The wooden altarpiece by Jan Szczepkowski is a great achievement of Polish art in the inter-war years. Presented in 1925 at the World Exhibition of Decorative Art in Paris, the work never returned to Warsaw; it was purchased by the French government.

Altarpiece by Jan Szczepkowski
. The Christmas Chapel - a wooden altarpiece made by Jan Szczepkowski (1878-1964) is an exceptionally beautiful example of Polish art of the inter-war period. Maintained in the geometric forms of the art déco style, the work made innovative references to highland folk art. In 1925, this altarpiece was presented in the Polish pavilion at the World Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris and won second place (the Grand Prix was awarded to Czechoslovakia). The work was purchased by the French government and the author was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honour.

In 1927, the altarpiece was donated, through the Mining Company, to the parish church of St Stanislaus in Dourges, built for the Polish colony. The town is located in the northern mining region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais in France.

Over the years, this beautiful woodcarving altarpiece, improperly stored, attacked by woodworms and restored several times against the rules of conservation art, gradually deteriorated. It was restored to its original splendour by Polish conservators under the direction of Andrzej Kazberuk of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. The conservation of the altarpiece, completed in 2009, was funded by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.