Portret w polityce – polityka portretu: uwagi o znaczeniu portretu w praktyce władzy Zygmunta I Starego
Portrait in Politics ‒ Politics of Portraiture: Remarks on the Role of Portraiture in Sigismund I the Old's Ruling Praxis

Summary/Abstract: The role of portraits copied with the use of mechanical reproduction techniques played in the praxis of the rule of King of Poland Sigismund I the Old (1507-1548) is analysed; the effigies included the King and his family members, and were copied on prints, coins, medals, as well as book bindings. The portraits of the type were created with the recipients from outside the narrow circle at the Cracow court in mind; executed in larger numbers of copies, they were meant to reach the public who did not stay in direct contact with the monarch, often even unaware of what he looked like. The identification of the portrayed individuals was to a higher degree than in the case of traditional portraits dependent on conventional media, such as inscriptions, signs, or the applied presentation formula. The ideological sense contained in those elements has been analysed, and an attempt has been made to ascertain models and/or inspiration sources for respective works.

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