The Theoretical Status of the Emblem in Polish Decorative Art

This paper argues that the theoretical status of the emblem in decorative art has methodological significance in emblem studies and art history, comparable to its status in the so-called book’s editorial frame. This claim is justified in the historical and theoretical tradition of defining emblems in the sources. The departure point for the author’s considerations comes from the findings of applied emblematics, and its foundation is provided by the theoretical sources describing symbolic genres (scil. emblema, symbolum, hierogliphicum) published in Poland from the 16th to the 18th century, including books of poetics, rhetoric, dictionaries and compendia. The first part of the article presents an overview of research on decorative emblems in Poland, together with factors responsible for the scarcity of such studies, including the lack of symbolic typology of the decorations, and the division into literary and non-literary studies, motivated by the philological roots of emblem studies. It is noted that the emblemata in the so-called book’s editorial frame and those in decorations should be studied separately, as the latter are of ornamental nature, and require a distinct order of perception, explication, and the recipient’s role. Besides, it is pointed out that the anachronism of the 16th-century formulae of emblema raises problems for the genological classification of Polish decorations, and so does the inter-genre, compendiumtype pattern of symbolism dominant in the 18th century. The second part of the article discusses the definition of the emblema, focusing on its details relevant for the artistic practice and present-day genre classification, such as technique, composition, the content of the image, which is confronted with Polish historical materials. The analysis carried out in the paper supports the claim that providing a genelogical definition of a work of art sheds light on its artistic rendition and aesthetic value. It also enhances the perspective on emblem studies, the workshop of an emblem artist and the reception of the emblem. Additionally, it enables the verification of synthetic accounts and research practice, offering a profound reflection on the chronology and previous conceptions of the emblem. Finally, it helps to formulate postulates, which can be useful for the methodology of literary emblem studies.

A Newly Discovered Autograph by Tomasz Treter: A Notebook with a Design of a Book of Emblems

The goal of the paper is to present the attribution and codicological analysis of a manuscript currently stored at Biblioteca civica Angelo Mai in Bergamo (sign. MM 378). The paper describes the manuscript codicologically, also hypothesizing as to its presence in the Bergamo library. Based on a manuscript annotation on the codex’s upper pastedown, I argue that it was intended as a gift for one of the Załuski family. On the basis of the printed correspondence between Józef Andrzej Załuski and Angelo Maria Querini, it may be assumed that Codex MM 378 was among the parcels containing manuscripts from the circle of Stanisław Hosius that the Italian librarian intended to send to Załuski. The boxes with the codices never reached the Polish librarian due to the tardiness of the messenger, Jacques David Frédéric Perard. It is claimed here that both the inscriptions and images in the code are authored by Tomasz Treter. The manuscript’s attribution was based on palaeographic analysis (comparing the handwriting with Treter’s epistolography stored in the archives in Kraków and Olsztyn). According to the dates included in the code, the inscriptions were made between 20 June 1569 and 2 March 1575. The manuscript thus represents the earliest known evidence of Treter’s artistic activity. The autograph contains some previously unknown emblems by Treter, and a preliminary design of the emblem work Symbolica vitae Christi meditatio (published 1612). As many as 51 sketches in the manuscript overlap with the emblematic icons of the 1612 printing, all of which are more symbolic (hieroglyphic) representations of Christian virtues known from Treter’s printing, while there are no sketches of icons in the printed book referring to specific biblical scenes. Therefore, there is still uncertainty about the authorship of these compositions, which also differ in the quality of rendition from the previously mentioned ones. Comparing the autograph with the artist’s later published work offers insight into his technique. The drawings in the manuscript show very clear inspiration of Claude Paradin, Gabriel Syméon, Aneau Barthélemy and Andrea Alciato, which is not always conspicuous in the printed version. The analysis includes the final note, mentioning imprese with the painter Lorenzo Lotto, which explains correspondences between this artist’s work and the emblems from Symbolica vitae Christi meditatio.

* Research is funded by the National Science Centre (NCN), Poland, within the project Polish Meditative Emblems in the 16th Through 18th Century: Sources, Realizations, and Aims (Preludium, 2018/31/N/HS2/01187).

Chosen Passages from the 14th-Century Treatise Summa de exemplis et rerum similitudinibus by Giovanni da San Gimignano: A Possible Source of Inspiration for Eight Emblems from the Cycle Symbolica vitae Christi meditatio (Braniewo: Jerzy Schönfels, 1612) by Tomasz Treter

In 1612, the Jerzy Schonfels’ printing house in Braniewo published Tomasz Treter’s posthumous work titled Symbolica vitae Christi meditatio. This cycle of ascetic and mystical reflections was considered by Janusz Pelc to be one of the most interesting emblem books written in the Polish Commonwealth. Also Tadeusz Chrzanowski, an art historian, referred to Treter’s work as quite a unique work of Polish emblem art. The same researcher quoted the originality of some of the concepts and ingenuity of many icons (lacking direct correlates among contemporary emblem collections). In 2018, Alicja Bielak wrote an article in which she identified the three 16th-century emblem works (i.e. Hadrianus Junius’ Emblemata, Claude Paradin’s Devises heroiques and Aneau Barthelemy’s Picta poesis) as graphic sources of Treter’s cycle. The main goal of this paper is to identify another, non-emblematic source of inspiration for the Polish author, namely the 14th-century encyclopaedia Summa de exemplis et rerum similitudinibus by the Italian Dominican Giovanni da San Gimignano. It is argued here that Treter might have come into contact with Giovanni’s treatise during his first stay in Rome (1569–1584) and transposed it into the language of emblems. The first section of the paper shortly discusses the life and work of the Italian Dominican, with the particular emphasis on his encyclopaedia. The core of the article consists of the comparison of Treter’s eight emblems with selected passages from Summa de exemplis and setting these emblems against the background of the European tradition. The following emblems are discussed in detail: Fides, Conversatio sancta, Spiritualis profectus, Humilitas, Poenitentia, Correctio fraterna, Fortitudo and Mansuetudo. The study concludes with the claim that even though Treter uses symbols rooted in contemporary emblem art, he interprets them in a different way than other creators did. On the other hand, one can observe a striking accordance between Treter’s interpretations and the ones by Giovanni da San Gimignano. Unlike other 16th and 17th century emblematists, the Polish priest provides a religious rather than a moral interpretation.

Collection of Emblems in the Early Printed Books Department of the University of Warsaw Library: An Overview of Bibliography and Provenance Traits

This paper presents synthetic information on the exhibition of early printed books from the collection of the Early Printed Books Department of the University of Warsaw Library, organized for the participants of the Seminar on emblems on 23–24 May 2019, at the Artes Liberales Faculty. The goal of this paper is to discuss a selection of emblem books being part of the library collection, with special focus on their provenance. The books are divided into four main thematic groups: 1. Meditative emblems devoted to religion; 2. Emblem literature of formative function 3. Emblems for specific occasions; 4. Emblematic compendia. It is pointed out that a large number of the emblem books under discussion originate from libraries of religious orders.

Tomasz Treter’s Sketchbook of Emblems

This edition and translation of the newly discovered emblem designs by Tomasz Treter (1547–1610) is complementary to Alicja Bielak’s article (this issue) on a manuscript attributed to the Canon of Warmia. Anna Treter’s translation was intended to be faithful to the original in terms of content and style. The edition is based on the manuscript MM 378 from Biblioteca Civica Angelo Mai in Bergamo (fol. 9 r.–21 r.). The 25 sketches of emblems to be elaborated on below open Treter’s private notebook, with entries dating from the period between 20 June 1569 and 2 March 1575, as evidenced by the dates inside the codex, which does not exclude the possibility that Treter made corrections and additions after 1575. The notebook includes designs of full-sized emblems with titles, mottos, epigrams and images. Sketches drawn with a quill present a general concept of a composition, without any details (disegni). The title of the notebook was proposed by the editor as the author did not name it. The name written on the spine of the codex (Imprese) is likely to have been supplied later by an unknown person. As far as the themes dealt with in the emblems are concerned, the epigrams are mostly excerpts from the works of Saint Gregory the Great, Saint Augustine and Tertullian, (which was every time cited in the explanatory notes). In the commentary, the sources of graphical inspirations are also traced to Claude Paradin. The other 73 designs from the Bergamo codex, not included in this edition, are sketches of the emblems Symbolica vitae Christi meditatio (Braniewo: Jerzy Schönfels, 1612).

* The article is funded by the National Science Centre (NCN), Poland, within the project: Polish Meditative Emblems in the 16th Through 18th Century: Sources, Realizations, and Aims (Preludium, 2018/31/N/HS2/01187).