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Malarski i rysunkowy wystrój ksiąg Metryki Koronnej ze zbiorów Archiwum Głównego Akt Dawnych

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Wieczorek M.

Biuletyn Historii Sztuki

2022

vol. 84

issue 1

43-105

The set of the Crown Registrum kept at the Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw testifies to the registrum system operating in the Polish Crown of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Among 768 books forming the set, 31 volumes (17th – 18th c) have been identified as those featuring painterly or drawing decoration. Most commonly the decoration was placed on title pages of respective volumes, less frequently on pages opening entries for subsequent years. In single cases they are in the form of initials or ornaments within the text, or stemma compositions dedicated to respective sealers. The analysis of the collected material has allowed to divide it into three categories. The criterion for classification was the identity of the decoration authors, their bonds with the Chancellery, and skill potential. The first group encompasses the majority of decoration created on the registrum pages. The decoration was authored by lower-ranking Chancellery staff who can be provisionally termed ‘artists-chancellists’. At the same time, it was on their initiative that the books were decorated, which may have been a method of pleasing their supervisors. The discussed works reveal little artistry and the use of simple drawing techniques. Among the identified artists there are both individuals recorded in studies on Old-Polish diplomacy: Michał Meger (d. after 4 September 1652), Maciej Ładowski (ca 1640 – ca 1715), as well as individuals previously unrecorded in literature: Jan Rawecki (active in 1642–1645) or Jakub Czechowicz (active in 1659–1669). In this context the analysis of the iconographic source can be seen as a complement to the research into royal Chancellery staffing. It also reveals interesting potential for identifying print models the ‘artists-chancellists’ made reference to. A substantial dependence of the decorated pages on book prints has been noted. The identification of definite graphic patterns would provide insight into the interests and intellectual scope of the Chancellery staff. It is frontispieces of two books of Chancellor Andrzej Lipski created in ca 1620 that are classified in the second category of decorations. Their author remains anonymous, however certain analogies with the illuminations by Marcin Proszowski (d. before 1642) suggest that the decoration author was a guild painter. Meanwhile, the initiative to have the decoration executed may be attributed to Royal Secretary Jan Szałapski, an official directly supervising the registrum. He is likely to have commissioned the book decoration in order to emphasize his own importance within the structures of the Chancellery. The last category encompasses two title pages executed by professional calligraphers focusing on decorating documents and Chancellery books: Ludwik Dagobert (b. 1661, active in the 1680s and 90s) and Wojciech Domański (active in 1742–1769). Both were employees of a central office, yet it is difficult to unequivocally ascertain whether decorating books was their own initiative, or whether it was commissioned by the metricant responsible for the registrum. In the case of Domański it is likely that he served several chancelleries parallelly. It is also known that apart from royal diplomas, he also decorated bishops’ documents. As for Dagobert, the technique he applied was intriguing, since he printed his decoration from engraved and etched copper plates. It is, however, likely that he himself did not work out the matrixes he used. Regrettably, the etcher whose services he may have used has not been identified. Nonetheless, a certain affinity has been observed of Dagobert’s decoration to the oeuvre of Charles de la Haye (1641 – after 1707?) and Jerzy Eleuter Szymonowicz-Siemiginowski (ca 1660 – before 13 March 1711). The analysis of the decoration of the Crown Metrics has proven useful in the study of illuminated documents of Polish kings. Furthermore, the observations made point to the urgent need to thoroughly research into decorated Chancellery books of the Old-Polish period.

Artykuł podejmuje temat dekorowanych ksiąg należących do zespołu Metryki Koronnej ze zbiorów Archiwum Głównego Akt Dawnych w Warszawie. Zdobienia zidentyfikowano na kartach 31 woluminów powstałych w XVII i XVIII w. Analiza zgromadzonego materiału wykazała pokrewieństwa łączące dekorowane księgi regestru z iluminacjami dokumentów wydawanych przez polskich monarchów. Oprócz analogii kompozycyjnych odnotować można także udział tych samych twórców. Na kartach woluminów udało się zidentyfikować dzieła artystów opisywanych we wcześniejszej literaturze (Ludwika Dagoberta, Wojciecha Domańskiego), a także dekoratorów dotychczas nienotowanych (Jana Raweckiego, Jakuba Czechowicza). Zaobserwowano również, że większość autorów zdobień rekrutowała się z personelu kancelarii królewskiej. Dekoracje ksiąg Metryki Koronnej mogą zatem stanowić cenne źródło informacji dla badań nad składem osobowym centralnych urzędów państwa.

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1 Biuletyn Historii Sztuki

1 Wieczorek M.

1 2022

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Malarski i rysunkowy wystrój ksiąg Metryki Koronnej ze zbiorów Archiwum Głównego Akt Dawnych