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ID: POL-002229-P

Cemetery chapel in Mosciski

Historical outline
Information about the building is very scarce. It is known that the chapel was erected with contributions from parishioners at the end of the 19th century. Within its façade are two stone sculptures from the 18th century. However, it is unclear at what stage they were placed there and by whom.

Architecture
The building is one of modesty and simplicity. The attention is drawn to the subtle neo-Baroque detailing. The building is situated in the middle of the cemetery. The chapel's façade faces the main gate, while the altar section faces south. The body of the building is composed on a rectangular ground plan with a trilateral apse, slightly narrower than the nave. The simple interior has no clear articulation. The only decoration is a profiled cornice running around the walls. An umbrella vault with bold seams was used above the apse. A cradle vault was placed over the rest of the building. There is a circular window in the apse and a rectangular window in the side walls.

The façade is single-storey and single-axis. It is surmounted by a triangular pediment, framed by two pedestals for sculptures with rectangular panels. In front of the entrance is a platform accessible by steps on both sides. Above the door, an ornately dressed inscription 'MDCCCLXLIII'. The windows in the side walls are framed by frames composed of Tuscan pilasters supporting profiled arcades.

Noteworthy are the aforementioned statues, which are located at the top of the sides. They date from the 18th century and, as Marek Walczak writes, are 'good quality examples of sculpture' from their era. Furthermore, the art historian describes very interestingly: "They are characterised by a massive physique, a strong contrapposto, visible in spite of the voluminous robes, the violent twisting and moving of the figures and the gaze directed upwards, giving the figures an appearance of religious exaltation, bordering on exaltation. This impression is reinforced by the ascetic type of the face with sunken cheeks surrounded by luxuriant hair and beard. The folds of the voluminous robes are expressively shaped, creating sharp edges interspersed with deeply undercut recesses. Attention is drawn to the motif, repeated in both sculptures, of a loose belt of matter wrapping around the figure's hips and twisting around its own axis, as if influenced by the wind. These features make it possible to link the Moscow figures to the circle of Lviv rococo sculpture of the 3rd quarter of the 18th century. Their closest analogies are found in the figures of the Evangelists from Hussakov. In particular, the two representations of St. Luke are almost identical, although the Hussakov version, despite the damage, seems to represent a slightly higher artistic level".

Today the chapel is functioning in a good, restored condition.

Time of origin:
1893
Bibliography:
  • Marek Walczak, „Kaplica cmentarna w Mościskach”, w: „Materiały do dziejów sztuki sakralnej na ziemiach wschodnich dawnej Rzeczypospolitej”, cz. 1: „Kościoły i klasztory rzymskokatolickie dawnego województwa ruskiego”, Kraków: Międzynarodowe Centrum Kultury w Krakowie, 1999, ISBN 83-85739-66-1, t. 7, s. 243-244.
Publikacja:
10.10.2024
Ostatnia aktualizacja:
11.10.2024
Author:
Michał Dziadosz
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