Since the 16th century, the Church of St Stanislaus in Rome has been an outpost of the Polish community coming to or living in the Eternal City. The founders of the Roman Catholic personal parish were Polish kings, magnates and the bishops of Krakow. Today, the church and the adjacent hospice are the central place of Polish pastoral ministry in Rome. The church features works by both Italian artists and Polish artists, including Szymon Czechowicz and Tadeusz Kuntze.

Works completed in 2023

In 2023, the Polonica Institute is continuing conservation work on the furnishings of the Church of St Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr. Work begins on two more paintings - the 'Crucifixion' presumably by Szymon Czechowicz and the 'Mystical Communion of St Stanislaus Kostka' of unknown authorship. In the case of the Crucifixion painting, it is possible that this is the earliest painting by Szymon Czechowicz. For it is to him that the archive reference of 16 March 1715 refers, mentioning the payment of 6 skuds for the 'quadro del Sanncttissimo Crocifisso fatto la sacrescia'.

The conservation and restoration work, which includes the full cleaning of the paintings, removal of repaints, and stabilisation of the canvas on the loom, will continue until the end of November this year.

The contractor for the conservation work is Ms Susanna Sarmati (Susanna Sarmati - Conservazione e Restauro).

Work to be completed in 2022

In 2022, the Polonica Institute undertook the conservation of two more altar paintings in the shrine. The first is the 'Miracle of St Casimir near Polotsk' located in the altar of St Casimir on the right side. According to the latest research, the work is a foundation of the last Polish queen, wife of August III, Maria Kazimiera Habsburg, and is the work of her court painter František Karol Palko. The painting was created before 1757, the year it also arrived in Rome from Dresden. It commemorates St Casimir Jagiellon (1458-1484), patron saint of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, who is said to have miraculously appeared to the troops of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1518, helping them to safely cross the surging waves of the Dvina and defeat the Moscow army at Polotsk.

The second painting to be restored is 'St John Cantius' by Italian painter Sebastiano Monosilio. The painting was created in 1753-55 with the foundation of the professors of the Krakow Academy.

The conservation work is a continuation of activities undertaken in 2019 in collaboration with the National Museum in Krakow. The work was related to the conservation of altar paintings from St Stanislaus Church in Rome.

Work carried out between 2022 and 2023 as part of the Polonica Institute's strategic programme "Protection of Polish cultural heritage abroad"