Classicisation or representation? Mimesis in Byzantine pictorial arts as a derivative of style Piotr Ł. Grotowski* The Pontifical University of John Paul II in Cracow, Institute of History of Art and Culture UDC 75.04.01:75.033.2 DOI 10.2298/ZOG1337023G Оригиналан научни рад The idea of mimesis in art theory has been neglected by Byz- art historians are either focused on the relationship be- antine scholars. Reasons for this may lie in the fact that the tween devotional practices, liturgy and ceremonials, or on understanding of the term in Byzantium was very complex Christian motifs depicted in art as a catalyst in ritualised and that it changed over time. In the Early Byzantine period and the so-called Macedonian Renaissance, a tendency to use re-enactment of biblical events and other imitative ac- tonal modelling, which was inherited from ancient Greco-Ro- tions, or even as a support in contemplation. man art, can still be observed. Starting in the late tenth cen- The term was introduced more than twenty years tury they give way to a more linear style. Simultaneously, a ago by Gary Vikan in his study on pilgrimage art. Vikan change in the understanding of mimesis in theological writings demonstrated that influences operated in both directions: can also be observed. The aim of this paper is to introduce the while ceremonies such as the Triumphal Entry were mod- problem of a mimetic approach in visual arts as a phenom- elled after iconography, the imagery on the works of pil- enon in Byzantine culture. grimage art, such as ampullae, tokens and jewellery, di- Keywords: mimesis, Byzantine aesthetics, veracity, simu- verges from the Gospel account of the event in favour of lacrum, affinity, theory of images a setting known to travellers from their own experience and popular beliefs.3 His observations were accepted by The concept of mimesis as a phenomenon in Byz- Gleen Peers4 and they inspired Elisabeth S. Bolman to an- antine civilization has so far been mainly investigated by alyse the frescoes on the walls of a monk’s cell at the Apa literary historians. They commonly use the term to refer Jeremiah monastery in Saqqara (sixth to eighth century); to such practices as the repetition of style and even con- according to her, they were meant to assist hermits in the tent1 rather than using it in its antique meaning, which process of assimilation to Christ.5 Monumental paintings is related to the method of depicting nature.2 In turn, were discussed by William Tronzo, who noticed a mimetic correspondence between rituals celebrated within monas- * e-mail: [email protected] tic churches (washing of the feet by the abbot, Baptism An earlier version of this paper was presented at The Second and the Holy Communion) and scenes chosen to decorate Cracow Symposium on Byzantine Art and Archaeology, September them in the katholika of Hosios Loukas, Nea Moni and 5–7, 2012, under the title Μίμησις in Byzantine Art: Classical, Realistic Daphni, as well as with the function of the proskynetaria or Imitative? I owe my gratitude to Mrs. Milica Ševkušić, who signifi- icons. It led him to the conclusion that liturgical ceremo- cantly improved the English language of the paper. 1 nies followed in form the images on the walls that sur- Cf. e.g. H. Hunger, On the Imitation (Mimesis) of Antiquity rounded the space where they took place.6 In turn, in his in Byzantine Literature, DOP 23–24 (1969–1970) 15–38; I. Nilsson, Erotic Pathos, Rhetorical Pleasure. Narrative Technique and Mimesis in Eumathios Makrembolites’ “Hysmine & Hysminias”, Uppsala 2001; cf. e.g. S. Juan-Navarro, The Power of “Mimesis” and the “Mimesis” of L. Pernot, Mimêsis, rhétorique et politique dans l’essai de Théodore Power: Plato’s Concept of Imitation and His Judgment on the Value of Po- Métochite sur Démosthène et Aelius Aristide, in: Spirito e forme nella etry and the Arts, Studium: Revista de humanidades 13 (2007) 97–108. 3 letteratura bizantina, ed. A. Garzya, Napoli 2006, 107–119. Cf. also G. Vikan, Pilgrims in Magi’s Clothing: The Impact of Mime- materials of the philological conference held in Vienna in 2008: Imi- sis on Early Byzantine Pilgrimage Art, in: The Blessings of Pilgrimage, tatio, aemulatio, variatio: Akten des internationalen wissenschaftli- ed. R. Ousterhout, Urbana – Chicago 1990, 97–107. chen Symposions zur byzantinischen Sprache und Literatur (Wien, 4 G. Peers, Sacred Shock: Framing Visual Experience in By- 22.–25. Oktober 2008), eds. A. Rhoby, E. Schiffer, Wien 2010 (esp. zantium, University Park 2004, 40–44. cf. D. R. Reinsch, Der Autor ist tot – es lebe der Leser Zur Neubewer- 5 E. S. Bolman, Mimesis, Metamorphosis and Representation tung der imitatio in der byzantinischen Geschichtsschreibung, 23–32, in Coptic Monastic Cells, Bulletin of the American Society of Papyro- for definitions). logists 35 (1998) 65–77, pls. 1–7; eadem, Joining the Community of 2 For the ancient idea of mimesis as the reflection of reality cf., Saints: Monastic Paintings and Ascetic Practice in Early Christian Egypt, e.g., Plato’s Republic, books III and esp. X (imitations as copies of Pla- in: Shaping Community. The Art and Archaeology of Monasticism, ed. tonic ideas): Plato. Republic, I–II, ed. Chr. Emlyn-Jones, W. Preddy, S. McNally, (2001) 41–56; eadem, Depicting the Kingdom of Heaven: Cambridge 2013, 1, 248, 423 sqq; in the context of art, cf. Pliny the Elder, Paintings and Monastic Practice in Early Byzantine Egypt, in: Egypt Natural History, XXXV 65–67; cf. Pliny, Natural History, transl. H. Rack- in the Byzantine World, 300–700, ed. R. S. Bagnall, Cambridge, 2007, ham, Cambridge – London 1984, 308–310) on the competitions between 408–433 (esp. 414–424). Zeuxis and Parrhasius (and ibid. § 68–72, 310–312 on the contour line 6 W. Tr o n z o, Mimesis in Byzantium: Notes toward a His- style of the latter). For the different levels of mimesis in Plato’s writings tory of the Function of the Image, RES: Anthropology and Aesthetics 23 ЗОГРАФ 37 (2013) [23–36] commentary to the facsimile edition of the Theodore Psal- sense established in antique considerations on aesthetics, ter (Brit. Add. 19352; 1066 A.D.), Charles Barber explained though he further noted that it was impossible to depict the presence of the image of Theodore the Studite on page supernatural beings that had no form by means of figures 192r in the scene of the investiture of the abbot’s stick as (II 7,7).11 A greater degree of scepticism was expressed a sign of mimetic economy that demanded of subsequent by Lactantius (Divinarum Institutionum Liber II ‘De Orig- abbots to imitate their great predecessor.7 Finally, Henry ine Erroris’ 2, 6–10), who deemed depictions justified Maguire recently used the term mimesis in his study on lit- only in the case when the original object was not present; erary metaphors taken from the natural world in artistic accordingly, in the case of omnipresent God there is no representations of the Holy Virgin.8 need for them.12 A less firm attitude can be observed in There is the impression that the authors of the Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite’s Neo-Platonist work above-mentioned studies avoid a verbatim definition of The Celestial Hierarchy (I 3). According to him the spir- mimesis as a stylistic feature in favour of its metaphorical itual hierarchy can be imitated by means of material art understanding. The term is assumed to designate some- because this is the only way acceptable for our senses.13 thing beyond the object of art, related rather to worshi- Theodore the Studite referred to this opinion in his let- pers’ reception than to the style of a picture. To the best ter to his uncle, abbot Plato.14 In his writings, especially of our knowledge, no attempt has been made to explore those addressed to iconoclasts, he adopted the Iconophile mimetic values as an immanent feature of an object of art, distinction between the essence of being (οὐσία) and its i.e. as being an element of its style.9 Such an attitude sur- external manifestation (ὅμοιος). Due to this, he was able prises, especially if we keep in mind that the antique un- to eliminate the factor of any accidental lack of resem- derstanding of the word was closely tied to the represen- blance, caused by artists’ insufficient skills. In the third tation of the natural world in art.10 However, this can be chapter of his anti-iconoclastic treatise he wrote: Even if explained by the changes in thoughts on art that occurred we grant that the image does not have the same form as the in late antiquity. prototype because of insufficient artistic skill, still our ar- Christian authors did not present a coherent at- gument would not be invalid. For veneration is given to the titude towards the veracity of an image. In his polem- image not insofar as it falls short of similarity, but insofar ics with the Gnostics (Contra haereses II 7,2), Irenaeus of as it resembles its prototype.15 of Lyon still referred to the category of similarity in the This theoretical shift towards the imitative func- tion of art corresponded to a change in methods used by 25 (Spring 1994) 61–76. A similar understanding of the term in the Christian artists – i.e. the Pictographic Style observed by context of depictions on ecclesiastical vestments and liturgical actions Ernst H. Gombrich in the early art of the Christian pe- is presented in W. T. Woodfin, The Embodied Icon. Liturgical Vest- riod.16 Both phenomena seem to be rooted in the belief ments and Sacramental Power in Byzantium, Oxford 2012, 98–102.