Each of the artefacts mentioned in the title is an exemplification of products of the anthropological “Other”. Each of them comes from a distinct geographical region and represents an entirely different culture. However, all of them have been connected together in the Western culture realia as a result of a particular type of displacements. The first displacement involved their physical migration – first to European museums of natural history and ethnological museums. The next one resulted in their emergence on the market of exotic “oddities” whereas yet another displacement located them within the conceptual framework delimited by the artistic discourse. This last displacement shows that it is very difficult to understand or “translate” one culture into another because the conceptual framework of the “translator” is always determined by their own culture.

Inclusions of socio-political matters and matters considered in terms of outlook in the medieval art history research. Case studies

Medieval art frequently had political functions. After depicting the scope of political aspects and an example of political thoughts in Ottonian illuminated manuscripts there is an analysis of perspectives on medieval art. For example, point of view at Romanesque architecture can be marked in terms of outlook typical for a particular period. All the more important is the large-scale recent research on Romanesque architecture in Poland. There are attempts at demythologization of art and attempts to free the approach to art from ideology. Two different examples of well-known Gothic equestrian statues were discussed. Approaches to both sculptures and reception of them became politicized. The aim of discussions in this article was to point the political aspects in approach to works of art and in analyses of them. One of the conclusions is that the changing within the space of time political factor should be in many cases taken into consideration. In addition to that, the works of art should always be treated first of all as aesthetic, artistic objects.