Abstracts - International Initiative for Georgian Cultural Studies

define the place of action and emphasize its sacred character. While this is generally true of fresco-icons
in Georgian churches too as the examples prove, those at Bertubani, Betania and Q’inc’visi, suggest additional
meaning and significance of these icons. It is the purpose of this paper to examine fresco-icons in
Georgian churches and assess their importance in understanding the multiplicity of cross-cultural roles that
these icons held in medieval art and culture.
Irine Mamaiashvili
G. Chubinashvili National Center of Georgian Art History and Monuments Protection. Georgia
Post Byzantine Tendencies in 16 th c. Georgian Mural Painting
Sixteenth century Georgian mural paintings are marked with a variety of different tendencies. At the
end of 15 th , beginning of 16 th centuries, during a period of political and social turmoil when the number of
professional painters was reduced, a so-called “Folk paintings” became dominant in murals painting. Like
Georgia, other countries of the Orthodox world did not experience a period of intense creative activity during
the time.
The realm between “Folk paintings” and professional painting in Georgia is occupied by the murals of
the Church of the Virgin at Gelati, executed in the 1520s. On one hand, features of Palaeologan style (figure
proportions, face types, and the use of clothing drapery and color contrasts) are obvious; and on the other
hand, some features coincide more with typical characteristics of “Folk paintings” pictorial elements (the
evident non-tectonic nature of compositions, simplicity of drawing, ornamental-decorative embellishment
of form, and the naive expressiveness). The tendency toward the simplification, which is peculiar to these
paintings, is generally common to the early stage of development of Post-Byzantine art.
The influence of mainstream Byzantine art, and namely of the schools of Crete and Mount of Athos,
is clearly demonstrated by paintings donated by Levan, King of Kakheti (1520-1574); Bagrat III - King
of Imereti (1510-1565); and his son George II (1565-1583). Such paintings can be found at Alvani, Gremi,
Nekresi, Akhali Shuamta, Church of the Virgin and St. George at Gelati. The iconographic programs
get more complex as they are enriched with new, previously unknown iconographic themes for Georgia.
However, Georgian examples, unlike the paintings of other Orthodox countries, are less “overfilled” with
extended cycles and different Saints’ images. The depiction of Saints, which were especially venerated in
Georgia, the peculiarities of donor portraits, as well as a number of features of painting style, such as a trend
toward the clarity of structure, laconic compositions, and less variegated palette, can be ascribed to local
traditions. Thus the 16 th century Georgian painting evolved within the mainstream of Post-Byzantine art,
though at a certain extent it retained its ties to local traditions.
Beatrice Tolidjian
Columbia University, USA
MEDIEVAL GEORGIA
Georgian Inspiration for External Wall Decoration of Gregorios Pakourianos Foundations Around
Plovdiv. Bulgaria
In 1084, Gregorios Pakourianos, the grand Domesticos of the West during the reign of Alexios I Comnenos
founded a monastery dedicated to the Theotokos at Petrizos, (Bachkovo Monastery) near the village
of Stanimacos, present day Asenovgrad, Bulgaria. Of the building campaigns of Pakourianos, the foundations
of interest for the present study are the Bachkovo Monastery ossuary and the Church St. George
“Metoshki.” They both would have been built between 1083 and 1086. This study in gestation focuses on
the manner of the decorative treatment of the facades in each of the two cases. One observes features never
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