h e y p r o
duced c o o k i n g pots a n d ceramic w a r e , t h e i r products
b e i n g s o l d w i d e l y i n a n u m b e r of places.
T h e a u t h o r adds here some i n f o r m a t i o n about
s m a l l e r c e n t r e s i n t h e a r e a s u c h as: H r a b e n n e a n d
K a m i o n k a Wołowska.
I n his c o n c l u d i n g r e m a r k s , M r . G a j e r s k i quotes
materials showing h o w the pottery centre i n Potylicz
began to decline i n the 18th century, w h e n the p o t
ters — being b u r d e n e d too h e a v i l y w i t h duties —
f l e d to n e i g h b o u r i n g v i l l a g e s . I t is p r o b a b l y i n t h i s
w a y t h a t the n e w p o t t e r y centres i n Dziewięcierz.
Hrabenne a n d K a m i o n k a Wołowska were formed.
Ewa
Fryś
ŁAŃCUT
-
EXHIBITION
OF
FOLK
ART
IN
A n e x h i b i t i o n of f o l k a r t , o r g a n i z e d b y t h e U n i o n
of F o l k a n d A r t i s t i c I n d u s t r y C o o p e r a t i v e s
CPLiA,
w i t h t h e c o o p e r a t i o n of t h e „ J e d n o ś ć "
Cooperative
i n Pawłów, t h e „Zjednoczenie" Cooperative i n Janów
Lubelski and the Folk A r t I n d u s t r y Cooperative i n
Leżajsk, w a s o p e n e d i n Łańcut o n N o v e m b e r 1 2 t h ,
1959. T h e e x h i b i t i o n w a s m a i n l y d e v o t e d t o f o l k
e a r t h e n w a r e e x h i b i t e d on the occasion of t h e c o m
p e t i t i o n r u n b y C P L i A a n d t h e M i n i s t r y of C u l t u r e
a n d A r t . T h e Rzeszów a n d L u b l i n p o t t e r y centres
w e r e r e p r e s e n t e d , d i s p l a y i n g g r e y , ( f i g . 1) p a i n t e d
a n d g l a z e d e a r t h e n w a r e . T h e r e w a s also q u i t e a r i c h
s h o w of s c u l p t u r e s i n clay. T h e e x h i b i t i o n also i n c l u
d e d a d i s p l a y of t h e „ K o r o n k a " C o o p e r a t i v e i n B o
b o w a a n d a b i g show of decorative fabrics produced
b y t h e „ P r z e m y s ł L u d o w y " C o o p e r a t i v e i n Leżajsk.
T h e c o m p e t i t i o n , o n w h i c h t h e e x h i b i t i o n w a s based,
was a i m e d at encouraging potters to produce earthen
w a r e of great a r t i s t i c value, cleansed of n o n - f o l k
influences.
A t t h e s a m e t i m e as
the exhibition
a conference
of t h e r e g i o n a l p u r c h a s e c e n t r e s of
C P L i A w a s h e l d t o select a c e r t a i n n u m b e r of d e
s i g n s f o r sale i n P o l a n d a n d a b r o a d .
Maria
DERY
Przeździecka
I N RZESZÓW
EXHIBITION
OF
EMBROI
A n exhibition of historical embroideries on linen,
d a t i n g back to the 16th- 18th centuries, was opened
i n R z e s z ó w i n N o v e m b e r , 1959. I n h e r r e v i e w , t h e
a u t h o r e s s , stresses t h e a p t s e l e c t i o n o f e x h i b i t s a n d
t h e e x c e l l e n t a r r a n g e m e n t of t h e e x h i b i t i o n .
A m o n g t h e 17 e m b r o i d e r i e s e x h i b i t e d , t h e o l d e s t
dated back to the 16th a n d 17th centuries. T h e most
valuable a n d rare e x h i b i t was a chalice cover f r o m
Jarosław ( f i g . 1.), r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e m o s t t e c h n i c a l l y
s k i l l e d t y p e of e m b r o i d e r y o f t h a t t i m e .
Some of the 17th c e n t u r y e m b r o i d e r y on c h u r c h
cloths shows a tendency t o w a r d s a s i m p l i f i c a t i o n
of design. T h e authoress shows the
development
of these tendencies i n t h e 18th c e n t u r y embroideries
( f i g . 4.).