Para obrazów retabulum ołtarzowego ze scenami legend o św. Mikołaju w zbiorach Muzeum Książąt Czartoryskich w Krakowie

Abstract

The collection of The Princes Czartoryski Museum in Krakow includes a pair of wings form a winged retable depicting hagiographical threads connected with the person of St. Nicholas of Bari. The artwork was brought to the museum from Rzepiennik Biskupi, a village situated near Krosno. The wings constitute an example of late Gothic tabular painting, manufactured in provincial workshops of Little Poland in the 1 st half of the 16 th century. The scenes Salvaging the castaways from the shipwreck and Whipping of the statue of St. Nicholas depicted on the aforementioned wings refer to the miracle-working activity of St. Nicholas. Most probably the author drew inspiration from the text of The Golden Legend by Jacob de Voragine – the text, which was very popular from the 13 th century and which was frequently a source of hagiographical inspirations. The paintings, most probably deriving from the nonexistent retable of St. Nicholas, in terms of stylistics can be assigned to the circle of the Workshop of the Master of Triptych from Klimkowka, whose work is connected with Krosno and its neighbourhood. Andrzej, working in Krosno in the 1 st half of the 16 th century, is a painter consociated with this workshop. His works typify, among others, influences of the South-German painting and engraving, which he encountered most probably in the Krakow community.