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The Frescoes of the Church of the Holy Archangels at Zemo-Krichi, Rača (Georgia) and the Contemporary Monuments on Mani in Southern Greece

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The Frescoes of the Church of the Holy Archangels at Zemo-Krichi, Rača (Georgia) and the Contemporary Monuments on Mani in Southern Greece Δελτίον της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας Τομ. 17, 1994 Οι τοιχογραφίες της εκκλησίας των Αγίων Αρχαγγέλων στο Zemo-Krichi, Rača (Γεωργία) και τα σύγχρονά τους μνημεία στη Μάνη στη νότια Ελλάδα CONSTANTINIDES Efthalia http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/dchae.1103 Copyright © 1994 To cite this article: CONSTANTINIDES, E. (1994). Οι τοιχογραφίες της εκκλησίας των Αγίων Αρχαγγέλων στο Zemo-Krichi, Rača (Γεωργία) και τα σύγχρονά τους μνημεία στη Μάνη στη νότια Ελλάδα. Δελτίον της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας, 17, 181-192. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/dchae.1103 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 26/11/2018 14:26:36 | The Frescoes of the Church of the Holy Archangels at Zemo-Krichi, Rača (Georgia) and the Contemporary Monuments on Mani in Southern Greece Efthalia CONSTANTINIDES Δελτίον XAE 17 (1993-1994), Περίοδος Δ'. Στη μνήμη της Ντούλας Μουρίκη (1934-1991)• Σελ. 181-192 ΑΘΗΝΑ 1994 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 26/11/2018 14:26:36 | Efthalia C. Constantinides THE FRESCOES OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY ARCHANGELS AT ZEMO-KRICHI, RACA (GEORGIA) AND THE CONTEMPORARY MONUMENTS ON MANI IN SOUTHERN GREECE J. he destruction through the centuries of countless lengthy inscription written in minuscule letters. This lat­ medieval Christian monuments in eastern Europe and er paleography was indentified by Mrs. Virsalâdze as Asia Minor has enhanced the study of Georgian monu­ belonging to the thirteenth or fourteenth century. Dur­ mental decorations leading to a more comprehensive ing the nineteenth century, the church was enlarged and view of the diffusion of Byzantine art from the tenth to the original west wall was demolished along with its the fifteenth century1. The continual dissemination of frescoes. Besides this loss, considerable damage also oc- Constantinopolitan workmanship to cultural centers cured due to weather conditions. Although neither the within Byzantium, Georgia and other neighbouring Deesis (Fig. 3) nor the remaining six scenes of the states served to aquaint the native artists of these re­ Dodecaorton were intact, many of the single figures gions with contemporary developments which in Geor­ were well preserved before the earthquake. gia were often also adjoined to early art forms of Pales­ The main characteristics of the style were the linear and tinian origin. rhythmic elements of the figures in the extant scenes as The single aisled basilican church of the Holy Archan­ in the Annunciation (Fig. 5), the Raising of Lazarus gels, situated in the cemetery of the village of Zemo- (Fig. 7), the Crucifixion, the Anastasis and the Ascen­ Krichi in the province of Raca bordering upon the sion, as well as single figures in antique garb. Moreover Caucasian mountains belongs to this latter category. a lavish decoration, both painted and/or in relief, Three years heretofore this important medieval monu­ framed the compositions, adorned some of the single ment of the late tenth century suffered irreparable dam­ figures (Fig. 18) and ornamented the architecture (Fig. age during a violent earthquake. Doula Mouriki and I 2). The figures such as the Angel facing the Donors (Fig. had visited the church of the Holy Archangels during 4) on the lower register of the north wall, the archangel our stay in Georgia in 1980, and the present article con­ Gabriel in the scene of the Annunciation on the upper stitutes the topic of a paper read at the 4th International register of the east wall (Fig. 5), the enthroned Deesis Georgian Art-Historical Congress in Tbilisi (1983). Christ in the conch of the apse with the Virgin and St. 4 Professor Vakhtang Tsintsadze who studied the archi­ John the Baptist (Fig. 3) , and the prophet Isaiah ex- tecture and sculpture of the church of the Holy Archan­ gels indentified it as an architectural form typical of the region of Raca as well as of the neighbouring province 1. For Georgian art see A. Taylor, Georgian Art and Architecture, of Svaneti (Fig. I)2. Its south portico (Fig. 2) was estab­ and the related bibliography in: The Oxford Dictionary of Byzanti­ lished as being a later addition, constructed during the um, I-III, New York-Oxford 1991, III, p. 841-843; N. Thierry, Pein­ second quarter of the eleventh century. It is in this peri­ tures d'Asie Mineure et de Transcaucasie au Xe et Xle siècle (Vario­ rum Reprints), London 1977. od that the entire mural decoration is said to have been 2. R. Mepisashvili, V. Tsintsadze, The Arts of Ancient Geor­ executed. This dating was also sustained by the discov­ gia, Leipzig 1977, London 1979. For Zemo-Krichi, ibid., p. 117-119 ery of an earlier painted layer of graphic decoration and plan h, figs p. 166-168 and p. 230-231. For Svaneti, ibid., p. 8, which had been applied only to the walls of the sanctu­ 14, 45, 117, 229, 230-231, 275; V. Beridze, G. Alibegasvili, A. ary. The mural painting of the church of the Holy Ar­ Volskaya, L. Xuskivadze, The Treasures of Georgia, Milan 1983, London 1984. For Zemo-Krichi, ibid., p. and figs 71-73 and p. changels was examined by Mrs. Tina Virsalâdze and 90. For Svaneti, ibid., p. 6, 49, 59, 64-65, 74-78, 84-90, 101-106, and first published in 1963. The author dated the extant passim. frescoes to the second quarter of the eleventh century on 3. T. B. Virsalâdze, Freskovaia rospis ν cerkvi archangelov sela the basis of the iconography and style, and the magis- Zemo Krixi, Ars Georgica 6 (1963), p. 107-166 (French summary). cule lettering of the inscriptions3. 4. T. Ve I mans, L'image de la Deisis en Geòrgie, CahArch 29(1980- 1981), p. 47-102 and η. 3. For Zemo-Krichi, ibid., p. 69f, figs 14-16 and Mrs. Virsalâdze detected that some of the eleventh-cen­ plan 15. For Svaneti, ibid., p. 59-92 passim, figs 3-7, 12-13, 17, 20-26, tury frescoes at Zemo-Krichi had been restored at an 31-37, 40; idem, La koine grecque et les régions périphériques early date, as for example the archangel Michael in the orientales du monde byzantin, XVI. Internationaler Byzantinisten- sanctuary (Fig. 3), parts of the Donors' figures (Fig. 4) kongress, Akten 1/2, Vienna 1981, p. 677-723, figs 1-30. The Deesis and a section of St. John's himation in the Crucifixion theme, in the church at Zemo-Krichi, which is combined with a Cherubim and Seraphim portrayed respectively on either side of the scene. This was attributed by her to a local painter enthroned Christ and the Prophet Isaiah confirms the inclusion of the whose name, Choubinadzé, is partially preserved in a Prophetic Vision. 181 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 26/11/2018 14:26:36 | EFTHALIA C. CONSTANTINIDES pounding his vision with his open scroll, on the north side of east wall, clearly display the lack of interest of the artist in the organic rendering of the human body. The two archangels Michael and Gabriel which are de­ picted on the barrel vault of the sanctuary exemplify this feature (Fig. 3). Another characteristic is the ample drapery with thick vertical folds highlighted by vigorous convolutions which generate an impression of movement. This can be observed for example in the rendering of the himation of the Angel facing the Donors (Fig. 6), the Deesis Christ (Fig. 9), and the apostle with Christ only partially preserved in the scene of the Raising of Lazarus on the east wall (Fig. 7). These figures are in sharp contrast with the portraits of the bishops on the lower register of Fig. I. Zemo-Krichi. The church of the Holy Archangels from Fig. 2. The south portico. the southeast. the sanctuary below the enthroned Christ (Fig. 11). ticular integration of colour tonalities was noticeable in Their hieratic immobility is stressed by the flatness of the treatment of the faces. The wide cheek bones, square their ornate vestments which encapsulate their tall full jaws, and the mask-like expression were made less aus­ length figures. Lastly, four female saints and the four tere by the meaningful side glances. Rouge spots were Donors were represented in formal costumes. The fe­ applied to the cheeks of the female saints and special male figures in court attire were depicted in pairs on the emphasis was given to ornament. Brightly painted floral lower register of the east wall on either side of the sanc­ and vegetal motifs embellished St. Barbara's garments tuary; St. Barbara and St. Catherine on the left (Figs 13 and adorned the adjacent female portraits (Figs 13, 16 and 16), St. Irene (Fig. 18) and St. Helen on the right. and 18). Excepting St. Barbara they all wore bejewelled crowns. The stately figures of four Donors advancing towards Furthermore, the only full length figure was that of St. the majestic Angel (Fig. 4) allows us to know something Catherine in imperial dress. about the patronage of the church. Although it cannot The dominant colours for the figures were ochre, red be determined whether the first Donor held a model of brown, black and grey on a blue background. The most the church, it can be assumed that the portraits do not conservative approach from the point of view of colour represent the original ktitors but those who financed the was reserved for the bishops, deacons and stylites, eleventh-century mural decoration and the construction painted only in grey, ochre and brown. of the south portico (Fig. 2). Their tunics decorated with The modelling of the faces was produced in ochre and gold ornamentations, the cone caps and the Georgian- olive-green with darker shades for the contours.
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