The Polish version of the article was published in “Roczniki Humanistyczne,” vol. 61 (2013), issue 4. In the Gospels relating the passion of Christ, there is no description of the act of nailing Him to the cross, but there are clearly other biblical testimonies that nails were used for the crucifixion. In many representations, parallel to the nailing of the members of Christ to the cross or raising it with His body, we find placed alongside it, the scene of hammering iron with hammers by Tubal-Kain for the purpose of drawing out the appropriate tones. He hits on the anvil, while Jabal makes a notation of the tones. With this type of illustration, the sound of the hammers during the crucifixion of Christ meets with the sound of the hammers hitting the anvil. Hence, painting and music meet in the iconography of the crucifixion of Christ. It was a sort of Concordia Novi et Veteris Testamenti. In showing this prefiguration, there is also a going back to the history of Pythagoras. It was also an example for the functioning in the Middle Ages, and still later in the Renaissance, of the formulation of the Concordia divi Moysi et divini Platonis.
In the Gospels relating the passion of Christ, there is no description of the act of nailing Him to the cross with nails, but there are clearly other biblical testimonies that nails were used for the crucifixion. In many representations, parallel to the nailing of the members of Christ to the cross or raising it with His body, we find placed alongside it, the scene of hammering iron with hammers by Tubal-Kain for the purpose of drawing out the appropriate tones. He hits on the anvil, while Jubal makes a notation of the tones. With this type of illustration, the sound of the hammers during the crucifixion of Christ meets with the sound of the hammers hitting the anvil. Hence, painting and music meet in the iconography of the crucifixion of Christ. It was a sort of Concordia Novi et Veteris Testamenti. In showing this prefiguration, there is also a going back to the history of Pythagoras. It was also an example for the functioning in the Middle Ages, and still later in the Renaissance, of the formulation of the Concordia divi Moysi et divini Platonis.
A group of architects worked on the form of the building of the Pentecost church in Otwock. Rev. Stanisław Kobielus, Rev. Henryk Herkt and artist Andrzej Zaborowski discussed the decoration and detailing. The building was finished in 1987 and it was consecrated on the 7th May 1988 by Bishop Marian Duś. The complex ideological decoration of the church is related to the symbolism of geometric figures and refers back to the Scriptures, the writings of the Fathers of the Church and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The altar centrepiece presents the Pentecost scene referring to the invocation of the church and its parish. However, the main theme in the decoration of the church is the representation of the New Jerusalem which until today is considered by the Church as an allegorical place of eternal happiness after death.
PL
W powstaniu struktury architektonicznej budowli świątyni pod wezwaniem Zesłania Ducha Świętego w Otwocku miał udział zespół architektów. Udział w dyskusji nad programem dekoracji wzięli: ks. Stanisław Kobielus, ks. Henryk Herkt oraz artysta Andrzej Zaborowski. Budowę świątyni ukończono w 1987 r. zaś konsekracji dokonał 7 maja 1988 r. ks. biskup Marian Duś. Świątynia posiada bardzo bogaty program ideowy związany z symboliką figur geometrycznych i odwołujący się do tekstów Pisma Świętego, Ojców Kościoła, a także Katechizmu Kościoła Katolickiego. Na ścianie ołtarzowej przedstawiono scenę Zesłania Ducha Świętego, ponieważ parafia i świątynia noszą takie wezwanie. Jednak ideą przewodnią w dekoracji kościoła jest tematyka Niebiańskiej Jerozolimy, która do dziś w Kościele jest uznawana za alegoryczne miejsce ostatecznego szczęścia człowieka po śmierci.
The Polish version of the article was published in “Roczniki Humanistyczne,” vol. 64 (2016), issue 4. In Polish museum collections there are a few objects made of coral or decorated with it. They are, among others, altars, holy water fonts, crucifixes and other liturgical items. Most often they were bought during Poles’ travels to Italy in the Mannerism and Baroque epochs. St Mary’s Basilica’s treasury boasts of a portable coral altar dated to the middle of the 17th century, a gift from Maria Josepha, the wife of King Augustus III. It has a golden frame and is embellished with enamel and coral. Its centre features the figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary standing on a crescent, in a radiant coral glory, surrounded by Marian symbols. It is an apotheosis of the Blessed Virgin Mary based on a fragment of the Apocalypse of St John. The figure of Mary is presented with her cosmic attributes: twelve stars around her head; she is clothed with a radiant glory; and she has a crescent under her feet. Around her seven symbolic biblical signs are presented, ones connected in the exegetic tradition with her being the mother of the Messiah. The term Cedrus exaltata—is perceived as the symbol of majesty, sublimity, loftiness, paradisaical beauty, safety. Fons signatus is a sealed spring, an enclosed one, accessible only to the Mother of God’s Son, chosen by God. Hortus conclusus is the symbol of St Mary’s virginity. Oliva speciosa points to St Mary’s charity, her extraordinary fertility, inner peace, the gift of relieving sufferings. Rosa plantata is a metaphor of wisdom, love, medicine for sinners. Puteus aquarum viventium, a well of living waters, indicates St Mary’s mediation for people redeemed by Jesus. Turris eburnea—the ivory tower is another feature of the Virgin Mary’s beauty, of her immaculate body and fortitude.
W polskich zbiorach muzealnych znajduje się kilka obiektów wykonanych z korala lub nim zdobionych. Są to między innymi ołtarzyki, kropielnice kielichy, krucyfiksy i inne wyroby liturgiczne. Pochodzą najczęściej z zakupów w podróżach turystycznych Polaków po Włoszech w epoce manieryzmu i baroku. W skarbcu kościoła Mariackiego w Krakowie znajduje się przenośny ołtarzyk koralowy, datowany na połowę XVII w., z daru królowej Marii Józefy, żony króla Augusta III. Ujęty w złoconą ramę i zdobiony emalią oraz koralem, w centrum zamyka stojącą na półksiężycu postać NMP w promienistej koralowej glorii w otoczeniu symboli maryjnych. Jest to apoteoza NMP na podstawie fragmentu Apokalipsy św. Jana Apostoła. Postać Maryi została wyobrażona z atrybutami kosmicznymi: dwunastoma gwiazdami wokół głowy; odziana jest w słoneczną promienistą glorię i ma sierp księżyca pod stopami. Wokół Niej w ukazano siedem symbolicznych znaków biblijnych, łączonych w tradycji egzegetycznej z Jej powołaniem na Matkę Mesjasza. Termin Cedrus exaltata – cedr jest postrzegany jako symbol majestatu, wysokości, wyniosłości, piękna rajskiego, bezpieczeństwa. Fons signatus to zdrój opieczętowany, zamknięty, dostępny tylko dla wybranej przez Boga, Matki Syna Bożego. Hortus conclusus jest symbolem nienaruszonego dziewictwa NMP. Z kolei Oliva speciosa wskazuje na miłosierdzie Maryi, Jej niezwykłą płodność, wewnętrzny pokój, dar uśmierzania cierpienia. Rosa plantata jest metaforą mądrości, miłości, lekarstwa dla grzeszników. Puteus aquarum viventium, studnia wód żywych, wskazuje na pośrednictwo Maryi wobec ludzi odkupionych przez Jezusa. Turris eburnea – wieża z kości słoniowej to kolejny przymiot piękna NMP, nieskazitelności Jej ciała i męstwa.
EN
In Polish museums’ collections there are a few objects made of coral or decorated with it. They are, among others, altars, holy water fonts, crucifixes and other liturgical items. Most often they were bought during Poles’ travels to Italy in the Mannerism and Baroque epochs. In St Mary’s Basilica’s treasury a portable coral altar is kept, dated to the middle of the 17th century, a gift from Maria Józefa, the wife of King August III. It has a golden frame and it is embellished with enamel and coral, and in its center it closes the figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary standing on a crescent, in a radiant coral glory, surrounded by Marian symbols. It is an apotheosis of the Blessed Virgin Mary based on a fragment of the Apocalypse of St John. The figure of Mary is presented with her cosmic attributes: twelve stars around her head; she is clothed with a radiant glory; and she has a crescent under her feet. Around her seven symbolic biblical signs are presented, ones connected in the exegetic tradition with her being the mother of the Messiah. The term Cedrus exaltata – is perceived as the symbol of majesty, sublimity, loftiness, paradisaical beauty, safety. Fons signatus is a sealed spring, a closed one, accessible only to the Mother of God’s Son, chosen by God. Hortus conclusus is the symbol of St Mary’s virginity. Oliva speciosa points to St Mary’s charity, her extraordinary fertility, inner peace, the gift of relieving sufferings. Rosa plantata is a metaphor of wisdom, love, medicine for sinners. Puteus aquarum viventium, a well of living waters, indicates St Mary’s mediation for people redeemed by Jesus. Turris eburnea – the ivory tower is another feature of the Virgin Mary’s beauty, the immaculacy of her body and of her fortitude.
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