The Moscow Kremlin, originally a defensive fortress founded on a hill on the banks of the Moskva River by Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy in 1147, was expanded in the early 16th century and came to encompass the seat of the rulers of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, barracks for the hired army, a large armoury, and several magnificent churches, covering a total area of 28 hectares, encircled by walls with numerous gates and towers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Currently, it is formally primarily the seat of the President of the Russian Federation and partly the government, but in reality, most of the buildings are used by an institution called: THE MUSEUMS OF THE MOSCOW KREMLIN. Among the museums specialising in various themes, the most popular is the ARMOURY CHAMBER (in Russian: Oru\u017eejnaja Pal\u00e1ta), which no longer serves its former function as an arsenal and weapons manufactory, but rather as a complex of rooms for exhibiting treasures accumulated over centuries as gifts for the Grand Princes and later the Tsars of Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Kremlin Armoury, there is no separate department for amber, even though it houses one of the world's largest collections of medieval and modern artefacts. It includes over 100 magnificent, well-preserved amber pieces or objects made of precious metals decorated with amber stones, and constitutes the most important part of the so-called \u201enaturalia department,\u201d meaning items created from organic substances, including pearls, shells, corals, bone, tortoiseshell, ostrich eggs, coconut shells, and precious woods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The majority of the amber artefacts in the Kremlin collection consist of gifts from the Polish Crown and envoys of Polish kings, collected almost entirely between 1640 and 1680. These are the products of renowned Gda\u0144sk and K\u00f6nigsberg workshops, commissioned by specialists from the royal court with a concern for both the splendour of the objects and their sophisticated artistic form. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Moscow collection includes works considerably earlier than of the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg<\/a> i Tsarskoye Selo<\/a>, because the new capital on the Neva began to be built in 1703. Similarly, as far as the time of creation of works is concerned, it precedes large Western European collections, such as Museum of the History of Art in Vienna<\/a> Museum of Decorative Arts in Berlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the high-class collection in Moscow, the decisive factor was the impressive set of gifts sent by King W\u0142adys\u0142aw IV Vasa in 1645, when Moscow and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were allied and planning a joint war against Turkey. The royal delegation, led by J\u00f3zef Gabriel St\u0119pkowski, brought to Moscow at that time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The amber scene of the crucifixion, a gift from W\u0142adys\u0142aw IV, was not the only Polish sacred gift (delegations from other countries did not bring sacred objects). For example, in 1667, King John II Casimir's envoy, Cyprian Pawe\u0142 Brzostowski, brought a silver pectoral with a bas-relief in the centre depicting Christ on the cross, the Virgin Mary, and St. John.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typologically, the previous two objects are similar to a statuette with a distinct crucifixion scene arranged on an amber mandorla (lancet-shaped plaque). It depicts Christ and the two thieves on crosses, as well as Mary and St. John at Christ's feet. The Russian inventory emphasised that Christ's feet were nailed with a single nail, in accordance with Catholic tradition and contrary to the Orthodox version where the legs are parallel and nailed separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diplomatic contacts between Warsaw and Moscow were very lively during the period in question, and the custom of gifting very valuable and original objects on these occasions resulted in an abundance and variety of amber objects in this role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Out of necessity, the names of the MPs bringing Polish gifts to the tsar's court must be omitted, but it is worth mentioning at least the types of items. These included: chess sets, tankards, goblets, scriptoria, platters, caskets, cabinets, thuribles, and most commonly, candlesticks. Some of these are shown in the illustrative material and described in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the many examples of Polish sacred gifts. Gda\u0144sk craftsmanship. The pedestal is borrowed from casket construction techniques. The depiction of the Golgotha scene on the front is rich in content and effective in its means of expression \u2013 the illusion of depth achieved in low relief. The reverse features two scenes: the Resurrection and the Adoration of the Magi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A slender, multi-element amber composition with ivory inlays: openwork under a halo and scenes of the Passion from the Way of the Cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rich form of the stem and foot using classical ornamental forms, for example acanthus leaves. Similar to the previous candelabra from Gda\u0144sk, they were made and donated in pairs (2 pieces).<\/p>\n\n\n\n A K\u00f6nigsberg goblet from the mid-17th century. Donated by J\u00f3zef Gabriel St\u0119pkowski, envoy of King W\u0142adys\u0142aw IV in 1645, to Tsar Michael I Fyodorovich. The body of the goblet, made up of three zones of different coloured amber, is decorated with low relief in the form of cartouches and ornaments. Characteristic of K\u00f6nigsberg masters is the handle in the shape of a stylised lion. The amber elements are joined by a gilded silver structure, cast and repouss\u00e9, maintaining the ornamentation common to the entire piece. This is a rare example of the Polish royal court using the services of K\u00f6nigsberg masters, rather than those from Gda\u0144sk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the same gift as the tankard. Finely carved intaglio fittings \u2013 the goblet's elements are precisely fitted and surrounded by silver mountings. This meant there was no need to double the layer of amber as in the walls of caskets made without a wooden frame. The elegant base and stem indicate the good taste of the patron and craftsman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Polish, German, and other Western gifts are typologically similar to other well-known museum collections, Russian artefacts in the Armoury are its surprising peculiarity. Therefore, I treat some of them with particular care:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Panagia is an emblem worn by Orthodox bishops on their chests. It originates from a Russian workshop from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. It is a very rare example of an Orthodox sacred object from this period, with a dominant proportion of amber. The centre of the octagonal composition is occupied by an oval amber cameo depicting the Saviour, \u201eNot Made by Hand\u201d \u2013 meaning \"not made by hand\" \u2013 carved with true virtuosity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This performance is linked to the legend found in The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 325 AD)<\/em> as if Christ created this image of himself to save the mortally ill Abgar, King of Edessa, by pressing a cloth to his face. Hence, the image only includes the face and hands. The setting (gilt silver, almandines, pearls) also testifies to the artist's excellent craftsmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Kremlin's panagia was made in the monastery on the Solovetsky Islands, which was an important centre of artistic creation in modern times. It is the only example of such magnificent use of amber in a remote location, which today is a symbol of Stalinist repressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This object was made at the end of the 16th century, more or less on the site of today's exhibition. At that time, the Kremlin Armoury was not only the arsenal and treasury of the Tsars, but also a complex of armourers' and artistic workshops, including goldsmiths'. Amber works occurred in this environment only exceptionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Panagia has an exceptionally rich iconographic programme, though realised in the relatively modest technique of engraving: in the centre is depicted the Mother of God (Hodegetria), and to her right is the guardian angel and St. Nicholas; on the left side is the Old Testament angel of the desert and beneath him an unidentified saint. The graphic representations are explained by Old Church Slavonic inscriptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Originally, a pearl wreath, now replaced with glass pebbles, was arranged around an amber composition of a transparent, reddish variety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the end of the 17th century, probably Muscovite workmanship. A cross carved in amber is set in gilded silver and encrusted with rubies and emeralds. Beside the cross are the instruments of the Passion, and beneath it the head of Adam.\u00a0On the front and reverse are numerous inscriptions in the form of raised letters on a recessed amber background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A broader description of the amber artwork collection from the Kremlin Armoury can be found by the Reader in the Russian-English catalogue of an exhibition of part of this collection, presented in May 2008 at the Amber Museum in Kaliningrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Curator of the \u201eNatural Curiosities\u201d Department and author of the catalogue, Irena Zagorodniaja, presents an impressive collection from the Moscow Kremlin with expertise and on a solid documentary basis \u2013 because, unlike most European collections, the Moscow resources were not relocated and were officially documented by the tsarist chancellery from the very beginning. For a Polish amber craftsman and amber enthusiast, this collection has particular significance due to its historical connotations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Author of the text: Wies\u0142aw Gier\u0142owski<\/em>. The Kremlin Armoury houses one of the largest collections of medieval and modern wares in the world. It includes more than 100 magnificent works of pure amber or precious metal decorated with amber stones, which are still preserved today, and forms the most important part of the so-called \u201enaturalia department\u201d. <\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":27939,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"slim_seo":{"title":"Dzie\u0142a bursztynowe w Kremlowskiej Zbrojowni - Amber Portal","description":"The Kremlin Armoury houses one of the world's largest collections of medieval and modern artefacts. 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Crucifixion in a mandorla \u2013 height 20.5 cm<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Gda\u0144sk candlestick \u2013 height 21 cm<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Baroque candlestick from K\u00f6nigsberg \u2013 height 26 cm<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tankard \u2013 height 26 cm<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bowl \u2013 height 15 cm, bowl diameter 18.3 cm<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Russian products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Panagia \u201eSolovetsky\u201d 7 x 4.5 cm with amber cameo<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The \u201eMoscow\u201d icon - diameter 7.8 cm<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pectoral \u2013 5.7 x 7.8 cm<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Completion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Photography: Wies\u0142aw Gier\u0142owski<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"