Abstract

Fresh analysis of the great seal of Queen Jadwiga of Poland leads to new interpretation. From study of the seal’s figurative components and comparison with other important royal and princely seals from the second half of the fourteenth century, we can deduce that the artist who designed this seal intended to evoke an imaginative yet realistic elevation of a sacred architecture as seen from inside. This architecture is structured into five perspectival sections, with the lateral wings unfolding almost like in a foldable polyptych. Thus, the viewer’s perception is that of being in front of a precious box that, when opened, reveals its treasures within.