Ignacy Krasicki

The medal in honour of Ignacy Krasicki, Bishop of Warmia (1735-1801), was created on the initiative of King Stanisław Poniatowski (1764-1795). The King intended to honour the 'prince of poets' with it personally during his stay at the royal court. The preparation of the work, however, took time, and it was not until the poet's name-day (31 July 1780) that the king sent Ignacy Krasicki a gold-coloured medal with a letter of commendation. It was an expression of recognition for his literary talent and his services to the king as his trusted advisor and collaborator.

The obverse of the medal depicts the bust of Ignacy Krasicki, Bishop of Warmia (from 1767), in the right profile, wearing a clerical cloak and a mucquet imposed on his cassock, with a ribbon bearing the Cross of the Order of the White Eagle, which he was awarded in 1774. The figure is surrounded by a Latin inscription: Ignacy Krasicki, Bishop of Warmia, born in the year 1735. At the bottom, we can read the author's signature: I[ohann] P[hilip]. HOLZHAEUSSER. F[ecit]. The reverse side is filled with a horizontal inscription surrounded by laurel branches: ‘DIGNUM LAUDE VIRUM MUSA VETAT MORI S[tanislaus]. A[ugustus]. R[ex]. F[ieri]. F[ecit]. A[nno]. MDCCLXXX’ (A praiseworthy husband's muse of death arms. Stanisław August Poniatowski king ordered to be made in the year 1780).

At present, silver and bronze prints of this medal, as well as younger copies in tin, are recorded. However, the fate of the gold copy given to the poet, as well as its gold print intended for the royal collection, is unknown. After the liquidation of the Warsaw mint in 1868 the stamps of the medal along with others were taken to St. Petersburg, from where they were returned to Poland in 1924.

Our copy was donated to the Museum on 20 April 1950 by Jan Grzesiuk.

Tomasz Markiewicz