Vase with the Apotheosis of King John III Sobieski

Description

While the vase features a form frequently encountered in museum collections, its decoration is unique: one side of the belly depicts a large figure of King John III Sobieski on a rearing horse, with Fama soaring above him, blowing a trumpet and holding a shield with the Sobieski family’s Janina coat of arms. In the background, a battle is visible alongside the characteristic tower of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. This depiction refers to the equestrian portrait of John III at Vienna, attributed to Jerzy Eleuter Siemiginowski and popularized through an engraving by Charles de la Haye. On the reverse side of the belly, a group of Ottoman prisoners is depicted against a vast landscape.

Nieborów maiolica was often decorated with portraits of Polish kings; King John III Sobieski was among the most frequently depicted, a fact tied to the anniversary of the Victory of Vienna.