Alba Regia. Annales Musei Stephani Regis. – Alba Regia. Az István Király Múzeum Évkönyve. 22. 1982-1983 – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: C sorozat (1985)
Die Anjovinen in Mitteleuropa - Śnieżińska-Stolot, E.: Artistic patronage of the Hungarian Angevins in Poland. p. 21–28. t. I–V.
tation of Agnus Dei. Some inscriptions on the bands enumerate the virtues that a bishop should possess, whereas others refer to the donor (Hedwigis Lodovici filia regis regina), together with escutcheons of the Hungarian Angevins and of Poland. So far this rational has been wrongly dated 1384—86, that is before the wedding with Jagiello, since it lacks the coat of arms of Lithuania (Kruszynski 1927; Sztuka w Krakowie 1964, 188). Yet, Hedwig used this shield very rarely and apart from a small seal of 1387 and the above-mentioned paintig with Crucifixion from the Cracow cathedral, other objects connected with her lack it. Embroidery with pearls was a technique widespread in the 14th and 15th c; it was also applied in the embroidery workshop founded by Elizabeth Lokietek in the Clares' convent in Old Buda (Sniezynska—Stolot 1979, 27). The inventory of the Prague cathedral of 1387 mentions three rationals set with pearls, which indicates that such donations were fashionable then (PODLACHA— MITTLER 1903, XXXVIII). Among other objects left by the queen was also a yellow tapestry embroidered with pearls, which signifies that this technique was also used at her court (GEBAROWICZ 1965, 32). Execution of the rational can be ascribed to the queen's court embroiders, already mentioned Clement and John, of whom the former decorated tapestries to be hung over the royal bed (Dobrowolski 1978, 227; Przezdziecki 1854, 52, Piekosinski 1869, 181). Both of them are mentioned in the years 1394—1395, and so the rational should be dated accordingly. The most interesting work of art related to Hedwig is the Psalter called "Florianski", with a trilingual text: Latin, Polish and German written by three copyists (Ganszyniec —Taszycki —Kubica 1939, 111; Sztuka w Krakowie, 92—94; Bankowski 1960, 250; GEBAROWICZ 1965, 155). The painted decoration of the Psalter is anything but homogeneous and, as proved by earlier investigators, it was executed in two steps (W. Podlacha 1939, 97; Miodoiiska 1960, 189; GEBAROWICZ 1965, 194; Karlowska —Kamzowa 1984, 29; Karlowska —Kamzowa 1981 b, 66). For our discussion of interest are leafs 1—60, decorated at the close of the 14th с So far nobody has paid attention to the fact that majority of the Psalter's miniatures are astrological representations, entangled in acanthus twigs covered with large, golden drops. (ROZANOW 1965, 75; GUTOWSKI 1973, 60.78). It contains the signs of Zodiac (Sagittarius, Leo, Aquarius, Virgo), personifications of constellations and paranatellonta (BOLL 1926; SAXL 1927; SEZNEC 1940; SAXY 1957; KLIBANSKI— PANOFSKY—SAXL 1964; Dieckhoff 1978, 80—85; Sniezynska —Stolot 1986). which in the Middle Ages were interpreted from the Christian point of view (Hübner 1983). Among miniatures a separate group constitute the letters mm, placed either on the mar- gin among vegetable tangles (3r), or held by an angel (53r, 59r), or acting as an interlinear insertion, as well as the coat of arms of the Hungarian Angevins surmounted with the crest of Ostrich, held by a flying angel or two armout-bearers (Polaczkówna 1939, 104; Bankowski 1960, 253). The painted decoration of the Psalter was introduced when the text had already been written by a copyist. It not only fills free places left for initials by the copyist, but has also been packed into the text itself. Its execution is slovenly and amateurish, and decorative and figurai elements differ considerably, as if the illuminator used various patterns. The most traditional are small initials adorned with open-work, related to the 13th с French illuminations, but applied similarly to interlinear insertions, also in Central Europe in the 14th с The motif of a flying angel holding the escutcheon appears, among others, on the majesty seal of Rudolf IV of Austria. Lush acanthus twigs and colouring (verdigris, cool blue and pink) relate the Psalter decoration to the Czech miniature painting, especially to the group of Vaclav IV's manuscripts, as indicated additionally by the way of arranging the plaiting and the letters mm, which correspond to the letters W and e: the monogram and sign of Vaclav IV and to the letter plaitings fashionable in Bohemia at that period (Miodonska 1960, 189;KRASA 1971). To Hedwig as the Psalter's founder point in equal measure both the coats of arms and letters mm, and astrological representations. We know that astrology was dealt with at Hedwig's court (Markowski 1972, 354; Markowski 1975. In Codex 805 in Jagiellonian Library (407—408) there exist two horoscopes of her child, Elizabeth Bonifacia : one composed on the dary of her conception (16 September 1398), the other after her birth (22 June 1399) Birkenmajer 1891, 265, 276.), According to the author of the first horoscope, who predicted the birth of a son the ascending sign (Ascendens) was Sagittarius. Among astrological representations in the Psalter the most frequent is the sign of Sagittarius and the convergence of both signs is not accidential. In the light of contents of astrological representations in Psalter can be given new interpretation of the letter mm. In astrological treatice of Teukros from Babylon letter M stands there for the last sign in the Zodiac circle i. e. for Pisces. Interwoven or individual letters are not an isolated phenomenon, but appear, besides astrological representations, also in other manuscripts. Vaclav IV used letter e, and Due Jean de Berry the intertwined letters E and V, which according Teukros mean sign of Leo and Aquarius. Occurrence of the letter sign mm indicates that works on the Psalter were begun after 1391. The miniatures from leafs 60 up are 15th с in character, thus the Psalter could not have been ready during Hedwig's life. The unfinished miniatures within the first 60 leafs lead us to the conclusion that the Psalter was in preparation in 1399, when the queen died. A mediocre artistic quality of miniatures would suggest that they were executed in Poland, and the illuminator may have followed old manuscripts that belonged to the queen. Probably she inherited them from her father Louis, who had owned several books from Robert the Wise's collection, which had been taken over during the Naples expedition (Sniezynska-Stolot 1982, 225). The suggestion that the illuminator belonged to the local, Cracow circle is also strengthened by the way in which Ostrich in the crest of the Hungarian Angevins' shields was painted: the general pattern having been preserved, it assumed the shape of an eagle. The Angevins' patronage in Poland was a continuation of their activity in the field of arts in Hungary, exemplified by foundations of both kings from this dynasty: Charles 25
