Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Vienna 1683


Jan III apotheosis by de Hooghe
Salvete omnes,
et voila! today we have a very important date for the Polish history aficionados and patriots, for it is September 12, and on this day His Royal Majesty winged hussars charged with their lances couched and won; hence today we celebrate the anniversary of the momentous charge and victorious battle that changed the course of the history.
if you are in Vienna, you could visit  the famous Belvedere where they have magnificent exhibit devoted to His Royal Majesty & our 'Sarmatian' king Jan III at and circa Vienna 1683 (open until All Saints Day or November 1, 2017).

His Royal Majesty, King of Crown of the Kingdom of Poland Jan III according to van der Muelen
This painting of the battle attached below, from the Museum Narodowe in Warsaw,  is most unusual for the high quality painterly quality and panoramic dimensions (55cm X 360cm) - I am afraid I do not have a better resolution image than the one provided by the museum. The researchers see the reality of the king's appearance as perhaps too idealized,  king Jan perhaps being too thin and too robust. 
unknown painter, National Gallery, Warsaw
Also I would like to bring to your attention this painting by Adam Frans van der Meulen who was the popular Louis XIV court painter.I have never seen it in this resolution.

Meulen pinxit, National Gallery, Warsaw
Some details of the wounded horse with a 'jarczak'(Tatar-style saddle) and fallen soldiers, one of them appears to have a maile-coat like the Polish pancerny cavalrymen:

Below interesting Italian print circa the battle time period - Giovanni Giacomo de Rossi etc.

you can also enjoy studying the plan of the Ottoman Turkish camp during the siege of Vienna, a period print. And the battle plan.
Vivat Jan III, vivat husaria, vivat allies, also especially the duke of Lorraine, and ... Pacem aeternam to the Fallen.
Map of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during King Jan's reign

enjoy
ps
and if you read Polish then do read Radoslaw Sikora's opus magnum about the Crown companies of winged hussars during this battle- Husaria pod Wiedniem 1683 [review].

1 comment:

Dario T. W. said...

https://www.magnapolonia.org/zniszczono-pomnik-odsieczy-wiedenskiej-na-kahlenbergu/

http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/09/12/alt-left-extremists-vandalize-monument-polish-king-saved-vienna/