The frontispiece design was contributed by a refugee Polish artist, Arthur Szyk (1894 - 1951), perhaps the greatest modern miniaturist who worked in the technique of illuminated medieval manuscripts. Although Mr. Szyk is best known to the American public through his striking caricatures of the leading characters of the so-called "New Order in Europe," yet among his best works have been those in which he portrayed some of the outstanding personalities in Polish and American history. His inimitable style and technique found an excellent expression in this portrayal of Copernicus, as no other artist could depict so many symbols within so few inches of space with so much meaning.

THE SYMBOLISM

Copernicus is represented here as a churchman and a scholar--more specifically, as astronomer. The chain and cap (with the Jagiellonian white eagle) are academic symbols. In the left hand he holds a device which illustrates one of his astronomical principles of planetary motions, with the sun in the center. In front of him is an enlarged fragment of the Jagiellonian golden globe.

In the upper left-hand corner is Wawel, the Polish Acropolis, with the center of Krakow as it looked in his student days (1491-95). In the upper right-hand corner is the coat-of-arms of the University of Krakow (Unwersitas Cracoyiensis). The Roman numerals (1364-1400) indicate the years when the University was founded and renovated, respectively. On the table are the Holy Bible and the inkwell. Red and white are Polish national colors. The various texts speak for themselves--and their import is also made clear within this monograph. The lantern is such as he used on his observation tower at night.

Within the border design are:

At the bottom, the Polish white eagle of the Jagiellonian period.

In the left, coat-of-arms of Gniezno, the first capital of Poland.

In the right, coat-of-arms of Krakow, the capital of Poland in his student days.

At the top, coat-of-arms of his native city Torun.

From: (insert within) The Kosciuszko Foundation Ball Program 1954