Gotyckie kaplice przykościelne na Dolnym Śląsku. Fundator – funkcja – forma

Ms Agata Rusnak-Kozłowska’s work is the result of her many years of research in this field, research conducted not only in the area of the artefacts themselves – chapels associated with a parish, monastery or cathedral church – but also, and this is particularly important, in a much broader area. For the work concerns not only the typical matter of the history of art and architecture – formal and stylistic transformations The author conducts her considerations competently and, importantly, against a broad, supra-local background (this is evident, for example, in the author’s analysis of architectural detail and the form of the vaults). What is particularly important for the genesis of the chapels, the work also deals with their historical conditions, as well as with the foundations forming the consciousness of the founders and users of the chapels at that time – theological foundations and users of chapels – theological, philosophical and social foundations. The author translates the results of her considerations of these conditions into a characterisation of the functions of chapels in churches – sacred functions and functions related to the manifestation of the secular meanings of these chapels, and this characterisation in turn attempts to relate these functions to specific architectural forms. As a result of these considerations, the broader picture of the phenomenon has allowed the author to appreciate the uniqueness of chapels – architectural assumptions that bring together the social image of the era and illustrate the aspirations of individuals, and entire groups of medieval society.

Fragment of the editorial review

dr hab. prof. UWr. Rafał Eysymontt