St. Nicholas

Abstract

A sculpture depicting Saint Nicholas, housed in the church porch of the temple in Paczółtowice, is a late baroque work, probably created in the second half of the 18th century, as evidenced by the characteristic, dynamic pose (depicted in a clear contrapposto) and the slightly extended proportions of the figure. Lack of source information does not allow to determine whether it was associated with any of the altars in the church in Paczółtowice. Saint Nicholas, according to medieval hagiographic records, lived at the turn of the 3rd and 4th century in Myra in Asia Minor, where he was as a bishop. In the iconographic tradition, Nicholas is portrayed as a mature, grey-haired man with a beard, dressed in liturgical vestments: an alb, a surplice and a richly decorated vestment. His attribute is usually a book on which three golden balls are depicted.