Shabbats and Trumpets in Kazimierz

This triptych was painted in Kazimierz Dolny by Stanisław Czajkowski. The painter retained the small town atmosphere, which was dear to him, while making a reference to the rituals of different religious denominations. The central part of the triptych depicts the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah). This motif, due to its expressiveness and theatrical nature of the ceremony, was frequently used in paintings. It is a celebration of the New Year, which heralds the time of repentance and serves as a reminder of the divine judgement. During the ceremony, Jews head out to the waterside and perform a ritual that involves cleaning out the pockets, intended to symbolise the rejection of sin. The artist did not present each of the characters separately; instead, he depicted them in a dense group. The left and right parts of the triptych show the Shabbat evening, when candles light up in the windows.