Angel of Lord’s passion (with the spear), 1917-1918
These are rectangular carvings in a geometric form depicting standing figures of angels with various objects in their hands. All casting was made out of plaster reinforced with wooden structures and oakum (except for one of the reliefs, where the structure was made of steel wire). The reliefs are painted in light green and gray colors.
First two angels are 134 cm tall, 39 cm wide and 20 cm deep. Remaining two measure 141 cm in height, 42 cm in width and 20 cm depth.
The order of the sculptures was being executed from 1914. According to the author, the angels were supposed to flank Christ’s figure, standing in front of a window. The way the work looks shows the influence of medieval French sculpting ways, which is the result of the artist’s trip to Paris (1907-1908) on a scholarship.
Angels carved in marble are now on the altar in the church of St. Anthony in Krzeszowice accompanied by the figure of St. Anthony. Angels carry objects identified with the Lord's Passion, in literature called “the Instruments of the Lord's Passion”, and in Latin “arma passioni” or “arma Christi”.
The Angels hold as follows:
· the chalice, from which Jesus drank wine at the Last Supper or in which drops of blood were collected
· the nails and hammer, with which Jesus was to be nailed to the cross
· the crown of thorn, woven by the soldiers of Pontius Pilate, probably right after Jesus was condemned to the flogging
· the spear of a Roman legionary Cassius, used to pierce the body of Jesus Christ before it was taken down from the cross