Unknown frescoes of angels and column found under plaster

Conservation works conducted in a small Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, just outside Warsaw’s Old Town, lead to a discovery of an unknown fresco painting showing angels and columns.

One of the painted angels (by Mateusz Szmelter & TVN Warszawa)

The painting’s elements create and illusory composition in which the columns are on the sides of the main scene which opens in the middle and contains two large figures of angels and some cherubs in the lower part. The illusion was created in order to give more space to the small interior of the church. The conservators state that it possibly dates back to the 17th and 18th century. It is believed that the two angels emerging from the clouds held an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary which was placed in the middle of the scene.

Painted columns (by Mateusz Szmelter & TVN Warszawa)

Remains of a second illusory painting were discovered on an opposite wall, where bases of columns and other forms of architecture were uncovered under plaster. It is believed that it originally contained depictions of some figures as well. So far not many such types of paintings were known from the are of Warsaw. The artworks survived mainly because the church was not destroyed during World War 2. Originally the church served as a chapel as a part of a palace belonging to Adam Kazanowski, a nobleman of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 17th century, and a close and influential friend of King Władysław IV Vasa.

Paintings found in the church (by Mateusz Szmelter & TVN Warszawa)
Face of one of the angels (by Mateusz Szmelter & TVN Warszawa)

(after Mateusz Szmelter & TVN Warszawa)

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