The studies carried out since 1977 have covered 46 complexes of paintings, 11 out of which go for Cracow and the remaining ones are distributed in 11 voivodships. Until now thorough examinations of wall-painting have not been made on such a big scale, ant] considering a big number of post-war conservation discoveries they put Gothic wall-painting in Little Poland into a new light. At the same time this makes possible a synthetic analysis of the development of this artistic branch in the discussed region and is the subject of detailed considerations contained in the present article. Besides, it allows us to formulate a few general statements on formal and stylistic problems, theme and decorative programmes, problems of the authorship and finally the authenticity of art monuments. 1. The material compiled confirms observed already earlier affinities with Czech art, lasting in the 14th century and continuing till the end of the thirties of the 15th century, i.e. till the cirsis of art in Czechs brought about Hussite wars. That was also the period of Italian influence, the example of which are paintings at Niepołomice. Starting from the forties of the 15th century one can see a parallelism in the development of wall- and easel-painting as well as in the presence of elements of south-German and Austrian arts with a simultaneous intensification of local features associated with the development of local artistic circles. It was also possible to notice at that time a growing influence of graphic arts. Of interest was also a persisting, as if on the margin of transformations, permanent linear-graphic trend in a simplified form and a pronounced, although illusive, archaisation. 2. In the 14th and 15th centuries there could be found multiquartered zonic cycles as well as single painted compositions — „the pictures” , quite often dependent in their form on the articulation of architecture. One should also pay attention to a frequently found motif of drapery, developing as a result of the use of elements of illusionistic architecture. 3. In the 14th and 15th centuries there appeared cycles with a number of themes. In the 15th century their narrativeness increased. Most of the cycles were based on Passion and Holy Virgin themes, but there existed also numerous hagiographie and symbolic threads. Besides, the studies revealed the fact that paintings in Little Poland abounded in rare iconographie representations (like Scala Peceatorum or Misericordia Domini surrounded by prophètes from Arma Passionis in the Cracow Augustinians), or compositions brought to life by the pression of concrete religious and historic situations, such as a programme illustrating the idea of the fall and the redemption of man (at Koprzywnica) or the Apotheosis of Pope Urban V (at Czechów). 4. The studies have resulted in modest contributions to the determination of links between painted decorations and definite artists. Also, only few art monuments can be related to one another on the basis of formal features. However, this speaks for the fact that there were many painters, the majority of whom remain unfortunately anonymous. The examinations on the diversity of foundation initiatives have given better results. 5. The paintings uncovered in the early 20th century and before 1939 have survived to the present day after numerous preservation operations. According to the doctrine of that time they were usually far-going interventions which partially changed both iconography and, to a greater extent, formal features. Thus, of still greater value arc discoveries offering us the possibility to study original layers prior to preservation practice which, with present methods, can and should secure the maximum authenticity. The mist recent works usually meet that postulate. It should however be stated with regret that in some cases the interventions went too far and as a result of this there took place small interpretative errors.
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