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A Pair of Early 13Th-Century Moses Icons at Sinai with the Scenes of the Burning Bush and the Receiving of the Law

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A Pair of Early 13Th-Century Moses Icons at Sinai with the Scenes of the Burning Bush and the Receiving of the Law Δελτίον της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας Τομ. 16, 1992 Ένα ζεύγος εικόνων του Μωυσή των αρχών του 13ου αιώνα στο Σινά με τις σκηνές της Καιόμενης Βάτου και της παραλαβής του Νόμου MOURIKI Doula http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/dchae.1066 Copyright © 1992 To cite this article: MOURIKI, D. (1992). Ένα ζεύγος εικόνων του Μωυσή των αρχών του 13ου αιώνα στο Σινά με τις σκηνές της Καιόμενης Βάτου και της παραλαβής του Νόμου. Δελτίον της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας, 16, 171-184. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/dchae.1066 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 17/10/2018 20:53:21 | A Pair of Early 13th-century Moses Icons at Sinai with the Scenes of the Burning Bush and the Receiving of the Law Doula MOURIKI Δελτίον XAE 16 (1991-1992), Περίοδος Δ'. Στη μνήμη του André Grabar (1896-1990)• Σελ. 171-184 ΑΘΗΝΑ 1992 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 17/10/2018 20:53:22 | tDoula Mouriki A PAIR OF EARLY 13th-CENTURY MOSES ICONS AT SINAI WITH THE SCENES OF THE BURNING BUSH AND THE RECEIVING OF THE LAW* 1 he early years of the 13th century represent a high the pair of Early Byzantine mosaic panels with the same point in the history of the icon collection of the Monas­ subjects above the triumphal arch of the sanctuary of tery of St. Catherine at Sinai. Iconographie and stylistic the Basilica7. evidence indicates that a substantial group of large-size The icon illustrating the episode of the Burning Bush icons with a concise subject-matter were produced at the (Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 8) measures 92 cm in height, 64 cm in Monastery during this period in order to highlight its width, and 3 cm in thickness; the border is 5.8 cm wide. importance as a cult center of international renown1. Since almost every one of these panels is a work of art in its own right, and in view of the fact that the large majority were painted, as I believe, at the Monastery by * I wish to entend my thanks to the Monastery of Sinai for permission a restricted group of artists who applied the most pro­ to publish the icons and for the photographic material. gressive trends in Byzantine art of that period, a plausi­ 1. A large number of these icons were published by George and ble hypothesis is that several of these painters arrived at Maria Sotiriou, ΕΙκόνες τής Μονής Σινά, I (Plates), II (Text), Athens 1956, 1958, passim. Some of these icons have, moreover, been Sinai from Constantinople immediately after the cap­ commented upon in the various studies of Kurt Weitzmann on the ture of this city by the Crusaders in 1204. Sinai material. Special mention should be made of his recent article, The group of early 13th-century icons intended to pro­ Icon Programs of the 12th and 13th Centuries at Sinai, ΔΧΑΕ Δ ', IB' mote the cult of the holy figures connected with the (1984), passim. See also D. Mouriki, Icons from the 12th to the 15th history of Sinai includes, among others, numerous pan­ Century, Sinai. Treasures of the Monastery. Ekdotike Athenon, els with images of the Virgin and Child, several histo- Athens 1990, pp. 108-11, 113-14, 115-16. 2. For this icon see Κ. Weitzmann, The Study of Book Illumination, riated panels with portraits of saints such as St. Cathe­ Past, Present, and Future, in K. Weitzmann er al., The Place of rine, St. John the Baptist, St. Nicholas, and St. Pante- Book Illumination in Byzantine Art, Princeton 1975, pp. 24-25, and leimon, panels with portraits of ascetics of the nearby figs. 20-21. Weitzmann, Icon Programs (as in note 1), pp. 97-98, fig. desert such as St. Euthymios, as well as Old Testament 28. D. Mouriki, A Moses Cycle on a Sinai Icon of the Early 13th protagonists of the biblical events which, according to Century, Byzantine East, Latin West: Art Historical Studies in Honor of Kurt Weitzmann (forthcoming). For a color illustration see The tradition, took place at the site of the Monastery; Monastery of St. Catherine at Sinai (published by the monastery), among them the icons with depictions of Moses occupy Glyka Nera Attikis 1985, fig. 137. a distinct place. 3. Sotiriou, ΕΙκόνες (as in note 1), I, fig. 75; II, pp. 89-90. The icon Of the large extant Moses panels from this period (there has often been commented upon by Weitzmann, see, e.g., Icon Pro­ 2 grams (as in note 1), pp. 102-106 (with earlier bibliography). are five), only one, a huge historiated icon , was not 4. M. Chatzidakis, L'évolution de l'icône aux 1 le-13e siècles et la apparently meant to be paired with any other panel. The transformation du templon, Actes du XVe Congrès International d'é­ rest were intended to form pairs, and the best known tudes byzantines, Athènes, septembre 1976, I, Athens 1979, pp. 355- example is the icon depicting Moses in the act of receiv­ 56, pi. XLIV. 18 and 19. The date proposed here is the early 12th ing the Law, with, as companion piece, the masterly century. Mouriki, Icons (as in note 1), p. 110, fig. 35 (in color). Here 3 a dating of the work in the early 13th century has been proposed. icon of Elijah . Moreover, another pair comprises the 5. Sotiriou, ΕΙκόνες, I, fig. 160; II, pp. 140-41. K. Weitzmann, two panels of a sanctuary portal with depictions of The Icon (George Braziller), New York 1978, no. 18 (with color illus­ 4 Moses and Aaron . A different type of pairing concerns tration). Mouriki, Icons (as in note 1), p. 110, fig. 36 (in color). the well-known icon of Moses before the Burning Bush 6. Mouriki, Icons (as in note 1), p. Ill, fig. 37 (in color). (Fig. I)5 and a recently published icon depicting Moses 7. K. Weitzmann, Introduction to the Mosaics and Monumental 6 Painting, in G. H. Forsyth and K. Weitzmann, The Monastery of in the act of receiving the Law (Fig. 2) . These icons are Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai. The Church and Fortress of Justini­ the only such pair among the Sinai portable icons from an, Ann Arbor (n.d.) [1973], p. 15, pis. CXXVI-CXXVII, CLXXIV, the Byzantine period and constitute the only parallel to CLXXXII-CLXXXIII. 171 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 17/10/2018 20:53:22 | DOULA MOURIKI Κ I g» m/ Ss . „T-— Fi£. /. 5/na/. Monastery of St. Catherine. Icon. Moses and the Burning Bush. 172 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 17/10/2018 20:53:22 | A PAIR OF EARLY 13th-CENTURY MOSES ICONS AT SINAI Fig. 2. Sinai. Monastery of St. Catherine. Icon. Moses Receiving the Tablets of the Law. 173 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 17/10/2018 20:53:22 | DOULA MOURIKI Fig. 3. Moses and the Burning Bush. Detail. The panel consists of two boards of heavy wood, each burning bush. He is loosening the black sandal of his being 27 and 35.6 cm wide. Two strips of wood (approx­ left foot placed on a rock; the discarded sandal of the imately 2 cm in height) were added in order to reinforce right foot is on the ground. The prophet is fully aware of the panel at the top and bottom. The paint is laid on the Theophany he is witnessing, as revealed by his deep- canvas. The back of the panel is stuccoed and painted in set eyes which express utmost concentration. He is a red brown. In the upper right section of the gold back­ well-proportioned figure exuding vigor and innocence ground, an almost totally obliterated inscription repro­ which conform to his young age. Moses wears a light duces the relevant biblical passage in capital letters. A blue chiton in three tones, highlighted in white. The few words of Exodus 3: 4, [Ε]ΚΑΛΕΣΕΝ ΑΥΤΟΝ [ΚΥΡΙ­ clavi are in deep pink. His himation changes in color ΟΣ ΕΚ Τ]ΟΥ ΒΑΤΟΥ [ΛΕ]ΓΟΝ ΜΩΣΗ [Ο Δ]Ε ΕΙΠΕΝ ΤΙ from deep pink in three tones to white as if it were Ε[ΣΤΙΝ; Ο ΔΕ ΕΙ]ΠΕΝ ΜΙ..., can be deciphered8. At the affected by the reflection of the fire of the bush. Al­ bottom left corner of the border, extending also onto though light blue for the chiton and pink for the hima­ the lower strip, the depiction of a tiny prostrate donor tion are the traditional colors for Moses9, in this case wearing a turban is included (Fig. 8). the deep pink of the drapery harmonizes in a fantastic Moses is represented turning to the right and facing the way with the fiery bush in front of the prophet. The 174 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 17/10/2018 20:53:22 | A PAIR OF EARLY 13th-CENTURY MOSES ICONS AT SINAI Fig. 4. Moses Receiving the Tablets of the Law. Detail. folds of the white surfaces of Moses' himation are indi­ hands, and feet. The hair is short and blond, modulated cated by light blue, and its contour in the central area is with brushstrokes in ochre and light brown, as well as enlivened by double white dots. Black is used occasion­ dark brown for the ends at the nape of the neck and for ally to outline the drapery where it is necessary to dis­ the contours. The soft painterly modeling endows the tinguish the forms more clearly.
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