DOI article:
Frinta, Mojmír Svatopluk: Some Thought-provoking Musing: Angevino - Luxemburgian - Corvinian
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51730#0085
Before we go into this problém, a few data of
the technical nature can be profitably reviewed.
This large panel (122,2 x 82,2 cm) was made of
linden wood which was used in the late middle
âges in Central Europe but it was previously the
favored material for Byzantine icons.16 Further-
more, another feature námely a linen glued first
onto the panel before the application of the gesso,
belongs to Byzantine tradition. Apparently, the
early Bohemian painters took over both these two
spécifications from the Byzantine tradition. The
third characteristic was the procedure of making
the frame by scooping out the surface of the wood
to be painted on so that the projecting frame is
an integral part of the panel. The early painteres
of the Duecentesque Italy frequently fashioned
their panels in this way, and the procedure was
carried over into the Trecento in the provincial
centers. With this procedure is connected an
additional peculiar treatment of the surface in
which some parts of the image would be in low
relief. This is the case of the raised halo in the
Czçstochowa Madonna.17
Byzantine icons of the Theotokos destined for
the ground level of the iconostasis were of large
size, and the Czçstochowa belongs to this cate-
gory. The conclusion of these considérations is
that this painting originally was an early Italo-
Byzantine icon of which the original prototype
is today lost. By the cumulative evidence of these
archaic features, we are led to a time not later
than the 12th Century. The extraordinary posi-
tion of easy access of the Angevin society in
Hungary to the Adriatic and South Italian artis-
tic tradition may well hâve been instrumental for
bringing an early Madonna panel of this large
size to Central Europe.
Let us return to the face of the Madonna. Her
narrow face exudes a sad melancholy and almost
a morose gloominess which is indeed an unusu-
al psychic message. The prémonition of the ulti-
mate Saviour’s tragédy was very much on the
mind of the Byzantine painters who were striv-
ing for an expression of transcendental sadness
Fig.5 — „Madonna of St. Luke", 12th Century. Bologna,
Santuario della Beata Vergine di S. Luca
not only in the Theotokos image but also the
Saviour and the Saints. This tendency was espe-
cially strong in the images from the eastem Medi-
terranean, from Syria and probably Palestine.
I think that the original image on the Jasna Góra
painting, still reflected in the restoration, be-
longed to the tradition of the Eastern Christia-
nity which found resonance in the art of South
Italy and Adriatic where the Christians from the
Near East sought refuge.
I found an eloquent expression of this ten-
dency in a somber Madonna, called (as many
other icons of the early lineage) „the Madonna
of St. Luke“ and which became the venerated
79
the technical nature can be profitably reviewed.
This large panel (122,2 x 82,2 cm) was made of
linden wood which was used in the late middle
âges in Central Europe but it was previously the
favored material for Byzantine icons.16 Further-
more, another feature námely a linen glued first
onto the panel before the application of the gesso,
belongs to Byzantine tradition. Apparently, the
early Bohemian painters took over both these two
spécifications from the Byzantine tradition. The
third characteristic was the procedure of making
the frame by scooping out the surface of the wood
to be painted on so that the projecting frame is
an integral part of the panel. The early painteres
of the Duecentesque Italy frequently fashioned
their panels in this way, and the procedure was
carried over into the Trecento in the provincial
centers. With this procedure is connected an
additional peculiar treatment of the surface in
which some parts of the image would be in low
relief. This is the case of the raised halo in the
Czçstochowa Madonna.17
Byzantine icons of the Theotokos destined for
the ground level of the iconostasis were of large
size, and the Czçstochowa belongs to this cate-
gory. The conclusion of these considérations is
that this painting originally was an early Italo-
Byzantine icon of which the original prototype
is today lost. By the cumulative evidence of these
archaic features, we are led to a time not later
than the 12th Century. The extraordinary posi-
tion of easy access of the Angevin society in
Hungary to the Adriatic and South Italian artis-
tic tradition may well hâve been instrumental for
bringing an early Madonna panel of this large
size to Central Europe.
Let us return to the face of the Madonna. Her
narrow face exudes a sad melancholy and almost
a morose gloominess which is indeed an unusu-
al psychic message. The prémonition of the ulti-
mate Saviour’s tragédy was very much on the
mind of the Byzantine painters who were striv-
ing for an expression of transcendental sadness
Fig.5 — „Madonna of St. Luke", 12th Century. Bologna,
Santuario della Beata Vergine di S. Luca
not only in the Theotokos image but also the
Saviour and the Saints. This tendency was espe-
cially strong in the images from the eastem Medi-
terranean, from Syria and probably Palestine.
I think that the original image on the Jasna Góra
painting, still reflected in the restoration, be-
longed to the tradition of the Eastern Christia-
nity which found resonance in the art of South
Italy and Adriatic where the Christians from the
Near East sought refuge.
I found an eloquent expression of this ten-
dency in a somber Madonna, called (as many
other icons of the early lineage) „the Madonna
of St. Luke“ and which became the venerated
79