Wit Stworz's Woodcarvings

06/01/2012 09:05

Wit Stworz was a highly respected sculptor and, in fact, a master at the art of woodcarving. He was born in the mid-1400s in Nuremberg, and eventually moved to Kraków. Here, he completed numerous projects, including the tomb of Casimir IV in Wawel Castle, as well as the Altar of St. Stanislaus. He is best known, however, for an amazing woodcarving that he did in the Mariacki Cathedral on the Main Square. Many consider it to be the greatest sculpture ever carved from wood. It stands nearly forty feet high, and depicts numerous scenes from the life of St. Mary, as well as scenes from the life of Christ. The detail on this piece is truly amazing.

The woodcarving behind the main altar in the Mariacki Cathedral

Check out the detail of carving on the beards and hair.

There are many interesting stories surrounding this masterpiece. The most dramatic, however, is the history of the altar during, and after, WWII. When the Nazi’s invaded Poland, the locals dismantled the large work, and hid it in different places throughout the country. Eventually, the Nazi’s found the pieces and shipped them to the castle at Nuremberg. Miraculously, the altar survived the heavy destruction of bombing raids on the castle. It wasn’t until 1946 that the remains were found. Ten years later, the restored altar made a triumphant return to Poland and can now be seen at its original resting place in the nave of the Mariacki Cathedral.