A few years ago I wrote on my blog about two late-Gothic panels from the workshop of Hans Pleydenwurff, that I researched during my stay at York Art Gallery. Those are the posts: http://en.posztukiwania.pl/2020/04/14/late-gothic-panels-in-york-art-gallery-part-1/ http://en.posztukiwania.pl/2020/05/02/late-gothic-panels-in-york-art-gallery-part-2/ Unfortunately, as I wrote, one of the panels was stolen in 1979. It was on…
Mysterious cult of a Saint Hound
A few years ago, when I wrote about looted middle part of Lusina altarpiece (National Museum in Cracow, war loss – post available HERE) I mentioned several – often contradictory – interpretations for a dog in medieval art. On one hand it could have symbolised faithfulness, but on the other…
Patron saints of mice, cats and thunderstorms
Depictions of Saints and their patronages is an infinite source of all kinds of curiosities. An art historian working on medieval religious art has to study carefully mysterious attributes and surprising storylines of the Saints’ lives. And as I currently work on the Polish version of the ICONCLASS database, I…
Beating St Nicholas
This December – more than ever before – many families discuss financial issues. Christmas is an expensive event, after all, but pandemics brought a global crisis and a huge inflation. So, we all worry about the money. As it happens, St. Nicholas – a figure that evolved into Santa Claus…
Frustration of St Joseph
Book of Hours of Catherine de Clèves (van Kleef) is the most richly decorated 15th c. Netherlandish book of prayers. It was created in Utrecht after 1434 and is in The Morgan Library & Museum (MS M.917/945). I have previously written about its miniatures decorating Monday prayers for the Purgatory…