Of the 21 surviving sandstone sculptures in the Saxon Garden in Warsaw, I have now shown all but one. The remaining sculpture is probably the first that many visitors will see when entering the garden from Pilsudski Square, and it is one of my favorites: Intelekt (Intellect). Like many of the sculptures in Saxon Garden, the inscription on this sculpture is incorrect. As a result of renovations in the 19th century, the inscription on this sculpture reads Jowisz (Jupiter).
Saxon Garden (Saxon Garden, Warsaw, Poland). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 28 Sep 2009. Copyright © 2009 by Stephen J. Danko.
Intelekt – Intellect (Saxon Garden, Warsaw, Poland). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 28 Sep 2009. Copyright © 2009 by Stephen J. Danko.
The correct identifications of all the sculptures in Saxon Garden are described in Cesare Ripa’s Iconologia, first published in the 16th century. Based on Ripa’s Iconologia, the symbology of Intellect is:
A fiery youth dressed in gold with a gold crown on his head. His hair will be blond and twisted in beautiful curls. Plumes of fire will rise from the top of his head. In his right hand he will hold a scepter, and his left hand will point to an eagle located close by.
Copyright © 2009-2019 by Stephen J. Danko.
