NUGALĖTO PRIEŠO ĮVAIZDIS KARINIŲ PERGALIŲ IŠKILMIŲ METU: MYKOLO KRIČEVSKIO ATVEJIS.

The paper focuses on a little researched cultural aspect in the 16th-17th century Grand Duchy of Lithuania: the function of specific works of art during military triumph celebrations. The image of Michał Krzyczewski, colonel of Bogdan Chmelnicki's army, recorded during the military campaign led by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania field hetman duke Janusz Radziwiłł (Jonušas Radvila) against the rising Cossacks of the Ukraine has been chosen as a starting point. There have been attempts to prove that the portrait of colonel Krzyczewski, who was captured during the Loyev battle (present Belarus) on 31th July 1649 and died in a few days from injuries, was created by Abraham van Westervelt, an artist of Radvila's court, member of his military expedition and chronicler. Referring to formal and iconographic characteristics of the artefact an assumption has been made about the use of analogous works of art and their propagandist character during celebrations of military victories in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 16th-17th century. The paper argues that such a tradition to represent conquered and killed enemies could have formed when the pre-Christian custom to exhibit body parts of conquered enemies, which is mentioned in historical sources, merged with the Renaissance all'antica fashion in the practice of military triumphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]