190 SZLACHTA
paint the splendours of a Radziwill; it is another to imply that partial glimpses
are somehow representative of the whole.^38
The nobleman's residence was the public advertisement of his rank and for-
tune. Whether hovel or palace, it was easily distinguished from the homes of his
non-noble neighbours - by the provision of the obligatory porch, courtyard, and
gateway: by the display of ornamentation incorporating the owner's coat of
arms, and by the characteristic luxury of the internal furnishings. The typical
country manor or dwor consisted of a long, one-storied timber construction,
with high, steep roof and low eaves, and was surrounded by domestic outbuild-
ings of similar profile. The tradition of building in wood was pursued even by
wealthy noblemen whose magnificent pine or oaken houses, covered in intricate
carving, constituted such notorious fire risks. As the Papal Nuncio, Malaspina,
once remarked, he had never seen 'such beautiful stacks of fire-wood'. Stone
was customarily reserved for fortifications which often took the form of separ-
ate bastions or enclosures set apart from the regular residence. Stone castles of
medieval vintage were to be found throughout Poland and Lithuania, but espe-
cially in western and northern areas which came under German influence.
Examples still stand at Bolkow (Bolkenhain) in Silesia, at Czorstyn on the
Dunajec, and at Czersk and Ciechanow in Mazovia. The latest, and perhaps
the finest castle of all, the fortified pentagon at Krzyztopor constructed for the
Ossolinskis, was never inhabited. Completed in 1644, it was burned by the
invading Swedes eleven years later, and left as an imposing ruin from that day
to this. To the modern eye the happiest blend of styles occurred in Poland
during the Renaissance period when the strength of turrets, battlements, and
crenellations was complemented by the elegance of cupolas, arcades, and roofs,
and by the exquisite details in the architraves of windows and doors, and
sculpted medallions and mouldings. Although modest in size, the palaces of the
Leszczynski at Baranow and of the Krasicki at Krasiczyn are gems of their kind.
In the eighteenth century, the more grandiose follies of aristocratic builders,
each aspiring to his own Versailles, reflected foreign rather than native taste.
Scattered throughout the broad Polish countryside, and surrounded by the
thatched and wattled homesteads of their less affluent noble brothers, the
Branicki at Bialystok, the Oginski at Slonim, the Poniatowski at Jablonna, and
above all the Czartoryski at Pulawy, raised lasting monuments to the social
supremacy of the magnatial oligarchy.
Internal furnishings were not merely functional. The massive willow table, a
few green-painted benches, a cupboard, a chest of drawers, a bed, and the fam-
ily chest were often the only items of furniture. Windows of green glass, or more
frequently of waxed canvas, kept out the weather; a candelabra of brass or horn
hung from the carved ceiling; and a huge stove of rough earthenware, or even of
porcelain or alabaster, provided warmth in winter. The decorations however,
were elaborate. The walls were covered with tapestries, rugs, and gaudy Italian
coltrine. Persian and Turkish carpets were highly prized. Ancient weapons and
hunting trophies hung in places of honour to stress the noble virtues. In rich