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Arts & Communication Altar “Passion of Christ” in Lviv

During the last restoration, Latin inscriptions on the It has been established that the further direction in
altar were uncovered, which are partially lost (Figure 8). the development of sacred art was the search for a new
The inscription “HRISTI RESI…FICATIO” means “Christ plastic interpretation of characters. This was expressed in
is Risen…” and “PROPIERSCALVS POPVLIM P.RCVSI the picturesque manner of interpreting the plot bas-relief
EVM: ESA:53” can be translated as “I will lead the people compositions of the Dutch tradition and combined with
across safely.” The latter phrase is likely from the Latin the flat traditional interpretation of the forms and clothing
Bible. It is worth noting that Jan Scholz-Wolfowicz was of the characters. This was primarily expressed in the
a highly educated, spiritual person, as evidenced by his creation of sacred works of art.
fondness for religious quotes and sayings.
It has been studied that the most intensive decoration
On his townhouse at Rynok Square 23, six similar of altars using relief plot compositions in the Renaissance
quotes can be seen: era was practiced in the churches of Western Ukraine. New
1. TVRRIS FORTISSIMA NOMEN DOMINI PROV artistic ideas, architectural and constructive features of the
[erbia 18] – The name of the Lord is a strong tower. solution of church altars allowed to recognize Western
Proverbs 18:10; Ukrainian sculptors and their work as important for the
2. SPERAS DOMINO SVBLEVATVR PROV [erbia 29] culture and art of the state. These highly artistic sacred
– Trusting in the Lord brings relief. Proverbs 29; masterpieces belong to the cultural heritage of Ukraine.
3. TIME DOMINVM ET RECEDE A MALO PROV [erbia
14] – Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Proverbs 14; 5. Conclusion
4. VBI OPES IB I AMISI – Where there is much wealth, Based on an analysis of the plastic and compositional-
there is great anxiety;
5. VBI CHARITAS IBI DEVS – Where there is charity, artistic solutions of the alabaster altar of the Passion
of Christ, it is evident that this sacred work represents
there is God; a remarkable example of 16th-century Lviv sculpture,
6. VBI VBER IBI TVBER – Where there is wealth, showcasing the high level of craftsmanship and talent of the
there are friend’s erbia 6 – (translated from Latin by Renaissance sculptor Jan Zaremba. The influx of Polish- and
Bohdana Ihorivna Petarshak).
German-speaking sculptors, along with wealthy donors,
th
4. Results and discussion into Lviv during the 16 century introduced elements of
the Northern Renaissance into the city’s artistic tradition.
It is shown that the Renaissance highly artistic work of This influence is particularly visible in the architecture and
art – the altar of the Passion of Christ – stood out among artistic design of the Passion of Christ altar, where traces of
the sacred works of that time with an innovative solution. Northern Mannerism are present.
It was established that the sculptor Jan Zaremba in the
Renaissance era, while creating a work of sacred art, Jan Zaremba, who crafted the altar with the patronage of
adhering to the generally accepted Western iconographic Jan Scholz-Wolfowicz, achieved a refined and harmonious
tradition, introduced elements of the characters’ clothing composition rooted in principles of proportionality,
characteristic of the folk Western Ukrainian tradition. This balance, and elegance. In the narrative scenes, Zaremba
corresponded to the traditions of Ukrainian Galician art. succeeded in conveying the spiritual worldview of his
contemporaries through plastic and decorative-artistic
It has been proven that the character of the carving means, creating an original and expressive masterpiece of
of the plot bas-reliefs, the decorative ornamentation sacred art. While the compositions of the altar’s bas-reliefs
of the columns, and the cartouche with volutes, which follow the established iconography of Western Christianity,
compositionally diversifies and enriches the architectonics Zaremba incorporated local folk traditions, dressing some
of the altar, reflect the contemporary mannerist tendencies. of the characters in the traditional clothing of Western
However, realistic details contribute to the lifelikeness: the Ukraine. Though the narrative bas-reliefs bear resemblance
image of the disciples in the “Last Supper” with realistic to the perspective compositions of Netherlandish painted
detailing of the expression of their faces, the detailed bas-reliefs, the treatment of the Crucifixion scene departs
elaboration of the clothes, and the life of the room. In the from this, as the forms are rendered in a flatter, more
architectonics of the altar, the sculptor skillfully conveyed traditional manner.
the depth of space, the monumental, sophisticated
plasticity of the figures in the composition of the plot Despite the combination of Western European
scenes, the complex angles of the characters’ bodies, their artistic traditions with folk representations, the sculptor’s
empathy and inexpressible pain, which was characteristic treatment of the alabaster altar retains stylistic unity and
for Dutch art with its perspective plot compositions. harmonious compositional perfection.

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 10 doi: 10.36922/ac.4738