DOI Heft:
No. 4
DOI Artikel:Ratkowska, Paulina: An East Christian diptych with the Heortological Cycle
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17160#0123
'• The Warsaw diptych, detail of the fig. 8 24. The Berlin ivory, detail of the fig. 22
Antiquity, customs (in the Last Supper St Peter takes place in sinistro ćórnu, the place of
the second in dignity convivialist at the sigma*3; in the Harroioing of Heli and in the Doubting
of Thomas Christ takes the wrist of Adam and Thomas with the old protecting gesture of a
triumphant Emperor44; in the Mesopenłecost the adolescents are separated from the eldcrs,
listening to the Teaching of Jesus from the gallery of the Tempie45).
The similar predilection for the Eastern iconographical types is seen in the Christological
scenes of the Chainbery diptych, on which — apart from the scenes closely corresponding to
those of our piece — also the amplified Crucifixion and the Transfiguration as well as the Healing
of the Blind man and the Healing of Peter's Mother-in-law show their Eastern origins46. The
„patrician" type of St George as represented on the Chainbery diptych early spread, as My-
slivec stated, in Georgian art47. The present writer was incapable to investigate whether the
saints of the mcdallions of the Chambery right obverse, e.g. Akyndinos and Patapios, are rela-
ted by their cult with any particular region of the Empire more than with the others.
While to represent the majority of the scenes the carver used old iconographical formulas,
the redaction of the Entry into Jeruzalem, the Last Supper and the Marys at the Sepulchre belongs
to the developed Mid-Byzantine icrmography. The lowered head of the ass in the Entry in-
to Jerusalem and the tree, conceived as the palm, are the features unknown before Xth —
XIth ccntury48 as well as the sitting attitude of convivialists in the Last Supper1'. In the scenę
of the Marys at the Sepulchre the Angel is pointing to the empty cavity, with bandages and
sudarium in it, with the characteristic Mid-Byzantine gesture of the lowered right arm, which
crosses the body. His stretched out right wing is contrasted with the yertical left50.
43. G. Millet, op. cif., L. III, ch. I, p. 293.
44. J. VUlette, op. cit., p. 89 — 106.
45. On the custom of the separation of persona less worthy of participation in a holy event see M.L. Wratisla\v-Mitovic
and N. Ocunev, ,,La Dormition de la Ste Vierge dans la peinture medievale orthodoxe", Byzantinoslayica, III, 1931,
p. 134 sq; p. 144.
46. G. Millet, op. cii, L. III, oh. VII, p. 400-407; L. II, ch. IV, p. 219-222; L. IV, ch. lf, p. 672-673; L. IV, ch. I,
p. 599.
47. Myslivec, „Svaty Jiri ve vychodo-krcstianskem umeni", Byiantihoslamca, V, 1933/34, p. 305 — 375, p. 372.
48. G. Millet, op. cit. L. II, ch. VI, p. 257. On the Chambery diptych the symmetrical XAIPETE also belongs to the
Mid-Byzantine iconographic redaction, while its title reflects the earlier phase of the devclopment of the theme,
G. Millet, op. cii,. L. III, ch. XI, p. 540-546.
49. G. Millet, op. cit. L. III, ch. I, p. 290; Morey, „Notes", op. cit. p. 83.
50. G. Millet, op. cii. L. III, ch. IX, 1, p. 519-20; CH. Ii. Morey, „Notes", op. cii., p. 69.
109
Antiquity, customs (in the Last Supper St Peter takes place in sinistro ćórnu, the place of
the second in dignity convivialist at the sigma*3; in the Harroioing of Heli and in the Doubting
of Thomas Christ takes the wrist of Adam and Thomas with the old protecting gesture of a
triumphant Emperor44; in the Mesopenłecost the adolescents are separated from the eldcrs,
listening to the Teaching of Jesus from the gallery of the Tempie45).
The similar predilection for the Eastern iconographical types is seen in the Christological
scenes of the Chainbery diptych, on which — apart from the scenes closely corresponding to
those of our piece — also the amplified Crucifixion and the Transfiguration as well as the Healing
of the Blind man and the Healing of Peter's Mother-in-law show their Eastern origins46. The
„patrician" type of St George as represented on the Chainbery diptych early spread, as My-
slivec stated, in Georgian art47. The present writer was incapable to investigate whether the
saints of the mcdallions of the Chambery right obverse, e.g. Akyndinos and Patapios, are rela-
ted by their cult with any particular region of the Empire more than with the others.
While to represent the majority of the scenes the carver used old iconographical formulas,
the redaction of the Entry into Jeruzalem, the Last Supper and the Marys at the Sepulchre belongs
to the developed Mid-Byzantine icrmography. The lowered head of the ass in the Entry in-
to Jerusalem and the tree, conceived as the palm, are the features unknown before Xth —
XIth ccntury48 as well as the sitting attitude of convivialists in the Last Supper1'. In the scenę
of the Marys at the Sepulchre the Angel is pointing to the empty cavity, with bandages and
sudarium in it, with the characteristic Mid-Byzantine gesture of the lowered right arm, which
crosses the body. His stretched out right wing is contrasted with the yertical left50.
43. G. Millet, op. cif., L. III, ch. I, p. 293.
44. J. VUlette, op. cit., p. 89 — 106.
45. On the custom of the separation of persona less worthy of participation in a holy event see M.L. Wratisla\v-Mitovic
and N. Ocunev, ,,La Dormition de la Ste Vierge dans la peinture medievale orthodoxe", Byzantinoslayica, III, 1931,
p. 134 sq; p. 144.
46. G. Millet, op. cii, L. III, oh. VII, p. 400-407; L. II, ch. IV, p. 219-222; L. IV, ch. lf, p. 672-673; L. IV, ch. I,
p. 599.
47. Myslivec, „Svaty Jiri ve vychodo-krcstianskem umeni", Byiantihoslamca, V, 1933/34, p. 305 — 375, p. 372.
48. G. Millet, op. cit. L. II, ch. VI, p. 257. On the Chambery diptych the symmetrical XAIPETE also belongs to the
Mid-Byzantine iconographic redaction, while its title reflects the earlier phase of the devclopment of the theme,
G. Millet, op. cii,. L. III, ch. XI, p. 540-546.
49. G. Millet, op. cit. L. III, ch. I, p. 290; Morey, „Notes", op. cit. p. 83.
50. G. Millet, op. cii. L. III, ch. IX, 1, p. 519-20; CH. Ii. Morey, „Notes", op. cii., p. 69.
109