A stove as an idea medium?

Abstract

Since the turn of 12^th century, gradual civilization transformations, which also had significant impacts on house living conditions were observed in the area of Polish grounds. Fire places and furnaces of hypocaustum type came into use from 13^th century, and from 14^th century – tile stoves. The last mentioned, except for heating functions, served also as typical element of interior decoration, particularly from the moment of introducing stoves with flat tiles. First designers of this type of stove may have been recruited from builders and architects in later periods. All its construction process involved work of wood-carvers – makers of patrixes and moulds and potters of course – tile makers and stove builders.

Rich gothic tiles ornamentation from the territories of Polish grounds was presented to us thanks to archaeological explorations, among the others, in: Jankowo Dolne, Jarocin, Gniezno. Motifs, as a rule, repeat the same thematic groups; tiles presenting coat of arms, religious elements and symbols, court life scenes, illustrating literary subjects, architectonic motifs, animals and plants. Similar elements can also be found in single and fragmentarily preserved polychrome of that period. Both – stoves and painting may have been a part of common iconographical program for interiors in residences and patriciate houses, which was supposed to be a kind of territorial, group and cultural membership manifestation.

In Renaissance period, ornamentation and subjects of tile images changed. Exceptional objects of that time include, e.g. the stove designed for Wawel castle interior made at order of Sigismund I, placed in the apartments of Queen Elisabeth. In the reconstructed stove we identify portrait tiles of the old and young king, to manufacturing of which images of the kings: Casimir the Jagiellon and John I Albert served as models. Erecting such a stove, additionally decorated in the crown frieze with angles holding shields with the Eagle – the national symbol, and placing it in apartments designed for the Queen, could have been the homage for Queen the Mother from Sigismund’s part.

Another example of a Renaissance stove expressing in this case political and religious matters can be a stove erected in Gdańsk Artus Court at the turn of 1545. Placing on tiles portraits of Catholic and Lutheran rulers depicted the situation of not only Gdańsk, but also a huge part of Europe under Habsburg Dynasty reigning.

Next stove presenting by its ornaments current problems of 17^th century is the reconstructed stove from Tykocin castle. Tiles obtained during excavations, decorated with family coat of arms of the starost Krzysztof Wiesiołowski and symbols displaying bravery, wealth and Christianity, refer directly to spiritual and intellectual culture of gentry sarmatism of 17^th century Polish Republic.

These few stove instants presented herein create the base for rather positive answer to the question placed in the article’s title, although they still require further research.