Mother of God (?)

Abstract

The altar of Saint Joseph with the second twin side altar of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne was created at the beginning of the 18th century, before 1728. It was consecrated in 1771 by the suffragan bishop of Chełm, Dominik Józef Kiełczewski. The painting in the finial of the altar was mentioned for the first time in the church inventory made in 1833 as "a small picture of Saint John". Also in the inventories from 1842 and 1860 it was noted as a presentation of Saint John. In 1851, the altar and paintings were renovated by the painter and gilder Wojciech Dembowski. At the turn of 1994 and 1995 it was conserved in the workshop of Filip Kowalczyk in Cracow. Research carried out during restoration has shown that the painting was not originally intended for the altar of Saint Joseph. Its dimensions have been adapted to the frame in which it was placed. Although the painting in question in the church inventories was described as a representation of Saint John, according to Teresa Małkowska-Holcerowa the work should be identified as the image of Mary, whose presence "ideally completes the scene of the title image."