“True jewel of architecture”. St. John’s the Baptiste chapel, Jabłonowo on Neman Cover Image

„Prawdziwe cacko architektury”. Kaplica p.w. Św.  Jana Chrzciciela w Jabłonowie nad Niemnem
“True jewel of architecture”. St. John’s the Baptiste chapel, Jabłonowo on Neman

Author(s): Anna Oleńska
Subject(s): Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Architecture, Visual Arts
Published by: Lietuvos mokslų akademijos leidykla
Keywords: Józef Aleksander Jabłonowski; Jabłonów Litewski; Wołczyn; Grand Duchy of Lithuania; court chapel; Basilian monks; style of Ludwik XVI; residence;

Summary/Abstract: The text is devoted to a court chapel at Jabłonów Litewski on the Neman (currently in Belarus) founded around 1748 by an eccentric patron, Prince Józef Aleksander Jabłonowski, together with his residence in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The architecture of the chapel was directly modelled on a late baroque church at Wołczyn, probably by making effective use of its design by an eminent Warsaw architect Johannn Sigismund Deybel, while elevations were ornamented à la grecque as late as in the 1770s, possibly introducing the earliest neoclassicist forms in Lithuania. Based on restricted archival sources combined with site inspection, the article reconstructs the history of the building and disposition of the residence, placing the chapel within its composition as a Gesamtkunstwerk serving the glory of the owner. It analyses the mechanisms of magnate foundation and the problem of sharing the sacred objects by the Roman Catholic and Uniate rites. It also emphasizes originality of exploiting local mineral – bog iron – in wall decoration, which with its skilful contrast of white and black (or dark russet) gave the building an air of elegant neoclassicist costume.

  • Issue Year: 22/2015
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 1-23
  • Page Count: 23
  • Language: Polish