Kościół klasztorny wrocławskich dominikanek w czasach średniowiecznych – wystrój, wyposażenie i jego funkcje / The church of the Wrocław Dominican Nuns in medieval times – Decoration, furnishings and its functions

Abstract

AGNIESZKA PATALA (University of Wroclaw) / The church of the Wroclaw Dominican Nuns in medieval times – decoration, furnishings and its functions
The aim of this article is to reconstruct and discuss the medieval decoration and furnishings of the Dominican Nuns’ Church in Wroclaw, which have survived in a residual state and are stored in dispersed form in the museum collections of Wroclaw, Warsaw and Torun. Particular attention was given to the fragments of the monumental wall painting decoration of the presbytery discovered in 1975, as well as relics of painting and sculpture, comprising: the wings of the polyptych with Marian scenes and representations of saints, and a painting of the Madonna in the Glory (National Museum in Wroclaw), a sculpture of St. Catherine attributed to the workshop of Jakob Beinhart (National Museum in Warsaw) and two wings with the Passion scenes (from the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw, on display at the District Museum in Torun).
The interpretation of the function and significance of the works in question, taking into account both the optics of
the nuns and the perspective of the visiting faithful, both of whom were spiritually guided by the Dominican friars,
was carried out not only in the context of the history of the Wroclaw convent, but also in relation to other nunneries. It is also a necessary measure given the fact that no trace of a library – which must have existed in the facilities in question – has yet been found.