Sigismund I the Old

The circumstances of the creation of this medal presented in the form of a 19th-century cast are related to the visit of Sigismund I the Old in Gdańsk. It was then that the King met with Hans Schenck, a German sculptor and medallist, which was arranged by the Great Crown Chancellor Krzysztof Szydłowiecki. The chancellor met Schenck through his friend prince Albrecht Hohenzollern. In this way, the German artist, associated for most of his life with the Berlin seat of the Elector of Brandenburg, went down in the history of Polish medal-making. In 1526, he made a medal depicting the chancellor Krzysztof Szydłowiecki. Then, he created for King Sigismund I the Old, who was the first Polish ruler keenly interested in the art of medal-making. It resulted in many works depicting both the King and his closest family. It is possible that Hans Schenck lived in Poland for a short time (years 1526-1527).

The original of the presented medal was created in 1527. It results directly from the inscription on the rim. Its content presents Sigismund the Old as a great, steadfast, brave, pious and powerful ruler. All images are included on one side of the medal. The way the King is depicted is consistent with the convention of that time, while the artistic level is so high that for a long time the medal was considered to be a work of a much better known and appreciated Hans Schwarz, who was one of the most eminent medallists of the German Renaissance. The medal bears great resemblance to the afore-mentioned work by Hans Schenck, depicting the chancellor Krzysztof Szydłowiecki. In both cases, the figures are shown in profile, with a diadem on their head. The circumferential inscription on the medals is in two lines and is separated from the central field by a pearl-like border.

A kind of fashion for souvenirs from the past which appeared in the old Polish lands in the 19th century, resulting from nostalgia for the lost homeland, led to the fact that old medals began to be copied on a significant scale. The presented object belongs to this category of souvenirs. Unfortunately, apart from a general statement that it was made around the middle of the 19th century, it is not known where or by whom the presented copy was made.

Leszek Poniewozik