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Allegorical Figure with a Child

Franciszek Oledzki

Basic information
ID
С-I-1116
Author
Franciszek Oledzki
Name
Allegorical Figure with a Child
Date of creation
1780s
Technique
carving
Material
wood
Dimensions (height x width x depth, cm)
135 x 240 x 70
Additionally
Type
sculpture
Genre
religious
Information about author
Author
Franciszek Oledzki
Artist's lifetime
c. 1745–1792
Country
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, now Ukraine
Biography
Franciszek Oledzki was a Lviv sculptor of the second half of the eighteenth century. There are not enough documented works about the artist. His creative activity dates between 1760 and 1792. The author worked with various materials: limestone, marble, stucco, wood (linden was the primary material) and mostly carved round sculptures. Since the 1770s, Oledzki worked in Lviv: he performed stained glass works in the Latin Cathedral (from June 14, 1773 to November 4, 1779, he worked on four altars, a throne for the bishop, and various ornaments); in the Dormition Church, the artist made an iconostasis; in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, he carved an altar with figures of saints. In addition to Lviv, Franciszek Oledzki worked in Berestechko, Buchach, and Lopatyn. In 1774, he signed an agreement with the superior of the Dominican monastery in Pidkamin to perform sculptural works. A characteristic feature of the sculptor's work is the figures' expressive poses and dynamic gestures – his angels seem to be flying in the sky. The professionalism of the master is felt in the filigree facial features, movements of the depicted figures, and peculiar curls of their hair.
Object description
Between 1711 and 1733, the church of the Holy Trinity was built on the site of a wooden Trinitarian monastery at the expense of Tomasz Karczewski in the town of Berestechko. The building had eight altars. During the 1780s, Franciszek Oledzki was commissioned to make a group of sculptures to decorate the church. This sculpture is one of the figures of the central altar. There is much dynamism in the angel's elongated body proportions, pose, and theatrical movements. The dynamism is also emphasized by the folds of his clothes. The head of the sculpture is turned and tilted to the right shoulder. The sculptor skillfully carved the large, almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose, and a slightly open mouth with a protruding upper lip. The curls of the hair are made in the manner typical of a sculptor. They look as if they are flying in the wind. His massive neck turns into a muscular body. The figure of a child is shown in an expressive pose, with outstretched arms, and an upward gaze.
Legal regulation
Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery

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