DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27365#0127
COJVCi,M7(W
115
Armcnian-Chaiccdonian churches and the evidence of the participation of an
Armenian-Chaicedonian bishop in these mid 12th-century synods.
The most interesting individual features of the Akhtaia frescoes arise from the
specific culture of the Armenian-Chaicedonians who were consistency oriented
towards Byzantium and Georgia, cultures of the same confession, while not rejecting
national Armenian ideas. When examined in the context of the Armenian-
Chaicedonian culture the iconographic programme of the Akhtaia murals becomes a
unique historical source that can, in some measure, replace the political and
theological treatises that have not survived.
In the third chapter eight distinctive artistic manners were identified and discussed.
These fall into two major stylistic groups, linked in origin with Byzantine and
Georgian art. In a number of cases stylistic analysis was confirmed by study of the
inscriptions on the murals in Greek, Georgian and Armenian. This helped to identify
the ethnic origins of the painters and for the first time made it possible to establish
who worked in one of the teams decorating Chalcedonian churches in Armenia.
The Chief Master who painted the altar apse was an Armenian-Chaicedonian. It is
highly probable that the Second Master who worked on the north and south walls was
of Greek or Armenian origin. Both were invited from Byzantium, as can be seen from
study of their techniques and individual stylistic manners. They represent the two main
trends of expressive style in early 13th-century Byzantine monumental art and have
no analogues in Georgian murals. While the stylistic treatment of both are close in
approach there are differences: the altar murals remained quite traditional, on the
whole, while the Second Master strove towards a greater verisimilitude and narrative
style in his work. The latter may be regarded as one of the first manifestations of the
new thinking that clearly distinguished 13th-century art from that of the preceding
period.
The second stylistic group is made up of the Georgian artists who were invited by
the donor to help the Byzantine painters to complete their work more rapidly. Three
painters simultaneously worked on the west wall, dividing the tiers between them. The
concordance between the images and the closeness of stylistic manners permits us to
suppose that they were members of an established team. Almost every aspect of the
style finds precise analogies in Georgian frescoes of the turn of the 13th century.
Another Georgian artist painted the "Forty Martyrs" in the southwest compartment. By
comparison his manner appears extremely archaic and the sources of his style may be
found in provincial Georgian churches. The poorly preserved painting of the first layer
in the second tier of the south wall is particularly worthy of attention, since it bears a
considerable likeness to the frescoes of Kintsvissi. The paintings of the second layer,
which may be dated to no later than the mid 13th century, are in many ways close to
tbe Georgian manner of the west wall.
In almost all respects the work of the Georgian painters differs from that of the
two "Byzantine" artists which are located on adjacent walls of the church. The murals
of Akhtaia thus give a rare opportunity to compare not simply stylistic differences but
two artistic traditions, and thus reach a deeper understanding of the distinctive features
of Byzantine and Georgian monumental art of the early 13th century.
115
Armcnian-Chaiccdonian churches and the evidence of the participation of an
Armenian-Chaicedonian bishop in these mid 12th-century synods.
The most interesting individual features of the Akhtaia frescoes arise from the
specific culture of the Armenian-Chaicedonians who were consistency oriented
towards Byzantium and Georgia, cultures of the same confession, while not rejecting
national Armenian ideas. When examined in the context of the Armenian-
Chaicedonian culture the iconographic programme of the Akhtaia murals becomes a
unique historical source that can, in some measure, replace the political and
theological treatises that have not survived.
In the third chapter eight distinctive artistic manners were identified and discussed.
These fall into two major stylistic groups, linked in origin with Byzantine and
Georgian art. In a number of cases stylistic analysis was confirmed by study of the
inscriptions on the murals in Greek, Georgian and Armenian. This helped to identify
the ethnic origins of the painters and for the first time made it possible to establish
who worked in one of the teams decorating Chalcedonian churches in Armenia.
The Chief Master who painted the altar apse was an Armenian-Chaicedonian. It is
highly probable that the Second Master who worked on the north and south walls was
of Greek or Armenian origin. Both were invited from Byzantium, as can be seen from
study of their techniques and individual stylistic manners. They represent the two main
trends of expressive style in early 13th-century Byzantine monumental art and have
no analogues in Georgian murals. While the stylistic treatment of both are close in
approach there are differences: the altar murals remained quite traditional, on the
whole, while the Second Master strove towards a greater verisimilitude and narrative
style in his work. The latter may be regarded as one of the first manifestations of the
new thinking that clearly distinguished 13th-century art from that of the preceding
period.
The second stylistic group is made up of the Georgian artists who were invited by
the donor to help the Byzantine painters to complete their work more rapidly. Three
painters simultaneously worked on the west wall, dividing the tiers between them. The
concordance between the images and the closeness of stylistic manners permits us to
suppose that they were members of an established team. Almost every aspect of the
style finds precise analogies in Georgian frescoes of the turn of the 13th century.
Another Georgian artist painted the "Forty Martyrs" in the southwest compartment. By
comparison his manner appears extremely archaic and the sources of his style may be
found in provincial Georgian churches. The poorly preserved painting of the first layer
in the second tier of the south wall is particularly worthy of attention, since it bears a
considerable likeness to the frescoes of Kintsvissi. The paintings of the second layer,
which may be dated to no later than the mid 13th century, are in many ways close to
tbe Georgian manner of the west wall.
In almost all respects the work of the Georgian painters differs from that of the
two "Byzantine" artists which are located on adjacent walls of the church. The murals
of Akhtaia thus give a rare opportunity to compare not simply stylistic differences but
two artistic traditions, and thus reach a deeper understanding of the distinctive features
of Byzantine and Georgian monumental art of the early 13th century.