Analogia ad legendum. Semantic, practical and compositional function of two pulpits in the Dominican church in Lublin Cover Image

Analogia ad legendum. Funkcja znaczeniowa, użytkowa i kompozycyjna dwóch ambon w kościele oo. Dominikanów w Lublinie
Analogia ad legendum. Semantic, practical and compositional function of two pulpits in the Dominican church in Lublin

Author(s): Paulina Kluz
Subject(s): 16th Century, 17th Century, 18th Century, Other Christian Denominations, Sociology of Art, Sociology of Religion
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Papieskiego Jana Pawła II w Krakowie
Keywords: semantic function; composition; pulpit; Dominicans; Lublin;

Summary/Abstract: The Dominican church in Lublin contains an unusual example of two pulpits in a sacred interior, which are situated vis-à-vis at the rood arch. They were sculpted by Sebastian Zeisl, who, with the aid of his workshop, made the rococo furnishing of the church in the years 1756–1761. The sculptural decoration of the pulpits makes references to their preaching function, as well as to Dominican spirituality. The solution formally seems to have been inspired by the com-positional model of two pulpits on either side of the altar, an elaboration of the symmetrical (stage-like) organization of the sacred interior. The fact that the contractor was familiar with such layout could stem from the impact exerted by local inspiration (e.g. St. Anne’s church in Lubartów) or the artist’s earlier Central European experience, probably including his education among Viennese artists. However, the construction of two Dominican pulpits, both of which were used (none of them is apparent) may indicate that their roles could go beyond merely com-positional ones. It seems that their emergence was influenced by individual needs of the Lublin Dominican monastery, especially their preaching practices. The knowledge gained so far allows us to suspect that the construction of the two pulpits is related to their role in the liturgy, namely the polemical sermons practiced by the Order of Preachers in Lublin.

  • Issue Year: 22/2016
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 141-155
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Polish