„Osobliwsza ozdoba konwentu”

Uwagi na temat działalności przeora krakowskich dominikanów Justa Słowikowskiego (1643–1689)

Abstract

“THE MOST WONDERFUL ADORNMENT OF THE CONVENT”: REMARKS ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE PRIOR OF THE KRAKOW DOMINICANS JUST SŁOWIKOWSKI (1643‒1689)

In the 17th century, the Krakow Dominican monastery of the Holy Trinity was experiencing a period of development, with numerous construction works under way and artistic undertakings initiated under the patronage of the convent’s Prior. This article presents an outline of the biography and analyses the activities of the Prior of the Krakow Dominicans, Just Słowikowski (1643‒1689). A native of a Krakow bourgeois family, Słowikowski held the office of Prior of the Krakow Dominican monastery for two terms, in 1681–1684 and 1687–1689. The study reconstructs the course of his monastic career, paying particular attention to the young friar’s studies abroad, as well as his stay in Rome and his activity in the Polish Dominican province as Prior of Elbląg and socius (assistant) of successive provincial superiors, and finally as Prior in Gdańsk. The work outlines Słowikowski’s activity as Prior of the Krakow convent; it also describes the architectural and artistic projects he championed. Particular attention is given to the construction of the new main altar of the Holy Trinity Church in Krakow in 1684; other artistic initiatives and foundations of the prior are also outlined, as well as his collaboration with benefactors on the work carried out under his patronage at the Dominican church in Krakow.