Among its collections, the Kórnik Castle holds a unique treat for all fans of antiquity. Among many artefacts which have been bought by the owners of the Castle (primarily the families of Górkas and Działyńskis) over the decades we can find… a Pompeian mosaic!
A round depiction of a black dog, so popular in the ancient times, is currently presented on a round table and covered with glass. It lack the inscription “Cave canem” and we can only see the dog on the chain, aggressively baring its teeth. In the Ancient Rome similar pictures were put in the entryways of the houses and they were as popular as the contemporary signs “Beware of the dog!”.
The mosaic was purchased by Jan Działyński (1829-1880) during one of his trip to Italy. Unfortunately, we do not know any details of the purchase. At the beginning the mosaic was presented in the Museum Hall on the first floor of the Castle (today it is the Moor Hall, or Sala Mauretańska); in the interwar period the mosaic was used to cover the hole in the parquet floor in the first floor hall. After the Second World War the mosaic was displayed on the round table where we can see it today.
The mosaic is one of very few Ancient Roman artefacts we can find in Polish museums.
