PhD defence
Imagining Christian Kingship in Sigismund II Augustus’s "Genesis" Tapestries at Wawel Castle (1553)
- C.A. Stackpole
- Date
- Wednesday 23 April 2025
- Time
- Location
-
Academy Building
Rapenburg 73
2311 GJ Leiden
Supervisor(s)
- Prof.dr. J. Pollmann
- Prof. dr. S. Bussels
- dr. F. Rosu
Summary
In 1553, Sigismund II Augustus of Poland unveiled twenty tapestries depicting the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah, and Moses. The Genesis series, designed by Michiel Coxcie, is one of the stand-out achievements in Flemish tapestry, but has been neglected by anglophone scholarship. Equally, they are a crucial yet untapped source for studying their patron, particularly his religiosity, which remains a point of contention among historians. This thesis explores the question: what can the Genesis tapestries reveal about the relationship between religion and power in Sigismund Augustus’s kingship?
Using an interdisciplinary historical/art historical methodology, this thesis considers both the vision of the patron and the audience’s reception, treating tapestry as a space of bilateral meaning-making rather than princely “propaganda.” It analyses the significance of the medium and genre, the political context of the commission, and the materiality, style, narratives, and iconography.
This thesis finds that Genesis is a projection of magnificence, but also of a model for kingship in turbulent times. Using the patriarchs as exemplars, Genesis presents Sigismund as the “father” of the nation, who rules with princely virtue and keeps peace amidst chaos. This study demonstrates the importance of revisiting “the politics of tapestry,” with an increased focus on reception, and shows the need for more visual/material studies within Polish Reformation history. Finally, it argues that religion was a crucial part of Sigismund’s image and politics, and calls for a reconsideration of his place within the religious history of the period.
PhD dissertations
Approximately one week after the defence, PhD dissertations by Leiden PhD students are available digitally through the Leiden Repository, that offers free access to these PhD dissertations. Please note that in some cases a dissertation may be under embargo temporarily and access to its full-text version will only be granted later.
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