Abstracts - International Initiative for Georgian Cultural Studies
Abstracts - International Initiative for Georgian Cultural Studies Abstracts - International Initiative for Georgian Cultural Studies
MEDIEVAL GEORGIA Nino Kavtaria National Center of Manuscripts. Georgia Artistic Aspects of the 12 th -13 th c Georgian Gospels Illumination The political and cultural flourish in the 12 th -13 th century determined refined quality of Georgian manuscript illumination. Scriptoriums at numerous monastic centers throughout the country and abroad helped to meet the rising demand for books and especially on manuscript gospels. The paper aims at unveiling the artistic aspects of 12 th -13 th century Georgian manuscript gospels. Alongside, the famous Gelati Q-908, Jruchi #2 H-1667, and Vani A-1335 Gospels, the author explores the relatively less-known and studied 12 th -13 th century manuscripts. Their embellishment is reduced to such decorative elements as frames, headpieces, capital letters and the images of evangelists (A-281, Q-906, Q-907, Q-929, H-1707, H-2075, H-1706 – 12 th c.; Q-883, Q-900, A-498, A-1563, Q-899 – 12 th -13 th c.; A-138, A-494, S-110, A-26 –13 th c). The illumination of these manuscripts clearly demonstrates an integral course of development, amplified decorativeness and outline softness, common palette, and diversity and richness of ornamental motives. Simultaneously, the synthesis of colorific and graphical tendencies is clearly observable. Despite common Byzantine influences, the illumination of several manuscripts also reflects the local artistic traditions. The ornamental decoration applied in cinnabar goes beyond the frame borders, conflates the capital letters, penetrates the text and altogether becomes one single whole. In addition, the use of ivory-white shade of the parchment as a color was a widespread method for that time. The paper aims at unveiling the iconographic, stylistic and artistic peculiarities of different artistic schools and at demonstrating the evolutionary course of Georgian manuscript illumination during these centuries. Lali Osepashvili Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Cinema University. Georgia The Peculiarities of the Decorative Design of the Georgian Liturgical Scrolls (XII-XIV centuries) The National Center of Manuscripts maintains a number of liturgical scrolls, the review of which will help us to make conclusions concerning the peculiarities of their design. It is known that manuscript liturgical scrolls are an innovation of the 11 th century. The first Georgian manuscript scroll of this epoch is without any embellishment. From the 12 th century, their design becomes more elaborate (S-4980). As with other canonical manuscripts, the scroll has its cover page (so called “kephi”) on which a symbolic composition or an author’s portrait is represented. The development of the cover page design can be explained as follows: If the cover page of the 12 th -century scroll is decorated with the image of the life-giving column, the cover page of the 13 th -century scroll (A-922) represents St. John Chrysostom as the author of the liturgics, while the miniature on the cover page of the 16 th -century scroll (H-516) reveals some variations on both design. On the 16 th -century scroll, we see a monumental cross and the authors of the liturgics, St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom, integrating the Eucharistic and Golgotha (the Mount Calvary) misteries. From the 13 th century there appear the capital letters appear on the marginal spaces. It is possible to differentiate them: 1) A simple first capital letter, outlined in cinnabar; 2) A complex featured capital letter, decorated with foliage or zoomorphic ornaments; and 3) Capital letters, with an image included in its ornamentation. This specificity of the scrolls design, starting from the 13 th century evolved through the 16 th century with some distinctions. We maintain scrolls decorated only with capital letters: H-521 (15 th century); H-511 (16 th 91
century). Notwithstanding the specificity of a scroll design, the artist pursues the specified standards of a scroll design, as seen in the abundantly illustrated Gospels. For example, on the scroll from Svetistskhoveli, the text narrating the story of the Eucharist is divided horizontally by three horizontal compositions: “Christ with the Apostles,” “Eucharist” initially with bread (“Sephiskveri”), and than with wine (“Zedashe”). We can also compare the Georgian Liturgical Scrolls with those of Byzantine, which confirms that, on the one hand, Georgian culture absorbs the accomplishments of the region’s leading country, and on the other hand, formed stable national traditions. For example, unlike the Byzantines, the Georgian artist never uses the letter “Q” as a medallion and does not represent an image in it; Georgian artist makes it oval instead of circular and depicts Christ above it as a lord – dominant and all-mighty. Consequently, the design of the Liturgical Scrolls acquires the determined structure over centuries: the text is written in one column in Nuskhuri, has a cover page and capital letters on the marginal spaces. Izolda Melikishvili Georgian National Museum. Georgia The Symbolic Meaning of Color and Form of the Ecclesiastic Vestments Georgian artistic embroidery is most amply represented by the collection of the Georgian National Museum: Sh. Amiranashvili Art Museum. This collection in divided in two groups: secular and ecclesiastic embroidery, the latter unites the vestments of both clergy and ritual objects. According to the Old Testament, the clothing which the Lord approved to Aaron and other priests was to demonstrate their distinction from other humans. Likewise, the New Testament church established specific clothing for clergy, the origins of which date back to the period of Apostle’s . Many assumptions exist regarding the outline and color of ancient worshiping vestment; however, one trait commonly mentioned (both in ecclesiastic and scientific literature) is that the ancient garment was white, like the “robes of angels”. The right to wear this kind of vestment was and still is determined by the canons of Ecumenical Councils, which defined three types of ecclesiastic clothing and the number of clothing each religious figure should wear according to a pre-determined hierarchy (a deacon three, a priest five and an archbishop seven pieces). These vestments symbolize the clothing worn by the Savior during his earthly life and passions. Hence, the meaning of the outline and color of ecclesiastic vestments should be analyzed in this context. The study of the ecclesiastic vestments kept in the collection of Georgian State Museum gives rise to the following possible conclusions: 1. Like the rest of the orthodox world, the outline of Georgian ecclesiastic vestment draws upon two major outlines: the cross-the symbol of earthly and heavenly life-and the circle-a representation of perpetuity of existence, continuity, infinity and integrity. 2. The symbolic meaning of vestment rests upon the use of sacred numbers, which is connected with the notion of “duality”, “trinity” and “seveniity”. 3. Color, which played an important role in the eastern Christian World, has significant symbolic meaning in Georgian ecclesiastic vestment as well. The palette of seven major colors was already formed by the sixth century Byzantine color canonic; similarly, the vestment palette in Georgia also draws upon the structure of these colors. 4. The Georgian ecclesiastic vestment is distinguished by its modest and harmonious color spectrum. Color, with its symbolic meaning, is an important way of representing the infinity and chastity of service established by the Savior and St. Fathers and the verity of the true faith. 92 MEDIEVAL GEORGIA
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MEDIEVAL GEORGIA<br />
Nino Kavtaria<br />
National Center of Manuscripts. Georgia<br />
Artistic Aspects of the 12 th -13 th c <strong>Georgian</strong> Gospels Illumination<br />
The political and cultural flourish in the 12 th -13 th century determined refined quality of <strong>Georgian</strong> manuscript<br />
illumination. Scriptoriums at numerous monastic centers throughout the country and abroad helped<br />
to meet the rising demand <strong>for</strong> books and especially on manuscript gospels.<br />
The paper aims at unveiling the artistic aspects of 12 th -13 th century <strong>Georgian</strong> manuscript gospels. Alongside,<br />
the famous Gelati Q-908, Jruchi #2 H-1667, and Vani A-1335 Gospels, the author explores the relatively<br />
less-known and studied 12 th -13 th century manuscripts. Their embellishment is reduced to such decorative<br />
elements as frames, headpieces, capital letters and the images of evangelists (A-281, Q-906, Q-907,<br />
Q-929, H-1707, H-2075, H-1706 – 12 th c.; Q-883, Q-900, A-498, A-1563, Q-899 – 12 th -13 th c.; A-138,<br />
A-494, S-110, A-26 –13 th c). The illumination of these manuscripts clearly demonstrates an integral course<br />
of development, amplified decorativeness and outline softness, common palette, and diversity and richness<br />
of ornamental motives. Simultaneously, the synthesis of colorific and graphical tendencies is clearly<br />
observable. Despite common Byzantine influences, the illumination of several manuscripts also reflects<br />
the local artistic traditions. The ornamental decoration applied in cinnabar goes beyond the frame borders,<br />
conflates the capital letters, penetrates the text and altogether becomes one single whole. In addition, the use<br />
of ivory-white shade of the parchment as a color was a widespread method <strong>for</strong> that time.<br />
The paper aims at unveiling the iconographic, stylistic and artistic peculiarities of different artistic<br />
schools and at demonstrating the evolutionary course of <strong>Georgian</strong> manuscript illumination during these<br />
centuries.<br />
Lali Osepashvili<br />
Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Cinema University. Georgia<br />
The Peculiarities of the Decorative Design of the <strong>Georgian</strong> Liturgical Scrolls (XII-XIV centuries)<br />
The National Center of Manuscripts maintains a number of liturgical scrolls, the review of which will<br />
help us to make conclusions concerning the peculiarities of their design.<br />
It is known that manuscript liturgical scrolls are an innovation of the 11 th century. The first <strong>Georgian</strong><br />
manuscript scroll of this epoch is without any embellishment. From the 12 th century, their design becomes<br />
more elaborate (S-4980). As with other canonical manuscripts, the scroll has its cover page (so called<br />
“kephi”) on which a symbolic composition or an author’s portrait is represented. The development of the<br />
cover page design can be explained as follows: If the cover page of the 12 th -century scroll is decorated with<br />
the image of the life-giving column, the cover page of the 13 th -century scroll (A-922) represents St. John<br />
Chrysostom as the author of the liturgics, while the miniature on the cover page of the 16 th -century scroll<br />
(H-516) reveals some variations on both design. On the 16 th -century scroll, we see a monumental cross and<br />
the authors of the liturgics, St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom, integrating the Eucharistic and<br />
Golgotha (the Mount Calvary) misteries.<br />
From the 13 th century there appear the capital letters appear on the marginal spaces. It is possible to<br />
differentiate them: 1) A simple first capital letter, outlined in cinnabar; 2) A complex featured capital letter,<br />
decorated with foliage or zoomorphic ornaments; and 3) Capital letters, with an image included in its<br />
ornamentation.<br />
This specificity of the scrolls design, starting from the 13 th century evolved through the 16 th century with<br />
some distinctions. We maintain scrolls decorated only with capital letters: H-521 (15 th century); H-511 (16 th<br />
91