15 century Italy introduced a new cultural system that spread all over Europe. Its name ‘humanism’ was derived from the Latin word homo, meaning “man.” The main objective of this new movement was to learn as much as possible about man and the world surrounding him. New philosophical trends emerged and natural sciences developed which were greatly inspired by the achievements of ancient Greeks and Romans. Architects started to build churches and palaces according to the standards of ancient Rome and Greece.
Poets, sculptors, painters and philosophers of that time showed a tremendous interest in all sciences, according to the slogan: “Nothing that is human is alien to me.” Due to the strong presence of ancient cultural elements and influence, the epoch was named the Renaissance, meaning ‘revival’ or ‘rebirth’. It was not long before the influences of the Italian Cinquecento (late Italian Renaissance) reached Poland and could be seen in many masterpieces of Polish art.
Polish culture of the “golden era”
New trends in philosophy, science, literature and art were promoted mostly by young Polish men, of whom a large number studied at famous universities in Italy, Germany and France. The Academy of Krakow was prestigious again and popular among Western European students. Italian influences on the Academy had been visible since the early fifteenth century. Famous lecturers and great thinkers were affiliated with this school. In 1449, the school introduced lectures in classic literature, with particular emphasis on works of Horace, Virgilian and Ovidius.
One of the most important achievements of science was the publication of Copernicus’ thesis on the movements of celestial bodies. Copernicus revolutionized contemporary astronomy by proving that the planet Earth revolves around the Sun.
Intriguing news about travels and new geographic discoveries impressed people in remote Sarmatia (the archaic name for Poland). The Polish geographer Mathew of Miechow presented a detailed description of Eastern Europe and Asia in his Tract on Two Sarmatias. Writer Bernard Wapowski prepared large maps of Europe.
The development of literature and poetry was significant. Writer Nicholas Rej and poet Jan Kochanowski are today recognized as founding fathers of the Polish literary language.
New styles in architecture also flourished; renaissance villas were easy to spot in many Polish cities.
Describing the changes that took place in Polish territories, educator Simeon Marciusz of Pilzno wrote:
“I saw strange mobility and an industrious spirit that affected all professions and states of life. Our nationals recognized the power of their intellect and became more active.”
Protectorate of Sigmund I over architecture.
The new cultural and artistic trends were propagated by the royal family. The very first renaissance buildings came into being due to personal involvement of the King Sigmund, many years before he married Bona.
The education that young Sigmund received from Italian Fillippe Buonaccorsi – aka Kallimach – shaped his artistic taste. Kallimach was a diplomat from Florence and a great humanist. Another Italian Antonio Pierozzi-Tedali, who arrived in Poland in 1459, enforced these influences.
The very first example of the Italian renaissance in Poland was the construction of the tomb niche for deceased king Jan Albrecht. Italian master builder Francesco of Florence completed the work in 1502. From 1504 to 1507, the same artist worked on rebuilding of the west wing of the WawelCastle. Later, Bartolomeo Berecci continued this work. Thanks to this artist, who died tragically in 1537, Poland adopted Italian trends in architecture more than any other country in Central and Eastern Europe.
King Sigmund I founded the Wawel chapel, known today as ‘Zygmuntowska’, and famous for its golden chapel. The chapel was built from 1517 to 1533 and Sigmund sometimes personally supervised the work. In other works he often introduced changes of his own invention.
Two years after Bona’s arrival in Poland, the royal castle in Krakow hosted a big ceremony of consecrating the Bell of Sigmund in the Wawel chapel. The bell, which was the biggest in Europe, was named after the King Sigmund I. The atmosphere of this event was captured wonderfully in the picture of famous Polish painter Jan Matejko:
“The royal couple was welcomed with enthusiasm: “Long Live the King! Long Live Her Highness!” could be heard everywhere. Wonderful clothes of Bona received a lot of attention: they were rather unusual. Master Hans Bohen, who designed and did the bell cast, set the heart of the bell swinging. The King listened to the clear sound of the bell and thought about the union between Poland and Lithuania. He was hoping that the Polish nation would grow stronger generation after generation. He was also grateful to God for the honor of being the king.”
Bona’s cultural input
Bona Sforza came to a country where dark clouds stubbornly covered and introduced a totally new model of female behavior, unknown in the northern part of Europe. Her involvement in politics and economic affairs set a precedent in the Polish political arena. Before Bona, Italian humanism was known in Poland, but was often losing to Russian and Byzantine influences. Bona changed that and ensured the dominance of Latin culture in Poland.
Bona was a proponent of the musical arts in Poland. She invited many Italian musicians, such as Alessandro Pasenti. Bona supported Polish poets such as Jan Dantyszek and Andrzej Krzycki and was an avid appreciator of the theatre. The new cultural influences were also visible in the way people dressed.
The noble class and rich city dwellers started to favor Italian fashion over the Byzantine style of dressing. The changes affected the royal kitchen, too. Greasy meat dishes lost some of their popularity to certain vegetables which were thus far unknown in Poland. Cauliflowers, spinach, tomatoes, gre-en beans, broccoli, celeri, cabbage and leeks appeared in the Wawel kitchen as well as in rich Polish households. The Queen imported tons of pasta from Italy, as she could not do without it. Refined cuisine was served to the royal family and its quality competed with its quantity. Exotic spices began to be used and they were thought to stimulate metabolism. The consumption of wine increased and alcoholic honey lost its popularity.
The Queen invited Italian gardeners to redesign the gardens of Wawel and other gardens that surrounded many royal properties in the Crown and in Lithuania.
The presence of many Italians in Krakow brought about important changes of lifestyle. The Polish royal family promoted a model of social life that was subtler than it had been hitherto. The magnates started to have musicians in their courts. Important events were often accompanied with music and dances.
It is widely believed that Bona played an important role in the development of the Italian renaissance in Poland. This is not true. It was mostly her husband and her son, who cared deeply about the artistic portrait of the country. Bona, however, was not totally indifferent to the problems of architecture. She even initiated the building of some villas in the Italian style that can still be admired in various parts of Poland and Lithuania. The death of Berrecci prompted Bona to invite another master builder Sebastiano Serlia of Venice. To Bona’s disappointment, the architect never came to Poland. The importance of the last Jagiellonians for Polish art and culture. The hanging of the bell at Wawel Castle, was famous moment in Polish history.
The time when the last two Jagiellonians ruled Poland was marked by their patronage over art and culture. Sigmund I (1506-1548) and Sigmund August (1548-1572) ensured adaptation of Italian cinquecento in Poland. The power of the monarchy was the key factor that allowed the presence of foreign artists in Krakow and weakened the traditional influence of Polish guilds.
After the death of Sigmund I in 1548, Bona left for Italy. The new monarch Sigmund August did not spend much time in Krakow. This resulted in a weakening of the royal protectorate over art. The son of Sigmund I built many castles and mansions, but he was never able to invite any famous architects to Poland. Nevertheless, Sigmund August brought about significant enrichment of art in his country. The collection of Dutch arrases that still can be admired in the Wawel chambers serve as a proof. Sigmund August also held the protectorate over Italian sculptors such as Gianni Giacomo Caragli and Sant Gucci of Florence.
The last two Jagiellonians were great admirers and experts on art. They liked to be surrounded by artists and employed several writers and musicians to attend to their court. Sigmund August founded an impressive library and collected sculpture, paintings and jewels.
Finally, it seems appropriate to quote one of the greatest Renaissance philosophers, Erasmus of Rotterdam: “I congratulate the nation, once considered barbarian, that now is developing so beautifully in all the aspects of science, law, customs, religion and is totally against any form of uncouthness. It can compete with the most cultural nations of the world.”
