Polyptychon des Heiligen Johannes Almosengebers in Krakau

Abstract This study focuses on a large-scale altar formerly located in the chapel dedicated to St. John the Almsgiver within the Augustinian monastery in the Kazimierz district of Krakow. This altar features a unique cycle of scenes depicting the life of St. John the Almsgiver. The commission is attributed to Mikołaj Lanckoroński of Brzezie, who, following a diplomatic mission to the Ottoman sultan, is believed to have brought back the saint's relics and subsequently dedicated the chapel to his patron. The iconographic program was further enriched with scenes from the lives of the eremitic saints, serving as models for the monastic community responsible for the chapel's administration and liturgy. The liturgy – designed primarily for the feast of St. John the Almsgiver – drew its hymns and readings from Leontius's Latin translation of the saint's life. It likely served as a significant source of inspiration for the visual narrative presented on the altar.