Couépe De Gala

A coupѐ de gala of the Potocki family from Łańcut is the only such carriage in the Polish museums and one of few in Europe. It has been preserved in the original form, which is also quite exceptional. This two-person gala carriage driven by six or four horses was acquired during the time of first Ordynat, Alfred Potocki. It was purchased in London between 1844 and 1848 when the son of the contemporary Łańcut ordynat, Alfred Józef Potocki, was the attaché at the Austrian embassy. The colours of the Biedermeier style carriage with dominant yellow and cobalt colours were probably also matching the colours of the golden “Pilawa” coat of arms (even though the Potocki family used the silver one), which is featured on the cobalt shield on the carriage door. The sapphire horse pad, richly decorated with gold and sapphire haberdashery, is particularly impressive. The interior is also upholstered with yellow moiré with sapphire and yellow floral haberdashery ribbon. On the other hand, the parts of the chassis ˗ the bar connecting the front and the rear side of the chassis, the double coil springs and the benches in the front and in the rear, as well as the whippletree ˗ are richly decorated with woodcarving and two-colour paintings. The coupѐ de gala was serviced by three servants: the coachman driving the carriage from the box and two footmen standing behind the carriage box on the back bench, and during the ride holding on to haberdashery ribbons attached to the top of the roof. The role of the footmen was limited to assistance. They opened and closed the doors (from the inside, there were no handles), they unfolded the stairs which formed a part of the interior equipment and assisted the passengers with getting in and out of the carriage. This exquisite carriage was used in 1872 by second Ordynat’s beautiful daughter, Klementyna, for her wedding, and in 1885 in Vienna, by the wife of his son Roman, Elżbieta née Radziwiłł when she was paying a visit at Hofburg. Aldona Cholewianka-Kruszyńska