Two marble lions, located at the main entrance of Drottningholm Palace in Sweden, on the eastern side, are said to have been taken by Swedish troops from Frederiksborg Castle in Denmark (after "Drottningholmsparken - Promenadguide" by Lars Wesslau, p. 5, 36). These two lions were in place in 1726, however their origin is not clearly documented and their provenance from Frederiksborg is only a supposition.

These statues could instead be identified with the four marble lions described by Adam Jarzębski in his "Short Description of Warsaw" of 1643, as adorning the Ujazdów Castle in Warsaw:

In the spacious, bold courtyard,
Where we saw great
Columns, all lying on the ground.
And four main lions
Among them, natural,
Carved just like living ones,
And they are made of marble:
These are not cast items,
Fine through masterly craft.
Then we shall come to the stairs,
Not much of a walk to go up (2270-2280). 

In the 1630s, before his marriage to Cecilia Renata of Austria (1611-1644), King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648) commissioned several sculptures in Florence (the Grand Duke of Tuscany reigning at that time was a cousin of Ladislaus IV), possibly including lions for his palace at Ujazdów.

The papal nuncio Mario Filonardi (1594-1644) mentions such a shipment in a letter to Cardinal Barberini in 1637. He reports the arrival in Warsaw of numerous bronze statues and several marble bas-reliefs, made in Florence for 7,000 Dutch thalers. This shipment was transported by sea from Genoa to Gdańsk, and then via the Vistula River to Warsaw. The sculptures were moved to the Italian-style palace that the king had built (perhaps Villa Regia), and the architect Agostino Locci (ca. 1601-1660) installed them in the garden (Sono in questi giorni stati portati qua da Danzica sopra la Vistola quantità di statue di bronzo et alcune tavole di marmo con figurine che si lavorano in Fiorenze, compre da Sua Maestà per 7 mila talari da Olandesi, che da Genova ove le comprorno, per lungo tratto di mare le portono in Danzica, si ripongono hora nel palazzo che ha Sua Maestà fabricato all'Italiana in un di suoi giardini più vicin'a questa città, per esser poi disposte a suoi lochi dall'architetto Locci Romano, after "Agostino Locci ..." by Hanna Osiecka-Samsonowicz, p. 170).

It is known that Ladislaus IV also acquired sculptures in Prague and antique sculptures in Italy, possessing a rather impressive collection that was dispersed during the Deluge (after "Polska XVII wieku ..." by Janusz Tazbir, p. 325). Sculptures and architectural elements captured by the invaders were transported by barges across the Vistula to Prussia and Sweden. Several such barges, laden with heavy marbles that sank during transport, were discovered in the Vistula in the 20th and 21st centuries.

The material used, Italian marble, and a shape similar to that of the Medici lions or Florentine marzocco, reinforce the hypothesis that the Drottningholm lions originated in Ujazdów. Moreover, the four-part arrangement of lion shields with effaced coats of arms is more reminiscent of the Polish-Lithuanian coat of arms consisting of an eagle and a knight than of the more complex coats of arms of Christian IV of Denmark (1577-1648), who decorated Frederiksborg Castle in the Flemish-Dutch Mannerist style before 1620. The original coat of arms was probably erased after arrival in Sweden and the other two lions were likely lost or damaged during transport. 

​Hypothetical arrangement of the four marble lions in the courtyard of Ujazdów Castle in Warsaw around 1643. © Marcin Latka

Marble lion from Ujazdów Castle, Italy, 1630s, Drottningholm Palace. ​

​Marble lion from Ujazdów Castle, Italy, 1630s, Drottningholm Palace. ​

The second reception staircase, the Senators' Staircase, at Wawel Castle was built between 1599 and 1602 by Giovanni Trevano and Ambrogio Meazzi di Milano in the northwest corner of the castle. It was the first modern construction of its kind in Poland, facilitating movement between the floors of the residence and located within the castle itself. Unlike the Renaissance-style Deputies' Staircase, the marble steps are not steep, but are regularly interrupted on the intermediate floors by comfortable landings. The staircase's early Baroque portals, designed by Trevano, were crafted from Carpathian sandstone by Meazzi. The summary of royal expenses drawn up in the office of the Kraków governor Franciszek Rylski (d. 1603), for the years 1599 and 1600, preserved in the Central Archives of Historical Documents in Warsaw (I 299), records expenses of 2,991 florins, 15 groszy and 12 deniers "for the demolition of the old staircase and the construction of the new one, for Italians and various materials" and the wages of "Jan Trever (Giovanni Trevano), mason ad r[ation]em fl. 1300 datum fl. 1250" and "Ambrosio Meaczi (Ambrogio Meazzi) for inlaying the stairs and doors ad r[ation]em fl. 500 fl. 300".

The overdoors (supraporte) of the north wing of the castle, leading to the Senators' Staircase, were adorned with bronze cartouches mentioned in the castle inventories of 1655, 1692, 1709/10, 1739, and 1787 as "a brass coat of arms, gilded like fire, both of the Crown and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, surmounted by a brass crown". They were probably created by a foundryman from the circle of Trevano and Meazzi. However, one of the cartouches from Wawel Castle, also considered to have come from the Łobzów Palace, is considered to have probably been made in Gdańsk (Czartoryski Museum, gold, iron and bronze, 117.2 x 98.5 cm, inv. MNK XIII-1265).

The summary also mentions the payment of a considerable sum, namely 1160 florins and 9 groszy, as an additional payment "for the balance due to the Grand Painter and Mason", as well as a payment to the Kraków painter Kasper Kurcz, who received only 50 florins. The identity of this "Grand Painter and Mason" remains unknown (after "Nieznane źródło do historii przebudowy pałacu wawelskiego za panowania Zygmunta III Wazy" by Olga Solarz, p. 455, 457-458, 460).  

​The Senators' Staircase at Wawel Castle, built between 1599 and 1602 by Giovanni Trevano and Ambrogio Meazzi.

​Bronze cartouche with the coat of arms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, without the Vasa emblem (missing), from Wawel Castle, ca. 1604, Czartoryski Museum. 

Marble fireplace with Vasa coat of arms in the Birds' Room by Ambrogio Meazzi, ca. 1600, Wawel Castle.

The late Baroque gilt-bronze altarpiece was presented in 1772 to King Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski (1732-1798) by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Giuseppe Garampi (1725-1792), on behalf of Pope Clement XIV (1705-1774). Made around 1772 in Rome, it is adorned with the royal coat of arms in its lower section and a relief depicting the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist in the center. The central tondo is probably an earlier work, dating from around 1688-1689, attributed to Urbano Bertesi after a drawing by Ciro Ferri (1634-1689), or it may be based on a 17th-century model. A similar bronze relief, commissioned in 1688 by Gregorio Carafa (1615-1690), Grand Master of the Order of Saint John, is fixed to the front of the altar of the oratory of St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta.

The altar as a whole could very likely have been made after an earlier model by Ferri or Francesco Giardoni (1692-1757), who in 1744 produced a fairly similar anconetta, presented by Pope Benedict XIV to the Bologna Cathedral (Museo di San Pietro - Tesoro della Cattedrale). It has virtually identical dimensions to the Warsaw altarpiece (148 x 82 cm), similar proportions, and a comparable repertoire of architectural forms and ornamentation (after "Brązowy ołtarz Ciro Ferriego ..." by Anna Saratowicz-Dudyńska, Danuta Szewczyk-Prokurat Danuta and Raisa Raszkowa, p. 409-413, 416-417, 420-421, 429, 431, 436-437).

In 1777, the altar was installed in the new chapel of the Warsaw Royal Castle, known as the Saxon Chapel (now a concert hall), and remained there until 1832. At that time, all the precious furnishings were transferred to Saint Petersburg, probably at the request of Joanna Grudzińska (1791-1831), Princess of Lovich (Łowicz), morganatic wife of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia (1779-1831), who died at Tsarskoye Selo. After the November Uprising against the Russian Empire, all the furnishings of the Warsaw Royal Castle were confiscated on the orders of Tsar Nicholas I (1796-1855), and some were destroyed, such as the ceiling paintings and the inscription on the frieze of the Knights' Hall, as well as the marble ornaments from the Marble Hall, which were reused during the conversion of the Piarist Church in Warsaw into a Russian Orthodox church.

The Poniatowski altar was installed in the Church of St. John the Baptist in Tsarskoye Selo. In 1938, the temple was closed by the Soviets and the altar was transferred to the Museum of the History of Religion in St. Petersburg, then called Leningrad (gilded bronze, 150 x 80 cm, inv. Б-8497-Ш).

​Altar of King Stanislaus Augustus with Beheading of St. John the Baptist, Rome, ca. 1772, Museum of the History of Religion in Saint Petersburg.

​​Tondo with Beheading of St. John the Baptist by Urbano Bertesi after Ciro Ferri, 1688, Oratory of the Saint John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

The first wooden manor on the site was constructed for Dukes of Masovia in the 15th century. It then belonged, from 1516, to Anna Radziwill, Regent Duchess of Mazovia and to Queen Bona Sforza after 1546 for whom an Italian-style Renaissance garden was created. The new lavish wooden manor in mannerist style was built in 1570s for Anna Jagiellon. It was here that the premiere of blank-verse tragedy "The Dismissal of the Greek Envoys" by Jan Kochanowski took place on January 12, 1578.

"The palace is all wood, according to local custom, but beautiful [...] we went up to the highest part of the palace with a beautiful view, where we had a sumptuous breakfast in a large room" (palazzo, che è tutto di legno alla foggia di qua ma bello [...] ascendemmo alla parte più alta del palazzo a una bella vista, dove travammo in una gran sala una sontuosa collazione), wrote in a letter dated May 2, 1586 Giovanni Andrea Caligari (1527-1613), papal nuncio to Poland (after "W kręgu kultury dworu Jana Zamoyskiego" by Jerzy Kowalczyk, p. 65, 284). In 1596 Giovanni Paolo Mucante, secretary to the papal legate Cardinal Enrico Gaetani, described the exquisite Italian Renaissance-style interiors and furnishings of the residence. According to his account, the rooms were decorated with tapestries and carpets, while "the Cardinal's apartments were upholstered in crimson velvet with gold fringing, just like the Pope's rooms. In the Cardinal's bedroom, there was a bed, as is Italian custom, with cloth of gold curtains; all the walls were upholstered in similar cloth of gold" (after "Zbiór pamiętników historycznych o dawnej Polszcze ..." by Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz, Volume 2, p. 108).

The villa, although designed in modo italiano by Italian architects, perhaps Bernardo Morando or Santi Gucci, was built by the royal carpenter Matys Wąsik. Sigismund III Vasa resided in the manor during the summer. Between 1602 and 1603, according to the Royal accounting books, the old manor was renovated and a new wooden house was built nearby. In 1606 the plan of the manor and garden was prepared for the king by Alessandro Albertini. 

When in 1619 the king purchased the allotments belonging to Augustinian friars the construction of a new brick palace become possible. The spot for a Royal summer palace was chosen approximately 120 meters north from the original manor. According to the cornerstone found in 1972 in the foundations of the eastern wing the construction started on September 16, 1624. The structure was designed by Matteo Castelli and Constantino Tencalla and accomplished after king's death by his son Ladislaus IV Vasa. In 1655 during the so-called Deluge of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (invasion of allied forces of Sweden from north, Brandenburg from west, Transilvania from south and Muscovy from East), the castle was devastated and remained practically uninhabited till 1668 when it was given to Teodor Denhoff.

​It is a rectangular building with four octagonal towers at the corners, arcaded courtyard and a loggia with a view on Vistula River. Largely destroyed several times, it was reconstructed in 1975. 

Near the palace there was also a wooden church. In 1593, at the request of elected Queen Anna Jagiellon, the then bishop of Poznań, Łukasz Kościelecki, transferred the former church in Solec with all its funds to the newly built church in Jazdów.

In 1603, Wawrzyniec Goślicki, bishop of Poznań, visited the church and described it as follows: "The church in Jazdów is newly built of wood and well covered with boards. It is dedicated to Saint Anne and Saint Margaret, and contains three altars" (Kościół w Jazdowie jest z nowa z drzewa postawiony i dobrze deskami pokryty. Jest pod wezwaniem świętej Anny i świętej Małgorzaty, zawiera w sobie trzy ołtarze, after "Krótki opis historyczny kościołów parochialnych ..." by Józef Łukaszewicz, Volume 1, p. 336). 

It is possible that the painting of Saint Anne and the Infant Virgin Mary by Leandro Bassano kept in the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm (inv. NM 132) comes from this church. The marble lions attributed to the Italian sculptor in front of Drottningholm Palace near Stockholm most likely also come from Ujazdów.

Later, the only partially rebuilt estate was purchased by the Lubomirski family, who probably renovated or built the new church in Ujazdów. It possibly stood near where the Chopin monument stands today. It survived until 1818, when it was demolished, due to its age, and the parish and surviving furnishings were transferred to the new church of Saint Alexander (after "Ujazdów: 730-lecie Jazdowa i 200-lecie najstarszego szpitala wojskowego Warszawy ...", p. 13).
​
The Raising of Lazarus, magnificently painted around 1643, signed by Carel Fabritius (Car. Fabr), student of Rembrandt (National Museum in Warsaw, inv. M.Ob.563), as well as the marble statue of the Dead Christ by Giusto Le Court (Josse de Corte), Flemish sculptor, mainly active in Venice after 1655 (St. Alexander's Church in Warsaw), most probably comes from the church in Ujazdów after renovation carried out by the Lubomirski family. 

Plan of the manor and garden in Ujazdów near Warsaw by Alessandro Albertini, 1606, Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw (inv. Zb. Kart. 570-1). Inscription: Il sito della villa di Jasdovia. 

Sandstone cornerstone of the Ujazdów Castle, 1624, Museum of the Castle and Military Hospital at Ujazdów​. Inscription in Latin: REGIAE AMOENITATI / SACRA / COELO SOLO LVCO LACV COLLE VALLE / LAETA / PALATIA AESTIVA / FELICIB[us]. FVNDAMENTIS AVSPICATVRV[m.] SAXVM / ANNO D[omi]NI MDCXXIV SEPTEMBR[e] / SIGISMVNDO III POLONIAE XXXVII / CO[n]STANCIA ANNO REGE / POSITVM / ANNO D[omi]NI 1624 DIE 16 7[septem]BRIS (A summer palace dedicated to the royal pleasure ...).

​Eastern façade of Ujazdów Castle around 1637. © Marcin Latka

​Madonna and Child in a reliquary frame, Lesser Poland, 1499, Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites in Kraków. Presented by King John Casimir Vasa to the Carmelite Nuns in Warsaw in 1669, shortly before his departure for France after his abdication. A document confirming the king's gift is preserved on the painting.

Hand-washing jug made from nautilus shells, Antwerp, ca. 1544-1545, Moscow Kremlin Museums (inv. ДК-187). Presented by King John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672) to Tsar Alexis of Russia (1629-1676) in April 1651.

​Ship-shaped vessel with coat of arms of King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) on its mainsail and the Colossus of Rhodes by Georgius Sporboth, 1580s (inv. МЗ-1237), lidded cup, probably made in the Netherlands around 1600, presented by King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648) in 1647 (inv. МЗ-154), lidded cup with a bunch of flowers, made by Hermann von Bordesloe in Hamburg around 1600, a wedding gift from the burghers of Minsk given to Sigismund Vasa and Constance of Austria, Ladislaus IV gave this goblet as a gift to the Tsar in 1647 (inv. МЗ-150), Silver goblet decorated with scenes from Ovid's Metamorphoses, made by the goldsmith of the court of Sigismund III, Jean Barbier, in Gdańsk between 1624 and 1626 (inv. МЗ-155), silver goblet with Saint Catherine, made in Kraków in the first quarter of the 16th century, presented by Ladislaus IV in 1647 (inv. МЗ-152) and Atlas-shaped vessel, made in Vilnius by Rudolf Lehmann, 1620s, presented by King John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672) in 1651 (inv. МЗ-190), Moscow Kremlin Museums. 

​Wax Pieta of King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), Flanders, 1580s, Church of the Holy Cross in Góra Kalwaria. The figure of Christ was completed with human hair and ivory teeth; both figures were dressed in French silk and satin. The sculpture was inspired by an oil painting by Willem Key (d. 1568).

​Tapestry illustrating the story of Niobe's pride, from the Diana series by François Spierincx after Karel van Mander, 1610, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (inv. BK-1954-69-A). It bears the Delft city mark (HD, for Holland Delft) and is signed between the border and the center (FRANCISCUS.SPIRINGIUS.FECIT.ANNO 1610). Around 1611-1615, Sigismund III Vasa acquired a series of six tapestries illustrating the story of Diana from Spierincx's workshop. The six Spierincx tapestries in Amsterdam may belong to this series or be very similar, five other: Cephalus and Procris (inv. BK-1954-69-B), Atalanta and Meleager (inv. BK-2006-77), Diana and Callisto (inv. BK-2006-75), Cephalus and his dog Laelaps (inv. BK-2006-76) and Latona and the Lycian peasants (inv. BK-1969-2). 

​Amber table fountain, Królewiec, ca. 1610, Treasury of the Grand Dukes at the Pitti Palace in Florence. This may have been a gift from Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631) to her sister Maria Magdalena of Austria (1589-1631), Grand Duchess of Tuscany, or from Crown Prince Ladislaus Sigismund Vasa (1595-1648) during his visit to Florence in 1625.

​Wheel-lock gun of King Sigismund III Vasa by Monogramist HLF, ca. 1605-1610, Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna (inv. Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, D 68). Made of wood and ivory, steel and brass. Adorned with a battle scene between a Polish horseman and a Swedish pistol shooter, an allusion to the war of Sigismund III against his uncle, Charles IX of Sweden.

​Portrait of Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria (1574-1616) by Giovanni Pietro de Pomis, ca. 1614, Palazzo Coronini Cronberg. A similar portrait could have been in the collection of the Sarmatian Vasas, as the archduchess was the mother of Queen Cecilia Renata of Austria, who undoubtedly also inherited some of her mother's jewels, and the sister-in-law of two queens of Poland, Anna and Constance of Austria.

​Silver candlesticks with coat of arms of King Sigismund III Vasa by Tobias Kramer, ca. 1615, Museum in Studzianna-Poświętne. A pair of altar candlesticks, marked with the sign of the city of Augsburg and that of the Kramer workshop (in the upper part of the base).

​A gilt silver basin decorated with scenes from the life of Caesar and a matching ewer decorated with scenes from the life of Pompey, by Johannes I Lencker, ca. 1620, Treasury of the Munich Residence (inv. 601-602). Formerly part of the dowry of the Princess-Infanta Anna Catherine Constance Vasa (1619-1651). Attribution to an Italian or German-Dutch workshop is also considered.

​Ebony altar adorned with silver plaques depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary by Hans Jakob I Bachmann or Melchior Mair, 1624, Treasury of the Jasna Góra Monastery. Given to the Monastery by Prince Konstanty Władysław Sobieski (1680-1726) in 1708. Probably from former royal collections.

​Reliquary of Saint Victoria by Jeremias Flicker II, ca. 1625, Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw. Made of wood, and adorned with silver, this reliquary was probably commissioned by Sigismund III Vasa in Augsburg. Relics of the head of Saint Victoria were given to the Primate of Poland Henryk Firlej (1574-1626) in 1625 by Pope Urban VIII. Firlej founded a gold reliquary made by Jan Szefler (treasury of Łowicz Cathedral).

​Fragment of an inlaid cabinet adorned with the coat of arms of King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), first quarter of the 17th century, Museum of Ethnography and Artistic Crafts in Lviv.

Ivory and silver figurine of the Virgin of the Apocalypse, a gift from King Sigismund III Vasa, Nuremberg or Poland?, first quarter of the 17th century, Museum in Święta Lipka. 

​Goblet with a battle of wild men and a figure of Judith at the top, probably made in the Netherlands around 1620, engraved with the letters ACC of Anna Catherine Constance Vasa (inv. 599) and filigree tray with Triton and Nereid in the center, probably made in Poland around 1620, on the back of a base marked with the monograms HA and AC under crowns (inv. 600), Treasury of the Munich Residence.

​Apostles Peter, Paul, Bartholomew, and Matthias by Anthony van Dyck, ca. 1618-1620, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, hung on wrought leather, inspired by the Art Cabinet of Prince Ladislaus Sigismund Vasa, painted in 1626 (Royal Castle in Warsaw, inv. ZKW/2123/ab). On March 19, 1620, King Sigismund III Vasa acquired, through his agent Hendrick van Uylenburgh, a set of twelve apostles by van Dyck, which were shipped from The Hague to Warsaw. Virtual reconstruction, © Marcin Latka

​The Drunken Silenus (The Bacchanal) by Peter Paul Rubens or workshop, after 1620, Gemäldegalerie in Berlin (inv. II.309), most likely destroyed in May 1945. This painting, or a similar one, was acquired by Prince Ladislaus Sigismund Vasa (1595-1648) during his travels across Europe between 1624 and 1625, featured in the Art Cabinet, painted in 1626 (reduced to fit the composition). Virtual reconstruction, © Marcin Latka

​Madonna and Child in a floral garland by Jan Brueghel the Elder and Hendrick van Balen, 1620s, Private collection. A similar painting was acquired by Prince Ladislaus Sigismund Vasa (1595-1648) during his travels across Europe between 1624 and 1625, featured in the Art Cabinet, painted in 1626.

Farmyard by Joos de Momper the Younger and Jan Brueghel the Younger, ca. 1625, Private collection. A similar painting was acquired by Prince Ladislaus Sigismund Vasa (1595-1648) during his travels across Europe between 1624 and 1625, featured in the Art Cabinet, painted in 1626.

​Hypothetical reconstruction of the Still life with apples and grapes by Osias Beert the Elder, before 1626, lost. Featured in the Art Cabinet of Prince Ladislaus Sigismund Vasa, painted in 1626. © Marcin Latka

​Amber box containing an ivory portrait of King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), ca. 1630, Royal Collections in Stockholm (inv. 109). 

​A silver basin decorated with Perseus and Andromeda and three jugs from the lavabo set of King John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672) by Christian Paulsen, ca. 1631-1639, Moscow Kremlin Museums (inv. МЗ-162, МЗ-163, МЗ-164). Made in Gdańsk and presented by the king in 1667 to Tsar Alexis I of Russia.

Silver reliquary for a piece of wood from the Holy Cross by Hornus Reutel, ca. 1637, Dominican Monastery in Kraków. Made in Vilnius as a wedding gift to Ladislaus IV and Cecilia Renata of Austria. Presented in 1637 by Rafajil Nikolai Korsak (ca. 1599-1640), Uniate Metropolitan Archbishop of Kyiv, decorated with a double-headed imperial eagle (Ladislaus IV was elected Tsar of Russia), figures of Saint Ladislaus (in Sarmatian costume) and Saint Cecilia.

​Brotherhood cup (Bratina) of King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648), Russia and Warsaw, before 1637, Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna (inv. Kunstkammer, 1114). The gold vessel adorned with an enameled eagle bearing the monogram of Ladislaus - WR (Wladislaus Rex), probably added by the Warsaw court goldsmith, was most likely presented by the king to his Austrian cousins ​​during his visit to Vienna in September 1639. It was originally one of the gifts sent by Tsar Michael Feodorovich of Russia in 1637 for the marriage of King Ladislaus and Archduchess Cecilia Renata of Austria.

​Marble bust of Pseudo-Seneca, Greece, 2nd century, Archaeological Collection of the University of Zurich. From the collection of King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648), acquired in 1640.

​Tapestry with the coat of arms of Anna Catherine Constance Vasa (1619-1651) by Maximilian van der Gucht (?), before 1642, Munich Residence. In the center, in the lower part, is the princess's monogram: A.C.C.P.P.S. (Anna Catharina Constantia Principissa Poloniae Sueciae).

​Silver vessel in the form of a camel, made by Salomon von der Rennen in Gdańsk between 1642 and 1644, and crystal cup, probably made in Milan at the beginning of the 17th century, given by King Ladislas IV Vasa to Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich in 1647 and 1645 respectively, Moscow Kremlin Museums, probably lost. Virtual reconstruction, © Marcin Latka

Bonze bust of King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648) by Georg Pfründt, 1646, Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. The bust was most likely created not from life, but from engravings or medals.

​Miniature with Madonna and Child of Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga (1611-1667) from the so-called Royal Casket, 1640s, Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, lost during World War II. Virtual reconstruction, © Marcin Latka

​Canonical Hours of Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga (1611-1667) with a silver filigree cover by the circle of François Lefèbvre, 1640s, Czartoryski Museum, lost during World War II. Virtual reconstruction, © Marcin Latka 

​A set of silver filigree cutlery from the so-called Royal Casket, believed to have belonged to Crown Prince Sigismund Casimir Vasa (1640-1647), 1640s?, Czartoryski Museum in Kraków, lost during World War II. Virtual reconstruction, © Marcin Latka

Table clocks from the collection of King John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672): signed by Caspar Buschman, but probably made by Johann Reinhold the Elder around 1586 (National Maritime Museum in London, inv. ZAA0011), signed by Lucas Weydmann, made in Kraków in 1648 (British Museum, inv. 1867,0716.4), and made in Augsburg around 1650, adorned with eagle heads and celestial coordinates for use at about 50° north, the latitude of Kraków (British Museum, inv. 1958,1006.2129). 

Basin decorated with the conquest of Carthage, from a lavabo set of King John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672), by David Schwestermüller, circa 1640, Moscow Kremlin Museums. Presented by the king in 1651 to Tsar Alexis I of Russia.

Ewer from a lavabo set of King John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672), by David Schwestermüller, circa 1640, Moscow Kremlin Museums. Presented by the king in 1651 to Tsar Alexis I of Russia.

​Walnut wood kneeler that belonged to Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga (1611-1667), Paris or Poland, before 1654, Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw. 

Further reading:

"Dzieła złotnictwa polskiego pochodzenia w skarbcu zamku królewskiego w Monachium [Goldsmiths' works of Polish origin in the treasury of the royal castle in Munich]" by Mieczysław Gębarowicz

"Raumbuch der Münchner Schatzkammer [Room by room inventory of the Munich Treasury]", ed. Sabine Heym

"Skarby Kremla. Dary Rzeczypospolitej Obojga Narodów [Treasures of the Kremlin. Gifts from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth]", ed. Anna Saratowicz

"Sztuka dworu Wazów w Polsce / Court Art of Vasa Dynasty in Poland", ed. Andrzej Fischinger

"Sztuka sakralna w Muzeum Rezydencji i Bawarskim Muzeum Narodowym w Monachium oraz Muzeum Diecezjalnym we Fryzyndze [Sacred art in the Residence Museum and the Bavarian National Museum in Munich and the Diocesan Museum in Freising]" by Ewa Krasińska-Klaputh

"Świat polskich Wazów. Przestrzeń - ludzie - sztuka. Katalog wystawy [The World of the Polish Vasas. Space - People - Art. Exhibition Catalog]", ed. Jacek Żukowski

"Życie codzienne w Warszawie za Wazów [Everyday life in Warsaw during the Vasa dynasty]" by Jerzy Lileyko

Discover forgotten portraits of the Vasas

At the beginning of the 17th century, the medieval residence of the Dukes of Masovia was considerably enlarged to house the parliament of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (also Sarmatia or Poland-Lithuania-Ruthenia), the offices, and the court of the Vasa dynasty. Between 1598 and 1619, the Italian architects Giovanni Trevano, Giacomo Rodondo, Paolo de la Corte, and Mateo Castello built a pentagonal palace in the Mannerist and early Baroque styles. From 1621 to 1627, facing the threat of an Ottoman invasion, the palace was fortified with a curtain wall extending to the Vistula River, according to the Italian concept of a palazzo in fortezza (fortified palace). Between 1634 and 1637, a large hall was created in the upper part of the south wing to house the opera house of King Ladislaus IV, and the stair tower was largely remodeled (Ladislaus Tower). In 1643, the palace of Prince-Cardinal Charles Ferdinand Vasa was erected on the northern bastion of the castle curtain wall and, in 1644, a new gate (the St. John Gate) and the Sigismund Column were erected by the royal architect Constantino Tencalla in the Baroque style.

​Information regarding the interior decoration of the castle during the Vasa period is very rare and general. The Dutch diplomat Abraham Booth noted in 1627 that the chamber of Queen Constance of Austria, second wife of Sigismund III Vasa, was upholstered in black velvet. "Black was one of the favorite colors of the early Baroque. Black clothing was worn in accordance with Spanish fashion, and black ebony was used for picture frames and various furniture, wardrobes, chests, cabinets, and home altars, often studded with silver. French diplomat Jean Le Laboureur noted in 1644 that the castle apartments were very beautiful, built entirely according to French models" (after "Życie codzienne w Warszawie za Wazów" by Jerzy Lileyko, p. 157).

During the Deluge (invasion by Swedish forces from the north, Brandenburg from the west, Transilvania from the south, and Muscovy from the east), the castle was devastated during three occupations by foreign forces between 1655 and 1656 (the last being the Transylvanian occupation). All valuables, including marble pavements, fireplaces, and window sills, were shipped to Sweden, while the interior was converted into stables and a hospital.

The castle, rebuilt, was again devastated after the partitions of Poland (1772-1795). Renovated after 1915, it was burned and looted by the Germans in 1939, then completely destroyed in 1944. The structure was meticulously reconstructed between 1971 and 1984, but the museum houses only a tiny fraction of the objects dating from the Vasa era. Many objects kept in other locations in Warsaw, Poland and abroad, related to the Vasas, could very likely have come from the Royal Castle, as well as from two other main residences of the dynasty - the Villa Regia and Ujazdów Castle - and other palaces such as Wawel Castle and Łobzów Palace in Kraków or the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania in Vilnius.

The western wing of the Royal Castle in Warsaw around 1637, built for Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) between 1614 and 1619 by Matteo Castelli. © Marcin Latka

​The Sigismund Tower (New Royal Tower) of the Royal Castle in Warsaw around 1637, built for Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) between 1614 and 1619 by Matteo Castelli. The clock was constructed in 1622 by Gerard Priami, Jan Sulej (the mechanism) and Gerhard Benninck. © Marcin Latka

Eastern façade of the Royal Castle of Warsaw seen from the banks of the Vistula around 1637, based on a view of Warsaw with a self-portrait of the artist at work. © Marcin Latka

​Detail of a view of Warsaw from the Vistula, with a self-portrait of the artist at work, by Christian Melich (?), before 1637 (?), Alte Pinakothek in Munich (inv. 10530). Painting from dowry of the Princess-Infanta Anna Catherine Constance Vasa (1619-1651). 

​Portrait of Prince Alexander Charles Vasa (1614-1634) (?) by Jakob Troschel (?), ca. 1619, Alte Pinakothek in Munich (inv. 7007). The prince was depicted against the background of a castle enfilade, most likely in the Royal Castle in Warsaw. 

View of Warsaw from the Vistula by Abraham Booth, ca. 1627, State Archives in Gdańsk (ref. 10/1016/0/4/58). 

Solemn audience before Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) in the Old Senate Chamber at the Royal Castle in Warsaw by Abraham Booth (?), ca. 1627, Private collection. 

​King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) on catafalque displayed at the Royal Castle in Warsaw on April 30, 1632 by Filip Jansz, 1632, Gdańsk Library. 

​King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) on catafalque, ca. 1632, Ossolineum in Wrocław, on deposit at the Wawel Royal Castle. The king was depicted on his deathbed, displayed in the guardroom of the Royal Castle in Warsaw.

Library of King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648) in Warsaw (Biblioteca di SMta in Varsavia) by Giovanni Battista Gisleni, ca. 1640, Kupferstich-Kabinett in Dresden. 

​Plan of Warsaw (Varsavia Masoviae caput et Regia) by Israel Hoppe, ca. 1641, State Archives in Gdańsk (inv. 492/654).

Detail of the 1656 map of Warsaw by Nicolas Pérelle after Erik Dahlbergh, printed in 1696. The fortifications of Warsaw Castle were built between 1596 and 1627, giving the structure a more modern appearance according to the principles of the Old Italian School (circle of Antonio da Sangallo). They consisted of a 162-meter-long curtain wall, flanked by bastions. Two shorter walls connected the bastions to the castle. The wall rose at least 6.70 meters above ground level. The fortifications were built of granite blocks, and due to the instability of the ground, oak piles were also driven into the soil. The surface material was limestone covered with brick. The remains of the fortifications were incorporated into later buildings in the 18th century. Map legend: (2) Old Town Hall at the Main Market Square, (3) Saint John's Cathedral, (4) Royal Castle, (5) Courtyard before the castle with Baroque Saint John's Gate, (6) Sigismund Column, (7) Medieval Kraków Gate.

​Tiles from the 1630s found during excavations in the garden of the royal castle: a stove tile decorated with a lion or a griffin, a stove tile decorated with eagles, a Dutch tile with a soldier.

​King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) on horseback, detail of Entry of the wedding procession of Sigismund III into Kraków by Balthasar Gebhardt, ca. 1605, Royal Castle in Warsaw.

​Prince Ladislaus Sigismund Vasa (1595-1648) on horseback, detail of Entry of the wedding procession of Sigismund III into Kraków by Balthasar Gebhardt, ca. 1605, Royal Castle in Warsaw.

​Carriage of Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631), detail of Entry of the wedding procession of Sigismund III into Kraków by Balthasar Gebhardt, ca. 1605, Royal Castle in Warsaw.

​Amber inkwell of Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), Gdańsk or Królewiec (Königsberg), 1590s, Treasury of the Munich Residence (inv. 521). Adorned with eight medallions depicting Christ and the Virgin Mary, as well as unidentified contemporary portraits (two of which may depict Sigismund III and his daughter Anna Maria), and a medallion of the Polish eagle bearing the letter S on its breast. This object is also attributed to Stenzel Schmidt (d. 1626), the first recorded amber carver at the court of Królewiec, in the early 1560s, with an annual salary of one hundred marks.

​Amber objects that belonged to King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632): amber and ivory chessboard presented by Hieronim Wołowicz to the king in 1608 (Wawel Royal Castle, inv. ZKnW-PZS 549), an amber bowl decorated with the king's coat of arms and the date of production in the center: 1590 (Treasury of the Munich Residence, inv. 522), an amber goblet of Sigismund III (without a stem so as to "drink to the bottom"), the interior of which is decorated with a partially gilded medallion representing the bust of Sigismund III and a wax-on-amber medallion with the king's portrait (Friedenstein Castle, inv. K325).

Two bottles and two tazzas from the silver service of Sigismund III Vasa, made by Georg Lang (bottles) and Hermann Plixen (tazzas), 1600, Łowicz Collegiate Church and Wawel Royal Castle. Decorated with the king's coat of arms. This silver service was commissioned by Sigismund III in Augsburg for 20,000 florins. It was first used at a banquet in Warsaw Castle on February 25, 1601, on the occasion of the awarding of the Order of the Golden Fleece.

​Portrait of Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria (1551-1608) in mourning by circle of Ottavio Zanuoli, ca. 1600, National Museum in Szczecin (inv. MNS/Szt/1162). Mother of two wives of Sigismund III, she wielded considerable influence at the Warsaw court. In his will of May 19, 1598, the king bequeathed to the archduchess reliquaries, crystal candelabra, and a black and white tapestry bearing the monogram of Sigismund Augustus, dating from 1566.

Gold salt cellar of King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), ca. 1600, Treasury of the Munich Residence (inv. 626, 627). Adorned with the king's coat of arms and the initials SR (Sigismundus Rex) in enamel, rubies and diamonds. Probably made by the king himself.

Crystal basin from lavabo set of Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), Milan (?), ca. 1600, Treasury of the Munich Residence (inv. 347). Adorned in its center with the coat of arms and the monogram S R (Sigismundus Rex) of the king. Sigismund employed an Italian goldsmith named Redura of Venice at his court; it is therefore possible that the work was made in Poland.

​Crystal ewer from lavabo set of Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), Milan (?), ca. 1600, Treasury of the Munich Residence (inv. 346). Made of rock crystal and gold, adorned with rubies, diamonds and enamel. 

​Crystal tankard with the coat of arms and monogram of Sigismund III Vasa and Constance of Austria (SCA), floral motives and a handle in the form of a nude woman, Milan, first quarter of the 17th century, Bavarian National Museum (inv. R 2157). 

Safavid kilims with the coat of arms of Sigismund III Vasa (Polish Eagle with Vasa sheaf) by Kashan workshop, ca. 1602, from left to right: Private collection, Wittelsbacher Ausgleichsfonds in Munich, Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome, Treasury of the Munich Residence and Wawel Royal Castle. Commissioned by the king through his agent in Persia, Sefer Muratowicz.

Ebony cabinet adorned with Roman gods, silver plaques representing Mars and Venus, and personifications of the Four Seasons by David Altenstetter, 1600s, Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw. Made of ebony and pear wood, and adorned with silver and enamel, this cabinet was probably commissioned by Sigismund III Vasa in Augsburg. It is one of two cabinets presented by Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga, along with an ebony altar, to the new church and monastery of the French Order of the Visitation in Warsaw. The inner side of the doors is decorated with silver enameled plaques.

​Ebony cabinet adorned with Roman gods and personifications of the Four Seasons by Georg Jungmair, 1600s, Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw. The inner side of the doors is decorated with silver plaques depicting the Fiery flying serpent and the Entombment (on the right), the Original sin and Prophet Jonah (on the left).

​A child's parade armor inlaid with gold and silver, belonging to Crown Prince Ladislaus Sigismund Vasa (1595-1648), by Pompeo della Cesa (?), ca. 1605, Royal Armory in Stockholm (inv. 23418 LRK). This armor, intended for a ten-year-old prince, was probably made by Pompeo della Cesa in Milan, like the armor fragments of the false Dmitry I, Tsar of Russia, produced around the same time (Military History Museum in Saint Petersburg and Art Institute of Chicago).

Hypothetical reconstruction of the silk fabric embroidered with floral and bird motifs, before 1610, lost. Based on a portrait of Queen Constance of Austria in Alte Pinakothek in Munich (inv. 6968). © Marcin Latka

​Doublet with matching breeches of Adam Parzniewski (1565-1614), Burgrave of the Kraków Castle and court marshal of Princess Anna Vasa (1568-1625), before 1614, Museum of Warsaw. It was likely made in Poland from precious velvets and silk satins, apparently imported from Italy; the stockings are likely Spanish. This garment survived the devastation of Warsaw in the ravaged Archcathedral in the Old Town.

​Hypothetical reconstruction of the portrait of bearded female court dwarf Helena Antonia of Liège by Jakob Troschel, 1610s, lost. Helena Antonia was a lady-in-waiting to Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria (1551-1608) and her daughter Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631). Based on a portrait auctioned under the title "Portrait of King Eric XIV of Sweden" (Oger & Blanchet in Paris, April 30, 2024, lot 23). © Marcin Latka

Table clocks with heraldic eagles: a clock decorated with an imperial eagle and the coat of arms of Samuel Gotard Łaski (d. 1611), secretary to Sigismund III Vasa, dating from 1607 (National Museum in Warsaw, inv. SZM 3269 MNW); two automaton clocks in the form of a heraldic eagle, made in Augsburg around 1630 (Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden and Metropolitan Museum of Art, inv. 29.52.14). Several other similar clocks, decorated with a lion and dating from the same period, produced in Augsburg, Bavaria, are considered to represent the heraldic symbol of Bavaria.

Gold statue of Saint John the Evangelist on ebony base, Augsburg, 1610s, Wrocław Cathedral. Commissioned by King Sigismund III Vasa, who had 12 statues of the apostles made "in pure gold on ebony bases" and "a statue of the Savior, of the Virgin Mary and that of the holy martyr Sigismund, all in pure gold"

​Silver plaque depicting the Vision of Emperor Constantine by Tobias Kramer, ca. 1615-1620, Treasury of the Jasna Góra Monastery. Given to the Monastery by Prince-Bishop Charles Ferdinand Vasa (1613-1655) in 1650. 

Reliquary adorned with a silver bas-relief that belonged to Paweł Wołucki (1560-1622), Bishop of Lutsk and Włocławek, by Hans Heinrich Wagner, 1616, Treasury of the Munich Residence. This reliquary was created in Munich by Wagner, who personally traveled to Poland to deliver the papal gift. Wołucki was secretary to King Sigismund III Vasa.

Silk chasuble offered by King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), Poland (fabric from Spain or Italy), 1620s, Treasury of the Jasna Góra Monastery. Most likely made from fabrics used for the interior decoration of palaces, like the chasuble made from the canopy of Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga (Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw).

Hypothetical reconstruction of the velvet-covered armchair of Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631), 1610s, lost. Based on a portrait of the queen from a Spanish private collection, bearing the inscription La Reina de Polonia in the lower left corner. © Marcin Latka

Silk humeral veil embroidered with gold thread, ca. 1620, Munich Residence. Originally, it was sewn with pearls and was clearly a men's garment: a sash. Adorned with the monogram of King Sigismund III Vasa and Queen Constance of Austria (ACS, i.e. Sigmundus Constantia Austriacae).

Silver plaque with the Washing of the Feet (upper part) and the Last Supper (lower part) by Matthias Walbaum (Matthäus Wallbaum), ca. 1623-1625, Diocesan Museum in Płock. Presented to Płock Cathedral by Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631) in 1618. Several similar plaques were made by Walbaum in Augsburg for Sigismund III and members of his family (two in the Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw and one in Vilnius Cathedral). Another very similar example is in the Treasury of the Grand Dukes at the Pitti Palace in Florence; Maria Magdalena of Austria (1589-1631), Grand Duchess of Tuscany and sister of Queen Constance, received gifts from Sarmatia.

​Silver candlesticks from a set belonging to Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631) by Johannes I Lencker, ca. 1624-1625, Royal Castle in Warsaw and Church of St. James in Nysa. Part of a set of six altar candlesticks. The base is decorated with cartouches bearing the emblems of Poland, Lithuania, Sweden, Gothland, and the Habsburgs (coat of arms of Queen Constance), winged cherubs, and fruit.

​Pelmet of a canopy of King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648), ca. 1610 or 1633, National Museum in Warsaw (inv. SZT 1456 MNW). Silk satin embroidered with silk, silver and gold threads, gilt strip, bullion and spangel. Probably created for the coronation of Ladislaus as Tsar of Russia in 1610.

​Portrait of King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648) in coronation robes by Jan Chryzostom Proszowski (?), ca. 1635, Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta. 

Hypothetical reconstruction of a fragment of Baroque marble decoration from the Marble Room at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, created for King Ladislaus IV Vasa between 1640 and 1643 after a design by Giovanni Battista Gisleni. The hall was adorned with 22 portraits of the king's ancestors, the Jagiellonian family: Jogaila of Lithuania, Saint Casimir, Sigismund the Old and Bona Sforza, Sigismund Augustus and his third wife Catherine of Austria, Catherine Jagiellon and her husband, Sigismund III and his two wives, Ladislaus IV, his first wife Cecilia Renata and her father, Emperor Ferdinand II, among others, as well as 5 painted and gilded stucco cartouches bearing the coats of arms of Poland, Lithuania, Sweden, the House of Vasa and the Tsar of Muscovy (Ladislaus IV was elected Tsar of Muscovy). © Marcin Latka

Silver table set of King John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672) with images of Polish kings by Andreas I Mackensen, 1648, National Museum in Warsaw. This service was commissioned on the occasion of the election and coronation of the king. It consisted of twelve tazzas adorned with the effigies of the Polish kings, from Ladislaus II Jagiello to John II Casimir. Presented by the king to Jan Bonawentura Krasiński in 1666 as a wedding gift. The base is in the shape of a Polish eagle with the coat of arms of the Vasa dynasty on the chest. Seven of the tazzas were destroyed during World War II. Virtual reconstruction, © Marcin Latka

Chasuble with the coat of arms of the House of Vasa, second quarter of the 17th century, Treasury of the Jasna Góra Monastery. Most likely given by Prince-Bishop Charles Ferdinand Vasa (1613-1655) for whom similar garments in silver and gold thread on silk were made around 1644 (Diocesan Museum in Płock).

Velvet embroidered seat upholstery with the coat of arms of Prince-Bishop Charles Ferdinand Vasa (1613-1655), ca. 1651-1655, National Museum in Warsaw. 

​Portraits of relatives of King John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672), as they may appear hanging in the gallery of the Royal Castle in Warsaw around 1655: Portrait of Philip III of Spain by Andrés López Polanco, ca. 1617 (Skokloster Castle), portraits of two sisters, daughters of Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria: Empress Maria Anna of Spain by Frans Luycx, ca. 1638 and Anne of Austria, Queen of France by Charles Beaubrun, ca. 1645 (Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw), portrait of Empress Eleonora Gonzaga (1630-1686) by Frans Luycx, ca. 1651 (National Museum in Stockholm). Virtual reconstruction, © Marcin Latka 

Further reading:

"Dzieła złotnictwa polskiego pochodzenia w skarbcu zamku królewskiego w Monachium [Goldsmiths' works of Polish origin in the treasury of the royal castle in Munich]" by Mieczysław Gębarowicz

"Raumbuch der Münchner Schatzkammer [Room by room inventory of the Munich Treasury]", ed. Sabine Heym

"Sztuka dworu Wazów w Polsce / Court Art of Vasa Dynasty in Poland", ed. Andrzej Fischinger

"Sztuka sakralna w Muzeum Rezydencji i Bawarskim Muzeum Narodowym w Monachium oraz Muzeum Diecezjalnym we Fryzyndze [Sacred art in the Residence Museum and the Bavarian National Museum in Munich and the Diocesan Museum in Freising]" by Ewa Krasińska-Klaputh

"Świat polskich Wazów. Przestrzeń - ludzie - sztuka. Katalog wystawy [The World of the Polish Vasas. Space - People - Art. Exhibition Catalog]", ed. Jacek Żukowski

"Życie codzienne w Warszawie za Wazów [Everyday life in Warsaw during the Vasa dynasty]" by Jerzy Lileyko

​Discover forgotten portraits of the Vasas