Equestrian-themed Jewels from Polish-Saxon Court of Augustus II the Strong

 Salvete Omnes,

Dresden's Saxon Royal Castle contains some of the most outstanding royal jewels in the world - 

the famous and fabulous green diamond of king Augustus III

among there are some beautiful examples of jewelry made for our kings Augustus II the Strong and his son Augustus III (of the Wettin Hourse). 

Augustus II had a goldsmith Johann Melchior Dinglinger working for him, and master Johann created many magnificent object of his art. These objects can be seen at  the Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault) inside the castle.

One of the is this cup with a horse - outfitted in the Polish style of the period, with the sabre suspended under the saddle's skirt. 

Agate, enamel, gilded silver, gold, precious and semiprecious stones were used by maestro Dinglinger to make this magnificent cup, one of two (circa 1722).

There is also these 2 figurines of  Nubian/Ethiopian drummer and trumpeter on horseback -

and many more beautiful objects - like this composition

or this egreta alias szkofia (aigrette)

Valete

Stockholm Roll / Rolka Polska - scans from Warsaw Royal Castle collection

Salvete Omnes,

king astride a chestnut horse

I am happy to provide this newest event in the saga* of the Rolka Polska or Stockholm Roll frieze-like painting on paper -  a gouache work of art circa 1605 AD, that was painted in the aftermath of the nuptials of our king Zygmunt III with the imperial princes Konstanza (Konstancja/Constance - known for the privilegium de non tolerandis Judaeis in her estates ) of Austria, and their triumphal entry into the Old Capital, i.e. Krakow.
We see a display of horsemanship, bejeweled arms and armor, and horse tack, painted horses, variety of horse tack (Italian perhaps and Polish and Eastern i.e., Ottoman and Crimean and Transylvanian ), variety of splendid costumes - Polish, Spanish and Italian and Eastern (Ottoman, Muscovy, Persian etc) . 

future queen of Polish Crown - princess Konstanza of Austria, her mother Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria, her sister Maria Christina, and princess Anna Vasa of Sweden.

Polish infantry - drummer with a white eagle drum 

king's ecuyer on a bay horse

                                                                           and the future king Wladyslaw IV - 10 years old at that time 

young prince on a gray horse 

Link to the Royal Castle Museum portal in English / here Polish .

But Wiki Commons has some great scans from Swedish Royal Armory - here's the link. 

enjoy

Valete

*Rolka was painted for the king and his wife and their family and court, and in 1655 (during the Deluge) the special Swedish art commando while robbing valuables and even marble architectural  elements from the Royal Castle took the Roll to Sweden, and it was stored at the Livrustkammern, Sweden having violated the return of cultural treasures' condition  specified in the treaty of Oliwa 1660. In 1960s some Polish & Swedish historians started collaborating on a book publication about the Polonica (Polish and Poland related  objects taken from Poland during the Polish-Swedish wars) in the Swedish collections and the Roll was included. In 1969 Sweden allowed for the Roll to travel to Poland for the exhibition, and in 1974 Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, while visiting Poland, returned officially the Roll to Poland, directly to the collection of then newly restored from the World War II German barbarity our Royal Castle at Warsaw. 

Andrzej Pitynski - cavalier of the Order of the White Eagle

Salvete omnes,
Today is yet another celebration of Polonia Restiuta- celebration of 1918 rebirth of Poland  -  vivat Respublica Poloniae.
I believe that  one of the most important architects of this rebirth was Wincenty Witos (my grandpa was named after this peasant leader) - a giant of the Polish pre-1939 politics and one of the most famous and important Polish peasants ever. With the leaders like Ignacy Paderewski, Jozef Pilsudski, Jozef Haller, Roman Dmowski, Wincenty Witos, Ignacy Daszynski, Wojciech Korfanty, Jozef Rymer et al and hundreds of thousands or rather millions of Polish women and men they made this possible.
But it was a Polish peasant-farmer who made up the army and won the Independence in those great years of 1918-20.

 ... many winters ago I flew over the Atlantic and discovered to my utter amazement that I had next to me one of the most extraordinary artists and Polish-American patriots - pan Andrzej Pityński.
So I spent some 7 hours listening to a lecture on art, sculpting, history, politics of art making and selling, and horses and horseback riding.
Thus far it was for me the most memorable flight I have had over the Atlantic.

 For me his most important work in the US and perhaps in the world is this monument in Jersey City - Katyn Forest Massacre

While living in NYC I saw pan Andrzej a few times at various Polonia functions, called and talked to him on the phone but we had never met for a little chat  in person again.
Today, on November 11, Polish Republic recognized pan Andrzej Pitynski merits, importance and achievements   and this this morning in Warsaw the President of Respublica Poloniae pan Andrzej Duda awarded pan Pitynski the Order of the White Eagle.
Congrats, panie Andrzeju!
 Few works by pan Pitynski:

Partisans - I myself saw them in the summer of 2005 before the were moved from Boston Commons

a little article about the new permanent place for the Partisans

Polish war of Independence - 1918-20 celebrated in this monument to the general Jozef Haller's Blue Army in Warsaw - which is really the monument to the Polish-Americans sacrifice in the cause of Poland's independence 

Too bad nobody commissioned pan Pitynski to create a monument to the Polish winged hussars - he loves and understands and knows the subject.
Another Katyn Massacre monument - in Baltimore

Pan Andrzej is the author of the Monument to the Book - in Lesko, unveiled in 2008.  A photo with some text here [in Polish] .
And countless other monuments and sculptures, in stone  and metals, and also he is a noted sculptor of medals and other forms of sculptural expression.
                                                          ***

all the best wishes to my fellow Poles from all over the world (we are some 70 million strong and counting) on our Independence Day. Also hail to our brothers and sisters from Belorus...
Some of Polish more famous military songs - the first one was sung during the Battle of Grunwald, 1410
Bogurodzica -
Duma Czlowieka Rycerskiego
 Idzie Żołnierz
 Pieśń konfederatów
Mazurek Dabrowskiego
Warszawianka
 Bywaj Dziewczę Zdrowe
W Krwawym Polu
Jeszcze Jeden Mazur Dzisiaj
Hej Strzelcy Wraz
Marsz Zuawow
 Przybyli ułani pod okienko
My, Pierwsza Brygada
O moj rozmarynie - my favorite
Hej Hej Ulani, malowane dzieci
Wojenko Wojenko
 Rozszumialy sie wierzby placzace
Ta szara piechota, Maszeruja strzelcy, maszeruja
Rozkwitaja paki bialych roz
Serce w plecaku 
Hej Chlopcy, bagnet na bron
Dziś do ciebie przyjść nie mogę
Czerwone Maki na Monte Cassino - unusual performance by Alexandrov Choir - Pacem Aeternam to all you soldiers-artists

Marsz, Marsz Polonia - wiki

Lwow/Lviv - monument to the American pilots of Pulaski Squadron who died for Polish independence, part of the Defenders of Lwow Monument within the Lyczakowski Cemetery

                                                         *
... do not forget - today is also the Veterans Day in the USA - hail to all veterans
ps
 there is a book on Andrzej Pitynski's art - from Bosz -  Andrzej Pityński. Rzeźba (introduction by  Ireny Grzesiuk-Olszewskiej & Andrzeja K. Olszewskiego)