Kalisz: Echoes of Tradition
Journey into the Kalisz region and discover the vibrant folk art, ritual objects, and cultural treasures that keep its traditions alive.
Dowry Chest, Kalisz Style, Repatriated (early 20th century) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Welcome to Kalisz! In this immersive story, you will explore the artifacts and traditions that make this region of Poland so unique. Get ready to delve deep into Kalisz's rich cultural heritage.
Kalisz Double Basses – a folk double bass with an elongated neck, carved body, and nailed soundboard. Played with a bow while held in hand. A key instrument in Kalisz bands, often accompanying violins. Violin with Case – a four-string folk violin owned by Józef Schmidt, founder of a band in Ołobok. It features decorative floral details and comes with a felt-lined case.
Faience Jug
A white faience jug with a painted rooster motif, blending utilitarian and decorative functions. Typically kept in rural kitchens.
Spoon Rack
A handcrafted wooden rack with drilled holes for cutlery, both practical and ornamental, showcasing local carving traditions.
Embroidered Tablecloth – Golińska Snutka (1976) by Helena BernasowskaDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Embroidered Tablecloth – Golińska Snutka
A delicate white linen cloth embroidered using the snutka technique, creating lace-like patterns of floral and geometric motifs.
Dowry Chest, Kalisz Style, Repatriated (early 20th century) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Dowry Chest, Kalisz Style
A folk dowry chest with floral motifs on a dark green background. Brought to Greater Poland post-1945, it remained in use in rural homes for decades.
Maiden’s Cap
A pink silk bonnet with floral embroidery, tulle ruffles, and blue ribbon. Worn by unmarried girls in Dobrzec near Kalisz as festive headwear.
Tulle Cap ("Kalisz Cap")
This ceremonial cap, worn by married women in Greater Poland, features a regional construction with geometric embroidery, rich padding, and a tulle ruffle. Made with the pulled thread technique on tulle, it includes lace-trimmed bands tied into a bow, typical for the Kalisz area.
Crucified Christ – a wooden sculpture by folk carver Paweł Bryliński. The harmonious drapery folds, rhythmic rib pattern, and large feet reflect his distinct style. Originally affixed to a wayside cross. Holy Water Sprinkler – a glazed ceramic vessel with a bas-relief of Christ, inscribed "IHS" and dated 1814. Used in peasant homes for ritual purification.
Painting on Glass (2nd half of the 19th century) by UnknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Painting on Glass
A folk reverse glass painting of Christ on the cross, surrounded by floral motifs. A common devotional object in rural households.
Heart
A wooden Sacred Heart sculpture, once part of a missionary cross. The bleeding heart encircled by thorns symbolizes conversion and renewal.
Village Woman – a small wooden carving of a peasant woman with a wrinkled forehead, a headscarf, and outstretched arms. Part of a larger collection in the Kalisz Museum. Forest Hermit – a small wooden sculpture of a seated hermit with an oversized head and an extremely long beard, representing ascetic life.
Carollers (1984) by Bogdan OsuchDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Carollers
A polychrome wooden sculpture depicting a group of carollers with a Bethlehem star. Their costumes reference nativity plays and carnival traditions. Carolling was a ritualistic practice, bringing blessings of prosperity and fertility to rural households during Christmas season.
Beelzebub with Impish Devils – a polychrome wooden carving of Beelzebub surrounded by smaller devils. The exaggerated, humorous depiction was meant to diminish the fear of evil forces. Devil with Wings – a painted wooden figure of a devil with raised wings, a bark skirt, and black-red coloring—traditional in folk representations of demonic figures.
Ritual Mask (circa 1950) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Ritual Mask
A lost-wax cast face mask with stylized features, possibly of ritual significance. Part of the collection linked to explorer Stefan Szolc-Rogoziński.
Chief's Throne (circa 1960) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Chief’s Throne
A carved wooden stool from Cameroon, symbolizing authority. Its concentric rings and zoomorphic carvings reflect the hierarchical structure of tribal leadership.
Farm Building – Arcaded Granary, known as 'Sołek' (2nd half of the 18th century) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Arcaded Granary ("Sołek")
A 19th-century timber granary from Russów, built with mixed techniques. Its overhanging roof and larch walls are characteristic of Kalisz rural architecture.
Dog's Head (early 20th century) by unknownDistrict Museum of the Kalisz Land
Dog’s Head
A cast-iron blacksmithing work from Kotwasice, depicting a snarling dog’s head. A decorative element from a rural doghouse, emphasizing vigilance and protection.
This exhibition offers a glimpse into the everyday life, beliefs, and folk artistry of the Kalisz region—told through objects that accompanied people from birth to death. Craftsmanship, symbolism, and tradition intertwine to reveal the cultural identity of rural communities. It is a journey through time that sheds light on the enduring values of vernacular heritage.
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