Malarstwo religijne i sakralne Stanisława Rodzińskiego
Religious and Sacred Paintings by Stanisław Rodziński

Summary/Abstract: Stanisław Rodziński, a Krakow painter, as soon as during his studies wanted to stand up to works with a religious content, hallowed with the tradition of Christian iconography. He wanted to include his own personality and his experiences into his works. The experiences were enriched by his spiritual formation he had received in the university chaplaincy in the St Anne Church in Krakow, especially from Rev. Wacław Świerzawski. The cyclical form of the painter’s work in the area of religious art gave a number of paintings with the two subjects: Pietà or Lamentation over the Dead Christ. Into the traditional composition patterns new elements were woven – updating the paintings by referring to contemporary events: the death of Archbishop Romero, pain over the loss of his brother – Janusz, emotions over the body of one of the murdered miners from the Wujek mine, or over the body of the cruelly beaten Rev. Popiełuszko. Rodziński included modern history into his religious works; he presented old subjects by joining iconographic patterns with emotions stirred up by recent events. It was similar with Rodziński’s Crucifixions, with new techniques of painting and emotional expression of the works (Mary Magdalene’s gesticulation at the foot of the Cross) and with the use of the inspiration of masters (Grünewald, Georges Rouault) and mystics of the Middle Ages (e.g. Hildegard of Bingen, Henry Suso) as well as later ones (Anne Catherine Emmerich). Rodziński’s works touch upon transcendent experiences; they are religious works (albeit they are not hung in churches); they make one muse. Veils of Veronica are similar canvases, as well as several works with the title De profundis. Paintings that have a sacred character are, among others, the following: Brother Albert, painted for the parish church in Wólka Podleśna, 7 cycles of Stations of the Cross, and a portrait of Blessed Julia Rodzińska (the artist’s aunt). Stanisław Rodziński’s religious and sacred works are a significant record of a contemporary interpretation of the traditional iconography, an attempt at updating it by including in it the painter’s own experiences and reflections concerning the recent history of man.

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