Published: 2025-12-29

The Painting Christ the King by Antoni Michalak from 1943–1946

Romana Rupiewicz
Artifex Novus
Section: Artykuły tematyczne
https://doi.org/10.21697/an.16224

Abstract

This article verifies the dating and iconographic programme of Antoni Michalak’s painting, Christ the King, located in the Church of the Holy Spirit and St. Anne in Kazimierz Dolny. Based on archival materials and photographs, it was established that the signature with the date ‘1943’ refers to the start of the work, and that the canvas was finished by mid-1946. It was also shown that Father Józef Małysiak SDS, the temple’s rector and provost of the St. Anne Foundation for the Elderly and Disabled, was the founder of the commission, and not Felicja and Walery Kołodziejczyk as previously attributed. The painting’s original function as an altar screen for the image of St. Anne with the Virgin and Child was emphasised, and its later exhibition history was reconstructed.

The iconographic analysis identified a programme combining the symbols of Christ the King (crown, sceptre, cloak), the Sacred Heart of Jesus (a burning heart surrounded by thorns and a cross), and Ecce Homo (a crown of thorns and a sceptre), creating an unusual half-figure composition. The origin of this programme was linked to the reception of the cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the spirituality of the founder.

In terms of form and style, conscious eclecticism is evident: the meticulous detail of the regalia and costume is reminiscent of 15th-century Dutch art; the geometrisation of the rays and halo is a stylistic reference to Art Deco; and the decorative modelling of the robes and chiaroscuro draw on many styles from past eras. A comparison with other works by the artist revealed close similarities with the painting Holy Trinity (Wrzelów, 1942) and the drawing Entombment (Kazimierz Dolny, 1943), enabling us to identify a common morphological pattern. The indirect influence of the painting Ecce Homo by Adam (Albert) Chmielowski was hypothesised.

Keywords:

Antoni Michalak, Father Józef Małysiak, Adam Chmielowski, Christ the King, Kazimierz Dolny

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Rupiewicz, R. (2025). The Painting Christ the King by Antoni Michalak from 1943–1946. Artifex Novus, (9), 132–147. https://doi.org/10.21697/an.16224

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