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John III Sobieski Monument (Warsaw)

Coordinates: 52°13′02.61″N 21°02′07.48″E / 52.2173917°N 21.0354111°E / 52.2173917; 21.0354111
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John III Sobieski Monument
The sculpture in 2013.
Map
52°13′02.61″N 21°02′07.48″E / 52.2173917°N 21.0354111°E / 52.2173917; 21.0354111
LocationAgrykola Street, Royal Baths Park, Downtown, Warsaw, Poland
Designer
TypeEquestrian statue
MaterialSandstone
Height4 m
Beginning date1787
Completion date14 September 1788
Dedicated toJohn III Sobieski

John III Sobieski Monument (Polish: Pomnik Jana III Sobieskiego) is a sculpture in Warsaw, Poland, within the neighbourhood of Ujazdów in the Downtown district, in the Royal Baths Park. It is a sandstone equestrian statue of John III Sobieski, monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1674 to 1696, commemorating his victory in the battle of Vienna in 1683, against the Ottoman Empire. It was designed by André-Jean Lebrun and sculptured by Franciszek Pinck, and unveiled on 14 September 1788. It is placed on the Sobieski Bridge at Agrykola Street.

History

[edit]
A 1869 painting by January Suchodolski, depicting the unveiling of the monument.

The monument was commitioned in September 1788 by Stanisław August Poniatowski, monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, to commemorate John III Sobieski, ruler of the country from 1674 to 1696, and his victory in the battle of Vienna in 1683, against the Ottoman Empire. Poniatowski hoped that it would help ignite anti-Ottoman sentiment among the population, admits Russo-Turkish War, as he planned to support the Russian Empire. However it did not had desired influence on public opinion.[1]

The sculpture was designed by André-Jean Lebrun, and sculptured by Franciszek Pinck.[2] It was inspired by a similar statue of John III Sobieski in Wilanów Palace in Warsaw, dating to around 1663. It was carved from a large block of Szydłowiec sandstone.[3][4] The monument was unvailed on 14 September 1788, in the 105th anniversary of the battle of Vienna, in a ceremony attended by around 30 thousand people.[5][6] It was placed on in the Royal Baths, on the Sobieski Bridge, a stone crossing over Baths Pond, dating to 1779. It was renovated for the ceremony, with design by Domenico Merlini, which included expansion with two bridge spans, and a section with an arcade.[6][3]

On the first day of the November Uprising, at night from 29 to 30 November 1830, the monument became a gathering location for insurgents, before their attack on the Royal Arsenal.[7]

The monument has survived the Second World War, and underwent thorough renovations on 1947.[8] In 1999, it was partially demaged by a vandal, who broke off a hand a statue of an Ottoman soldier, and destroyed the texts on the shields. It was fixed following the events. It was again renovated in 2001, after the head of John III Sobieski was broken off and fell into the water canal during a storm. In 2022, a part of king's left foot broke off.[9]

Characteristics

[edit]
The equestrian statue of John III Sobieski.

The sculpture is made from Szydłowiec sandstone, and consists of three parts. In the centre is a statue of king John III Sobieski, riding on a horse. He is wearing a knight armour and a helemt with plume, and holds a mace in his left hand. The horse is standing on its back feet, about to tramble lying underneath it two cowering Ottoman soldiers. The statue is around 4-metre-tall. To its right and left are two shields, placed on piles of Ottoman armour, weaponry, cloths, and equipment. They feature inscriptions in Polish on the right, and Latin on the left.[3][6]

Polish inscription Latin inscription English translation
Janowi III
K.P.W.X.L [Królowi Polskiemu i Wielkiemu Xięciu Litewskiemu]
Oyczyzny y sojuszników obrońcy, któregośmy postradali r. 1696
S.A.K [Stanisław August Król]
R. 1788 		Iohanni III
R.P.M.D.L. [Rex Poloniae Magnus Dux Lithuaniae]
Patrie socioriimove defensori
AMDCLXXXXVI
Nobis erepto
S.A.R.
AMDCCLXXXVIII 		To John III
King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania
Defender of the Motherland and its allies
Whom we lost in 1696
King Stanisław August, 1788

The monument is located in the Royal Baths Park. It is placed in the middle of the Sobieski Bridge, a stone crossing over Baths Pond, which is part of Agrykola Street. It is located on the axis of the Palace on the Isle.[3][6]

[edit]
  • A 1888 painting by Cyprian Dylczyński depicting the sculpture.
    A 1888 painting by Cyprian Dylczyński depicting the sculpture.
  • The left shield.
    The left shield.
  • The right shield.
    The right shield.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Jerzy Michalski: "Stanisław August Poniatowski", Polski Słownik Biograficzny, vol. 41, part 4, p. 623. Warsaw–Kraków, 2002. (in Polish)
  2. ^ Wojciech Fijałkowski: Szlakiem warszawskich rezydencji i siedzib królewskich. Warsaw Wydawnictwa PTTK Kraj, 1990, p. 45. ISBN 83-7005-191-X. (in Polish)
  3. ^ a b c d Irena Grzesiuk-Olszewska: Warszawska rzeźba pomnikowa. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Neriton, 2003, p. 37. ISBN 83-88973-59-2. (in Polish)
  4. ^ "Pomnik Jana III". lazienki-krolewskie.pl (in Polish).
  5. ^ Ilustrowany przewodnik po Warszawie wraz z treściwym opisem okolic miasta (wydanie I na podstawie wydania z 1893 roku). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Ciekawe Miejsca.net, 2012, p. 210. ISBN 978-83-928349-8-4. (in Polish)
  6. ^ a b c d Robert Marcinkowski: Ilustrowany Atlas Dawnej Warszawy. Warsaw: Pangea, 2003, p. 109–110. ISBN 83-919948-0-5. (in Polish)
  7. ^ Barbara Petrozolin-Skowrońska (editor): Encyklopedia Warszawy. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 1994, p. 663. ISBN 83-01-08836-2. (in Polish)
  8. ^ Jan Górski: Drugie narodziny miasta. Warszawa 1945. Warsaw: Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, 1976, p. 200. (in Polish)
  9. ^ Tomasz Urzykowski (24 March 2022). "Król stracił piętę. Odpadają fragmenty pomnika Jana III Sobieskiego na Agrykoli". warszawa.wyborcza.pl (in Polish).
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