A miracle of light in the darkness of the Middle Ages

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The National Museum in Krakow has prepared an unusual exhibition called „The Miracle of Light. Medieval stained-glass windows in Poland”.  The exhibit offers patrons the opportunity to see medieval stained-glass windows from Polish museum collections along with those from monasteries and churches, with particular emphasis on the stained glass windows from the presbytery of St. Mary’s Church, that are usually hidden behind the famous altar of Wit Stwosz.

“The process of creating stained glass windows for churches in the Middle Ages was a huge artistic, technical, and financial challenge, thus confirming the prestige of clients. The modern era, however, witnessed a period of removal of these stained glass windows, so that only a very small percentage of them have survived to our time. Despite the nineteenth-century fascination with medieval stained glass painting, this field, which was treated as artistic craftsmanship and therefore less valued, remains a fascinating yet difficult to grasp phenomenon – just like the light and color that co-create the stained-glass window”, explain the organizers.

The curator of the exhibition, Dr. Dobrosława Horzela, emphasizing that stained glass is only alive when light passes through it, decided to „bring to light” the phenomenon of this art. So the exhibition displays the creative skills of the stained-glass artisans.  It teaches viewers how to „read” stained-glass windows, and makes them aware of window-making’s place in the panorama of art forms. The exhibition also shows the process of forgetting stained glass windows, removing them from sacred interiors and from the consciousness of people in the modern age, as well as various aspects of the rediscovery of stained glass in the 19th century. The focal point of this story is St. Mary’s Church in Krakow. In the years 1360-1400, stained glass filled the huge windows of the presbytery erected during that time, as well as the windows of the church choir. In total, there were over 600 stained-glass windows in this church, of which only about a hundred have survived to our times.

The exhibition also includes painted panels, embroidery, goldsmithery, documents, drawings, and stained glass designs, many of which have never before been presented in public. In recent years, some of them have been the subjects of research and careful conservation at the Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow – such as the stained glass windows from the former Zamoyski collection in Adampol in eastern Poland, that were made around 1200.

The „Miracle of Light” will be presented in the Main Building of the National Museum until almost the end of July 2020.LK)

The National Museum in Krakow has prepared an unusual exhibition called „The Miracle of Light. Medieval stained-glass windows in Poland”.  The exhibit offers patrons the opportunity to see medieval stained-glass windows from Polish museum collections along with those from monasteries and churches, with particular emphasis on the stained glass windows from the presbytery of St. Mary’s Church, that are usually hidden behind the famous altar of Wit Stwosz.

“The process of creating stained glass windows for churches in the Middle Ages was a huge artistic, technical, and financial challenge, thus confirming the prestige of clients. The modern era, however, witnessed a period of removal of these stained glass windows, so that only a very small percentage of them have survived to our time. Despite the nineteenth-century fascination with medieval stained glass painting, this field, which was treated as artistic craftsmanship and therefore less valued, remains a fascinating yet difficult to grasp phenomenon – just like the light and color that co-create the stained-glass window”, explain the organizers.

The curator of the exhibition, Dr. Dobrosława Horzela, emphasizing that stained glass is only alive when light passes through it, decided to „bring to light” the phenomenon of this art. So the exhibition displays the creative skills of the stained-glass artisans.  It teaches viewers how to „read” stained-glass windows, and makes them aware of window-making’s place in the panorama of art forms. The exhibition also shows the process of forgetting stained glass windows, removing them from sacred interiors and from the consciousness of people in the modern age, as well as various aspects of the rediscovery of stained glass in the 19th century. The focal point of this story is St. Mary’s Church in Krakow. In the years 1360-1400, stained glass filled the huge windows of the presbytery erected during that time, as well as the windows of the church choir. In total, there were over 600 stained-glass windows in this church, of which only about a hundred have survived to our times.

The exhibition also includes painted panels, embroidery, goldsmithery, documents, drawings, and stained glass designs, many of which have never before been presented in public. In recent years, some of them have been the subjects of research and careful conservation at the Faculty of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow – such as the stained glass windows from the former Zamoyski collection in Adampol in eastern Poland, that were made around 1200.

The „Miracle of Light” will be presented in the Main Building of the National Museum until almost the end of July 2020.

Das Nationalmuseum in Krakau hat eine außerordentliche Ausstellung vorbereitet. Sie wurde „Weltwunder. Mittelalterliche Glasmalereien in Polen“ genannt, denn man wird sich in der Ausstellung die mittelalterlichen Glasmalereien aus Museums-Sammlungen und aus Kirchen und Klöstern, unter  besonderer Berücksichtigung der Glasmalereien aus dem Presbyterium der Marienkirche, die gewöhnlich durch den berühmten Alter von Veit Stoß verdeckt werden, ansehen können.









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