The showcase presents a number of themes important for Polish heritage, which also serve as an introduction to the main part of the exhibition and to the themes presented in the second half of the exhibition. Divided into three sections, the first displays the modest remains of 17th century weapons. They are surrounded by mementos from the sarcophagus of the hetman Stanislaw Żółkiewski, whose death in the battle against the Turks in 1620 was a shock. The hetman’s heir was his great-grandson, the future King of Poland and defeater of the Ottoman Porte, Jan Sobieski. The third part of the showcase is dedicated to him, with parade, scale armour, used by officers and popularised by the images of a king presenting himself as an ancient Roman commander. These are also the beginnings of a strong cult of historical figures present in the Polish heritage, a trend that will continue and will be of exceptional importance for the Polish “national spirit” and museology in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The central part of the showcase is the luxurious armament of the light cavalry called “pancerny”. It shows not only the strong oriental currents in the Polish lands. It is also about spiritual armour and amulets, i.e. objects that played an important role in the life of the soldiers through inscriptions and religious signs.
Poland, first half of the 17th c.
Iron, wood, leather, cord, forging, punching, engraving, engraving
Deposit of the Academy of Learning, 1896
Poland, second half of the 17th c. (?)
Iron, wood, leather, forging, engraving, punching
Deposit of the Academy of Learning, 1896
Poland, Lviv (?), after 1620 and 1692
Stop cynowo-ołowiowy, casting, chiselling
From the collection of Emeryk Hutten-Czapski, 1903 (plaque) and Princes Czartoryski Museum (figures)
Germany, Augsburg, early 17th c.
Iron, forging, engraving, openwork, punching
From the former armoury of Piotr Moszyński in Krakow
Hungary (?), ca. 1600-1660
Iron, wood, copper, forging, carving, copper plating
Deposit of the Jagiellonian University Museum. Gift of Karol Rogawski, 1889
Hungary (?), between 1570-1620
Iron, wood, copper, forging, copper plating, soldering (copper)
Deposit of the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum in London
Poland or Hungary (?), between 1585-1600
Iron, leather, brass, forging
Gift of Jozofat Prochowski, 1914
Hungary or Ottoman Empire (?), second quater of the 17th c.
Iron, wood, forging
Deposit of the Jagiellonian University Museum. Gift of Karol Rogawski, 1889
Hungary or Ottoman Empire (?), second quater of the 17th c.
Iron, wood, forging, niello, inlay
From the former armoury of Piotr Moszyński in Krakow
Germany, Suhl, early 17th c.
Iron, brass, copper, wood, horn, forging, casting, soldering, engraving, carving
From the former armoury of Piotr Moszyński in Krakow
Poland, 1594 (?) (barrel), France, 18th c. (stock and lock)
Iron, bronze, brass, wood, casting, chiselling, engraving
From the collection of Emeryk Hutten-Czapski, gift of the family, 1903
Near East, 17th c.
Wood, horn, parchment, leather, painting
Poland (?), 17th c.
Iron, wood, cotton, forging
Deposit of the Academy of Learning, 1896
on the mannequin:
Poland, 17th c.
Iron, forging, punching, cutting
From the former armoury of Piotr Moszyński in Krakow
Persia, 15th/16th c. (?)
Iron, copper, forging, punching
Deposit of the Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum in London
Poland or Ottoman Empire, 17th/18th c.
Iron, silver, gold, gemstone, silk, niello, gilding, inlay
Poland, first half of the 18th c.
Wood, leather, brass, silver metal thread, silver, repoussé, engraving, punching, chiselling, gilding, niello, appliqué, embroidery
From the collection of Emeryk Hutten-Czapski, gift of the family, 1903
on the belt:
Poland, Lviv (?) or Near East, 17th c.
Leather, silver, gold, velvet, niello, gilding, punching, openwork, embossing
From the collection of Emeryk Hutten-Czapski, gift of the family, 1903
Ottoman Empire, 17th-18th c. (?)
Iron, wood, feathers, forging, painting
From the former armoury of Piotr Moszyński in Krakow
Ottoman Empire (fittings), Europe (blade), ca. 1700
Iron, silver, wood, leather, forging, engraving, punching
Poland (?), Germany (?), 17th c.
Iron, wood, leather, forging, engraving
Ottoman Empire, second half of the 17th c.
Iron, silk, silk thread, velvet, inlay, gilding, engraving
From the former armoury of Piotr Moszyński in Krakow
Poland, Lviv (?) and Near East, 17th c.
Leather, silver, gold, velvet, niello, gilding, punching, openwork, embossing
From the collection of Emeryk Hutten-Czapski, gift of the family, 1903
Poland, 17th c.
Copper, silver, gold, engraving, gilding
Germany, Suhl (barrel), Wolfenbüttel (lock), third quarter of the 17th c.
Iron, brass, wood, mother of pearl, forging, inlay, carving, engraving
From the former armoury of Piotr Moszyński in Krakow
Poland, 17th/18th c.
Iron, brass, silver, gold, leather, gilding
From the former armoury of Piotr Moszyński in Krakow
Poland, 18th c.
Iron, wood, leather, forging, etching, engraving
Gift of Janina Kornecka, 1939. From the collection of Zygmunt Ignacy Kowalski (1847-1918)
Poland, second half of the 17th c.
Iron, wood, leather, forging, punching
Gift of Jan Peroś, 1932
Poland, 17th-18th c. (repaired in the 19th c.)
Iron, brass, gold, leather, forging, repoussé, chiselling, engraving
From the collection of Emeryk Hutten-Czapski, gift of the family, 1903
Ottoman Empire, 18th c.
Iron, brass, wood, leather, silver, forging, engraving, glueing, silvering, punching
Poland, 17th c. and 1798
Oil painting, linen
The portrait was previously considered to be the image of Hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski
from left:
Europe, 17th c.
Iron, wood, forging, punching
Austria, ca. 1600
Iron, wood, leather, forging, punching
Deposit of the Academy of Learning, 1896
Italy, ca. 1620
Iron, wood, leather, forging, punching
Deposit of the Academy of Learning, 1896
Netherlands (?), 1620-1630
Iron, wood, forging, etching, punching, engraving
Deposit of the Academy of Learning, 1896
Germany, 17th c.
Iron, cord, punching, forging, engraving
Poland, second half of the 17th c. (?)
Iron, wood, leather, punching, forging, soldering
Deposit of the Academy of Learning, 1896
Western Europe, 17th c.
Iron, leather, forging, riveting
Deposit of the Academy of Learning, 1896
Poland, 17th c.
Iron, brass, wood, leather, forging, punching
Europe, turn of the 17th and 18th c.
Iron, wood, forging, etching
Deposit of the Academy of Learning, 1896
Europe, between 1630-1670
Iron, wood, copper, forging, punching, spawanie, engraving
Germany, workshop of Johannes Wundes the Elder, 17th c.
Iron, brass, forging
Poland, second half of the 17th c. (?)
Iron, brass, wood, leather, forging, punching
Deposit of the Academy of Learning, 1897
Poland, turn of the 17th and 18th c. (?)
Iron, brass, wood, leather, forging, punching, engraving
Gift of Janina Kornecka, 1947. From the collection of Zygmunt Ignacy Kowalski (1847-1918)