DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27365#0065
v!EM.S Of 77//- DOMED CRO.Sf
53
pictorial system that was immediately perceived on entering the church. The centre of
both compositions was occupied by the Old Testament aitar covered with the
ciborium. The very same aitar with a ciborium is also shown in the centre of the
"Communion of the Apostles" below the throne of the Mother of God in the conch.
There, however, it is already in the temple of the celestial Jerusalem. The three related
images of the altar visually embodied the idea of the continuity of the church of the
New Covenant, the triumph of which had been prepared by all the preceding worship
of the Lord. This pictorial scheme firmly linked the Virgin cycle and the Christological
cycle in the arms of the domed cross with the compositions in the altar apse, ft
emphasised the wholeness of the iconographic programme which gave a liturgical
interpretation of the history of mankind's salvation.
77/e P&RMOM scenes
The number of great festivals in the murals at Akhtala was not limited to the scenes
we have examined in the south cross arm. There were probably several compositions
on the slopes of the north arm's vault but not even fragments of them now remain.
The Passion cycle directly adjoined the great festivals in the north arm, beginning with
the three scenes in the second tier of the north wall. Episodes from the trial of Christ
are depicted that closely adhere to the Gospel account: "Christ before Annas and
Caiaphas", "Christ before Pilate" and "Christ being led to Golgotha". The central scene
where Christ stands before Pilate, who is washing his hands, has been completely
preserved. In the Srst scene the Jewish high priests, seated behind a table, can still be
clearly seen; the standing figure of Christ and the servant in the left hand side of the
picture who is striking him have been extensively damaged. AH that remains of the
third scene is the slightly bowed figure of Christ with bound hands and before him the
soldier leading him by a rope to Golgotha; Simon of Cyrene, carrying the cross, has
almost completely disappeared.
The unusual selection of scenes in this cycle deserves our attention. It is the scenes
immediately preceding the Crucifixion that have been depicted in Akhtala and
separately located on the north wall. Possibly the author wished to specially emphasise
the liturgical theme of preparation for sacrifice: the proff/asA chapel where this theme
was usually portrayed,, we should recall, was not decorated in Akhtala.
The subject is most vividly embodied in the centra! composition "Christ before
Pilate"9i. Christ was compared to the lamb brought as a sacrifice. This analogy is
made in the Gospel itself where the words "it was the eve of Passover" (John 19:14)
symbolically specify the time of Christ's trial. Pilate's gesture in washing his hands also
has obvious liturgical associations since it forms part of the ritual in preparing the
sacraments. The prayer which the priest reads in the /z/*o//?cV.s' chapel after the washing
of hands establishes the inner link between the trial in the gospels and the liturgical
mystery, and this intensifies the reference to the sacrifice on the cross which
immediately follows the prayer in the liturgy. This liturgical interpretation was also
^ * The basic iconographic variants of the composition are anaiysed in S. Radojcic, "The Judgment
of Piiate in Byzantine art of the eariy 14th century", t/zor/ i de/a rta/d; .srpy/h/i ametn/Aa, Beograd. 1975,
PP- 211-236.
53
pictorial system that was immediately perceived on entering the church. The centre of
both compositions was occupied by the Old Testament aitar covered with the
ciborium. The very same aitar with a ciborium is also shown in the centre of the
"Communion of the Apostles" below the throne of the Mother of God in the conch.
There, however, it is already in the temple of the celestial Jerusalem. The three related
images of the altar visually embodied the idea of the continuity of the church of the
New Covenant, the triumph of which had been prepared by all the preceding worship
of the Lord. This pictorial scheme firmly linked the Virgin cycle and the Christological
cycle in the arms of the domed cross with the compositions in the altar apse, ft
emphasised the wholeness of the iconographic programme which gave a liturgical
interpretation of the history of mankind's salvation.
77/e P&RMOM scenes
The number of great festivals in the murals at Akhtala was not limited to the scenes
we have examined in the south cross arm. There were probably several compositions
on the slopes of the north arm's vault but not even fragments of them now remain.
The Passion cycle directly adjoined the great festivals in the north arm, beginning with
the three scenes in the second tier of the north wall. Episodes from the trial of Christ
are depicted that closely adhere to the Gospel account: "Christ before Annas and
Caiaphas", "Christ before Pilate" and "Christ being led to Golgotha". The central scene
where Christ stands before Pilate, who is washing his hands, has been completely
preserved. In the Srst scene the Jewish high priests, seated behind a table, can still be
clearly seen; the standing figure of Christ and the servant in the left hand side of the
picture who is striking him have been extensively damaged. AH that remains of the
third scene is the slightly bowed figure of Christ with bound hands and before him the
soldier leading him by a rope to Golgotha; Simon of Cyrene, carrying the cross, has
almost completely disappeared.
The unusual selection of scenes in this cycle deserves our attention. It is the scenes
immediately preceding the Crucifixion that have been depicted in Akhtala and
separately located on the north wall. Possibly the author wished to specially emphasise
the liturgical theme of preparation for sacrifice: the proff/asA chapel where this theme
was usually portrayed,, we should recall, was not decorated in Akhtala.
The subject is most vividly embodied in the centra! composition "Christ before
Pilate"9i. Christ was compared to the lamb brought as a sacrifice. This analogy is
made in the Gospel itself where the words "it was the eve of Passover" (John 19:14)
symbolically specify the time of Christ's trial. Pilate's gesture in washing his hands also
has obvious liturgical associations since it forms part of the ritual in preparing the
sacraments. The prayer which the priest reads in the /z/*o//?cV.s' chapel after the washing
of hands establishes the inner link between the trial in the gospels and the liturgical
mystery, and this intensifies the reference to the sacrifice on the cross which
immediately follows the prayer in the liturgy. This liturgical interpretation was also
^ * The basic iconographic variants of the composition are anaiysed in S. Radojcic, "The Judgment
of Piiate in Byzantine art of the eariy 14th century", t/zor/ i de/a rta/d; .srpy/h/i ametn/Aa, Beograd. 1975,
PP- 211-236.