The Włocławek Chalice

The chalice was likely made in Germany. It probably served as a communion chalice. It is crafted from silver and has a bulbous shape. It features four raised medallions. They are arranged regularly around the vessel. The medallions and the rest of the bowl’s surface are covered with intricate patterns, created using several techniques.

These patterns depict eight scenes. They tell the story of the Old Testament Israelite warrior, Gideon. They depict foot soldiers in medieval armor, armed with spears, shields, and swords. One of the scenes is the famous battle between Gideon’s soldiers and the Midianites. The Israelites blow trumpets to frighten their enemies. Between the images of the warriors, there are also engraved leaves and geometric decorations in the form of stripes.

The techniques used include gilding, engraving, punching, and niello decoration. Engraving involves carving patterns. Punching is a method of decorating metal objects. It involves stamping a pattern consisting of dots or other shapes using a steel tool, known as a punch. Niello decoration involves filling the engraved patterns with a colored paste, in this case black. The surface of the bowl is covered with gilding, which is worn in some places. These areas are silver in color. The upper rim of the vessel is cracked in several places. These damages were repaired with small metal plates attached with rivets from the inside.

Context of the work: The Włocławek Bowl is the most valuable and one of the oldest examples of artistic craftsmanship in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków. On May 3, 1909, farmers Marcin Marciniak and Jan Sapiński found it while plowing a field. This occurred near Włocławek, close to the road to Brześć Kujawski. The cup was donated by the finders to the Reformed priests of Włocławek. In 1910, it was deposited with and subsequently purchased by the National Museum in Kraków.

We invite you to read the entry about this object in the digital catalog of the National Museum in Kraków. Author of the entry: Alicja Kilijańska.