Skarbiec wawelski (English: Wawel Treasury) is a series of paintings by Leon Wyczółkowski, created in 1907 using pastel techniques on various supports, including paper on cardboard, cardboard, paper, and paper on canvas. The series depicts historical artifacts from the in Kraków, Poland. Exhibited in Kraków and Warsaw in 1907, it is the only complete set of pastel works by Wyczółkowski that has been preserved. Created in the context of the restoration of Wawel Castle led by , the series documents items from the treasury, such as reliquaries and objects associated with Polish kings and bishops. The series received attention from both the public and critics at the time.
Origins Restoring Wawel's historical role At the turn of the 20th century, Poland was under foreign partitions, and Poles sought to restore the significance of sites tied to their national identity, including Wawel Castle. For over a century, Austrian troops were stationed at Wawel, but efforts prevented the Wawel Cathedral from becoming a garrison church. In the 1880s, restoration of the cathedral began, alongside initiatives to reclaim secular parts of the hill. Although the castle was intended as an imperial residence, its return to Polish control progressed from 1904 to 1911.
Polish artists' projects related to Wawel In the Polish art world of the time, the reclamation of Wawel as a national symbol inspired numerous projects. Some, like Stanisław Wyspiański and Władysław Ekielski's Acropolis (1904–1907) or Wacław Szymanowski's Procession to Wawel (1907–1911), aimed to establish Wawel as a national pantheon. Wyczółkowski's pastel cycle aligns with these artistic trends.
Kraków and Wawel in Wyczółkowski's work In the 1890s, Wyczółkowski created a series of oil paintings titled Sarcophagi, frequently depicting the Wawel Cathedral and its treasures, later including the castle's Renaissance arcades. The 1907 decision to restore the treasury's artifacts likely influenced the timing of the cycle. In 1900, Wyczółkowski visited an exhibition of Jagiellonian-era relics for the 500th anniversary of the Jagiellonian University, which may have further inspired this project.
Influences from earlier artistic inventories The concept of an "artistic inventory" was familiar in Polish art. For example, Patterns of Medieval Art and the Renaissance to the End of the 17th Century in Former Poland was chromolithographed in Warsaw from 1853 to 1869. Wawel Treasury artifacts had been documented earlier, notably in 1882 by Father in National Mementos, with 32 illustrations based on drawings. 21 of these artifacts appear in Wyczółkowski's cycle. Unlike earlier inventories, Wyczółkowski's pastels emphasize artistic effect, sometimes exaggerating proportions or enhancing the objects' aesthetic qualities.
Depicted artifacts The cycle comprises 17 pastels portraying 30 artifacts from the cathedral treasury, plus the sarcophagus of Saint Stanislaus. Some sources also include the painting Pallium in the cycle.
Infuła biskupa Strzempińskiego i pastorał biskupa Gembickiego
The pastel Infuła biskupa Strzempińskiego i pastorał biskupa Gembickiego (Mitre of Bishop Strzempiński and Crosier of Bishop Gembicki) depicts two objects. The first is the mitre of , Bishop of Kraków from 1456 to 1460, created for his assumption of authority. Originally embroidered with pearls, it featured gilded frames with clasps and a floral finial. In the 16th century, additional embroidery and ribbons were added. The second object is the silver crozier of Piotr Gembicki, Bishop of Kraków from 1642 to 1657, featuring a figure of Saint Peter. Bequeathed to the cathedral per Gembicki's will, it is rendered in pastel on cardboard.
Dimensions: 88 cm × 60 cm Signature: "LWyczół" in pencil, top left.
Kapa koronacyjna króla Michała Korybuta
The painting Kapa koronacyjna króla Michała Korybuta (Coronation Cope of King Michał Korybut) portrays the oldest surviving coronation cope, crafted in 1670. Known as the cope of Andrzej Trzebicki or Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, it incorporates Trzebicki's cope, made for the coronation of Queen Eleonore of Austria, and elements from Michał Korybut's coronation mantle, including its hood and belt. A clasp from a cope donated by Bishop before 1740 is also included. Donated by Trzebicki, it was used only for major ceremonies. Wyczółkowski displayed it on a mannequin to highlight its features, emphasizing the hood with the White Eagle, which bears all royal insignia: a crown, sceptre, sword, and orb. The silver and gold hues dominate, with soft lighting accentuating the folds.
Medium: Pastel on paper on cardboard Dimensions: 168 cm × 98 cm Inscription: In ink on verso, "Coronation Cope of Michał Korybut".
Kielich biskupa Maciejowskiego, tzw. skrzyneczka królowej Jadwigi i pucharek "roboty króla Zygmunta III"
The pastel Kielich biskupa Maciejowskiego, tzw. skrzyneczka królowej Jadwigi i pucharek "roboty króla Zygmunta III" (Chalice of Bishop Maciejowski, So-Called Queen Jadwiga's Casket, and Goblet Attributed to King Sigismund III) features a chalice, an amber goblet, and an ivory casket, which also appears in the painting Racjonał i szkatułka królowej Jadwigi (Rationale and Queen Jadwiga's Casket). The chalice was mistakenly attributed – including by Wyczółkowski himself – to Bishop Bernard Maciejowski, who was a promoter of the cult of Queen Jadwiga. The chalice is believed to have been made in 1539 by the goldsmith Erasmus Schleupner, who worked in Wrocław, and in 1545 was donated by Bishop Samuel Maciejowski to the cathedral treasury. It is gilded and enamelled. On the left side of the composition, Wyczółkowski placed an amber goblet from the early 17th century. 19th-century collectors associated this goblet with Sigismund III Vasa, who engaged in goldsmithing and painting – the object was attributed to him. In the center of the painting, Wyczółkowski depicted Queen Jadwiga's casket, which he also portrayed in another painting from this cycle – Racjonał i szkatułka królowej Jadwigi.
Medium: Pastel on paper on cardboard Dimensions: 51.5 cm × 64 cm Signature: "LWyczół" at bottom right Inscriptions: "Zygm III" (left), "B. Maciejowski" (right) at top.
Kielich biskupa Padniewskiego
The work Kielich biskupa Padniewskiego (Chalice of Bishop Padniewski) depicts the chalice of Filip Padniewski, Bishop of Kraków from 1562 to 1572. Buried with the chalice as a symbol of priestly dignity, it was excavated in 1881 and added to the treasury. Wyczółkowski paired it with an unidentified paten, set against a white-green draped fabric.
Medium: Pastel on paper on cardboard Dimensions: 42.5 cm × 55.5 cm.
Kielich "roboty króla Zygmunta III"
The painting Kielich "roboty króla Zygmunta III" (Chalice Attributed to King Sigismund III) depicts a chalice, attributed to Sigismund III's goldsmithing, which was donated to the cathedral on 28 May 1609, per Father . Wyczółkowski arranged it with a paten on scarlet fabric, contrasting with a green background.
Medium: Pastel on paper on cardboard Dimensions: 57 cm × 40 cm.
Krzyż z diademów książęcych, skrzyneczka zwana saraceńsko-sycylijską i tzw. szklanica św. Jadwigi Śląskiej
The pastel Krzyż z diademów książęcych, skrzyneczka zwana saraceńsko-sycylijską i tzw. szklanica św. Jadwigi Śląskiej (Cross of Princely Diadems, So-Called Saraceno-Sicilian Casket, and Glass of Saint Hedwig of Silesia) shows a cross made from 13th-century princely diadems adorned with gemstones, bearing the arms of King Casimir IV Jagiellon, Bishop Jan Rzeszowski, and the Kraków Chapter. To its left is the Saraceno-Sicilian casket, a silver-gilt 12th-century piece from the Middle East or Sicily, decorated with combat scenes and mythical creatures. To the right is the 12th-century glass of Saint Hedwig of Silesia, possibly Byzantine, with engraved decorations and a 15th-century six-lobed base.
Medium: Pastel on paper on cardboard Dimensions: 106 cm × 79 cm.
Miecz koronacyjny Augusta III, włócznia św. Maurycego i miecz Zygmunta Augusta In the painting Miecz koronacyjny Augusta III, włócznia św. Maurycego i miecz Zygmunta Augusta (Coronation Sword of Augustus III, Spear of Saint Maurice, and Sword of Sigismund Augustus), Leon Wyczółkowski refrained from any arrangement of the insignia, considering national relics. Only the objects themselves are visible against a bright, neutral background in daylight, along with their shadows. This directs the viewer's attention solely to the objects, rather than to the background or other compositional details. It also emphasizes the symbolism of these items. Nevertheless, the painter did not use artistic expression or add radiance to the insignia, instead striving to depict them with utmost accuracy.
The (the Spear with a Nail from the True Cross) was considered an insignia of sacred power. It symbolized the authority of Roman kings and emperors. Its copy, made in Germany or Italy, is shown at the center of the composition and was presented to Bolesław I the Brave as a token of recognition of his sovereignty by Otto III during the Congress of Gniezno in the year 1000. From that point on, it was regarded by Polish rulers as a sign of a sacred deposit of power. This spear was painted numerous times by Jan Matejko.
The coronation sword, depicted on the left side of the composition, was forged in Poland or Saxony around 1730. In 1734, it was used to crown Augustus III of Poland, as the Szczerbiec had been hidden by supporters of Stanisław Leszczyński. It was portrayed by Jan Matejko in the painting Union of Lublin (1869); the union was concluded in 1569, which illustrates the mistaken interpretations of the complex history of the coronation sword.
The sword depicted on the right side of the composition belonged to Sigismund II Augustus and was broken after his death. It serves as a symbol of the end of the Jagiellonian era in Polish history. It was made of silver, cast in Nuremberg in 1540 by Melchior Baier the Elder. In 1831, it was taken from the king's tomb and, seven years later, placed in a scabbard – the one shown in Wyczółkowski's painting. In his 1882 description, Father Polkowski incorrectly claimed that the sword had been "blessed by Pope Paul III" and presented to Sigismund Augustus so that he might be the "defender of the Christian faith". Medium: Pastel on paper on cardboard Dimensions: 149 cm × 96.5 cm.
Misa i dzban służące do liturgii Wielkiego Czwartku
The painting Misa i dzban służące do liturgii Wielkiego Czwartku (Basin and Ewer for Maundy Thursday Liturgy) depicts a 17th-century basin and ewer from southern Germany or the Netherlands, used for the ritual of foot washing during the liturgy of Maundy Thursday. The objects have been held in the treasury since 1766, donated by Franciszek Potkański, auxiliary bishop of Kraków. The basin is adorned with scenes crafted by Jan and Raphael Sadeler based on drawings by Hans von Aachen, inspired by the graphic series Quatuor Europae Nationes, dedicated to Abraham Ortelius, the founder of modern cartography. The series depicts allegories of Italy (Venus and Apollo), Spain (Juno and Mars), Germania (Ceres and Bacchus), and France (Minerva and Mercury). The ewer, in turn, is decorated with personifications of the four elements, based on engravings by Adriaen Collaert. These two objects form a unified set, as they are believed to have once belonged to the Chodkiewicz family, as suggested by an engraved shield with the coats of arms Kościesza, Pogoń, Czetwertyński, and Trąby, along with the letters K-CH. K. W. M. K. S., which may refer to Castellan Krzysztof Chodkiewicz, Voivode of Vilnius from 1643.
This pastel stands out in the entire series for its use of color. The amaranth-colored velvet, golden objects, and shadows with touches of cobalt contrast with one another, producing an interplay of hues. Medium: Pastel on paper Dimensions: 79 cm × 89 cm.
Ornat fundacji Piotra Kmity