Nihil sine causa. Satyry na arrasach wawelskich
Nihil Sine Causa. Satyrs in the Jagiellon Tapestries

Summary/Abstract: Jakub Pokora, Nihil Sine Causa. Satyrs in the Jagiellon Tapestries Among the collection of the Arras tapestries at the Wawel (138 pieces) there are five identical ones with Sigismund Augustus’ monogram: SA in a cartouche presented by two satyrs (Fig. 1). An attempt is made to justify the presence of those bearer. The Jagiellon tapestries were made in Brussels in ca 1560 after the drawings of an anonymous Antwerp artist from the circle of Cornelis Floris and Cornelis Bos. Researchers occasionally associate them with the satirical-poetical poem by Jan Kochanowski dedicated to Sigismund Augustus Satyr or the Wild Man (Kraków 1563, 1564); some consider the tapestries as Kochanowski’s inspiration, others, contrariwise, regard them to be the poem’s illustration. These opinions can be hardly justified, since there are no sources specifying the time when the tapestries were made, while Kochanowski himself does not mention them either. Son of Bona Sforza and Sigismund the Old, born on 1 August 1520, namely under the sign of the Leo, he was given Sigismund as his first name, this in compliance with his father’s wish, and Augustus as his second (after the Latin name of the month). He was frequently referred to as Augustus, to differ the son from the father and for glorification (see: semper Augustus among monarch’s titles).Monogram appeared among the Polish royal power symbols under Casimir the Great (1333-70), however winning much popularity only under Sigismund the Old (1506-48). Placed on the Eagle’s chest, it was used until the first royal election (1573). Sigismund Augustus applied the monogram far more often than his father had done, placing it not merely on the Eagle, but also in shields or cartouches. A wild man is a variant of the mythological satyr. Wild men (primitive forest wild creatures, symbols of the forces of nature or simply physical strength) are often presented as coat-of-arms bearers, or more precisely its guardians, armed with large clubs, see e.g. the coat of arms of the Dukes of Pomerania (Fig. 2). A satyr did not display positive symbolism in Christian art, since he was most often associated with a lecher or sin as such. Obviously, in the case of the Jagiellonian tapestries this is out of the question; neither it is justified to seek some potential satirical or critical and ridiculing undertones in their representations. In the royal tapestries, satyrs undoubtedly fulfil the role of the coat of arms bearers, though in this particular case the coat of arms had been replaced with the royal digits. And if so, then in compliance with the heraldic principles, they have to play a complementary role to the content of the held monogram, since usually the coat of arms bearer is identified with its owner. Satyrs were chosen as the monogram bearers, since the word ‘satyr’ begins with the letters …of the royal digits: SA. There is no doubt that they are satyrs, not sileni headed by Marsyas, since none of them is playing the aulos, etc., which can be found in other Wawel tapestries. The association of the satyrs with the monogram can also be found in the letter shape (foliage scroll). All this in order to give the impression that the satyrs are presenting not merely the royal digits, but also… their own ones. This was the most likely reason why the shield features only letters, not the Eagle with the SA monogram on its chest, just like in many other Wawel tapestries. As the wider conceptual background to this one should point to the always vivid tradition of playing with words or letters, in our case with the royal digits which in some cases were often completely wrongly interpreted. For example, the monogram of King John Casimir (1648-68): ICR (Ioannes Casimirus Rex) was read as Initium Calamitatis Regni: ‘Beginning of the Kingdom’s Calamities’. Let us conclude this track in our reflection with the Polish critical description of our neighbour as stary satyr (‘an old satyr’) in which both words are mutual anagrams. If the concept of the satyrs’ presence is right, we would be dealing with a comical concept, this signalled by their mocking smiles. The joke ranks among the ‘comedy of comparison’: placing together the reality with the image, all this following the rule of the world à rebours (see Erasmus of Rotterdam Praise of Folly). A tapestry of such a character perfectly fits the sense of humour popular in the period, which played a substantial role in the life of both the court and the commons. Those were, after all, the times of not only Kochanowski’s Epigrams and Rej’s Pranks, but also of different jokes, playing with words or letters (puns, palindromes, acrostics, etc). What dominated literature was wit, humour, anecdote. Worth mentioning here is the work created under Sigismund Augustus’ guidance and maybe with his participation, namely the Polish Courtier (1566) by Łukasz Górnicki, dedicated to the King by his secretary. As it is known, it was an adaptation of the Italian treatise Il Cortegiano by Baldassare Castiglione (1528). Out of actually a hundred anecdotes, Górnicki repeated forty, enriching his book with some dozen from Cicero, and forty of his own authorship. Those were also the times of carnival societies, best embodied in the Babin Republic (created roughly around the same time as the tapestry or the Polish Courtier, namely around 1560). Earlier, at the court of Sigismund the Old there had existed until the late 1520s the society of bibones & comedones, which is the Latin for drunkards and gluttons, even with bishops as its members.Sigismund Augustus followed in the footsteps of his father. Humour was present as his court. Just like all the monarchs of the time, he had jesters and dwarfs among his entourage.Therefore, under Sigismund the Old and Sigismund Augustus humour reigned at the Wawel residence. Here is one more manifestation of it. The peculiar feature of the Palace can be found in numerous Latin adages (from 1519-48), these including some educational and moral ones addressed to young Sigismund Augustus and his future offspring. Among others preserved to this day is the inscription reading NICHIL [sic!] SINE CAVSA (Nothing is without a cause) featured in the portal frieze over the way leading from the chamber, possibly of the prince’s courtiers, to….the toilet! As can be easily seen this ‘toilet adage’ due to being so universal has served as the title of the present essay. Let us finalize with a piece of information that questions (?) the correctness of the presented conclusions. Apparently, during the entry of Anna, daughter of Archduke Charles Habsburg into Kraków in 1592, when she was arriving to marry Sigismund III Vasa (1587-1632), among the abundant decorations there was a painted White Eagle, held by two large figures. According to the contemporary reports they were ‘two satyrs resembling a man and a lady’. Their presence there has not as yet been accounted for. However, following the train of our thought, maybe a humorous assumption can be put forward that this has to do with the SA initials: the names of the wife and husband (different-sex satyrs!). Sigismund & Anna.

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