Opis
The altar at St Mary’s, carved from 1477 to 89, is one of the most eminent works of fifteenth- century art which has weathered wars and fires, escaped the attempts at appropriation undertaken by the Nazis and the Stalinists, and avoided replacement with a new altar or radical transformation under the guise of particularly misconstrued restoration ideas. Today, it continues to fulfil its original purpose, proclaiming the glory of God and the services of Christ and Mary for the redemption of humankind and the world. A testament to the genius of the German sculptor Wit Stwosz from Nuremberg, it is also a cherished relic of the golden age of the Kingdom of Poland and Kraków, its royal capital city. The story of Wit Stwosz’s altarpiece, written by the seasoned art historian Professor Paweł Pencakowski, is now in the hands of readers. It is accompanied by archival materials and photographs by Paweł Gąsior. During the recent restoration, they had the opportunity to view Stwosz’s masterpiece from the scaffolding level, touch the mystery and commune with the beauty of the sculpture ‘face to face’.
