Chvabiani, Murals of the Church of the Ascension. First layer

Building:	Chvabiani, Church of the Ascension (“Matskhvar”)
Layer of the Murals:	First Layer
Date/Period:	10th c.
Donor(s):	Representatives of the Amroliani family – Bende, Amrola and Michael; Father Superior Lazare
Painter(s):	Unknown

Inscription(s)

of the Donor(s)

The donor fresco inscription is outlined in the interior of the church, below the triumphal arch, on the inner face of the south (right) capital and the pilaster (the text is obliterated after the thirteenth line):

Ⴕ ႱႠႾ[Ⴄ]ႪႨႧႠ Ⴖ(ႫႰ)ႧႨႱႠ|ჂႧ[Ⴀ] Ⴙ(ႳႤ)Ⴌ ႠႫႰႭႪႤႠႬႧႠ | Ⴑ[Ⴀ]ႫႧႠ ႻႫႠႧႠ ႡႤႬႣႤႱ || ႠႫႰႭႪႠႱ ႣႠ ႫႨႵႠႤႪႱ ႫႭ|ႢႳႺႠ ႻႠႪႨ Ⴖ(ႫႤႰႧႫႠ)Ⴌ ႳႫႿႭႡႤ|ႱႠႣ ႫႠႫ(Ⴀ)ႧႠ Ⴙ(ႳႤ)ႬႧႠჂႱႠ | ႣႠ ႠႶႥႠႸႤႬႤႧ Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ)Ⴢ ႤႱႤ | ႤႩႪႤႱႨႠჂ ႱႠႪႭႺႥ(Ⴄ)Ⴊ(Ⴀ)[Ⴃ] | ႱႳႪႨႱ[Ⴀ] Ⴙ(ႳႤ)ႬႨႱႠ ႣႠ ႫႭ[Ⴅ]|ႼႤႰ[ႤႧ] ႦႤႭ[Ⴁ]ႠႱႠ […] | ႠႴႾ(Ⴀ)ႦႧႠ ႫႤႴႨႱႠ Ⴕ(ႰႨႱႲ)Ⴄ Ⴀ[ႣႨ]Ⴃ[Ⴄ] ႤႰႨႱႧႠႥႭႡႠႱႠ | […]ႱႱႠ ჀႴႠႰႠႥ[ႣႨ]Ⴌ [ႫႠႧ Ⴖ(ႫႤႰ)]ႧႨ [ႣႠ Ⴋ]ႠႸႤႬ[ႤႡ]|[Ⴄ]Ⴊ[ႬႨ][…] – In the name of God, we, three brothers of the Amroleans family – Bende, Amrola and Michael, were granted more power than our fathers by God and built this holy church to pray for our souls and we had it painted under the king of Abkhazians, Christ, glorify; under the governorship of […], let God protect them and the builders (Svanet’is ts’erilobit’i dzeglebi (X–XVIII ss.), II, epigrap’ikuli dzeglebi, tek’stebi gamosatsemad moamzada, gamokvlevebi da sametsniero-satsnobaro aparati daurt’o valeri silogavam [Svaneti Literary Monuments (10th–XVIIIth cc.), II, Epigraphical Monuments, rdited by Valeri Silogava] (Tbilisi, 1988), 63).

In the interior of the church Father Superior Lazare is mentioned in the inscription above the capital, on the southern (right) edge of the conch:

[Ⴕ Ⴑ]ႠႾႤႪႨႧ(Ⴀ) Ⴖ(ႫႰ)ႧႨႱ(Ⴀ)ჂႧႠ | [ႫႠႫ]ႠႱ(Ⴀ)ႾႪႨႱႭႡႠႱႠ Ⴊ(Ⴀ)Ⴆ(Ⴀ)ႰႤ|[Ⴑ]Ⴀ ႠႤႸႤႬႠ Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ)Ⴢ ႤႱႤ ႤႩႪႤ[ႱႨႠ]Ⴢ ႣႠ ႫႨႱႱႠႥႤ ႦႤႭႡႠ[Ⴑ]Ⴀ ႫႭႨႼႤႰႠ Ⴕ(ႰႨႱႲ)Ⴄ ႸႤႳႬႣႥ|[ႤႬ] ႱႳႪႱႠ ႫႨႱႱႠ ႺႭႣႥႠ|[Ⴌ]Ⴈ ႣႠ ႫႠႰႿႳႤႬႨႧ Ⴘ(Ⴄ)ႬႱႠ | [ႶႨ]ႰႱ ႷႠႥ ႣႶႤႱႠ ႫႠႱ Ⴂ(Ⴀ)Ⴌ|[ႩႨ]ႧႾႥႨႱႠႱႠ Ⴀ(ႫႤ)Ⴌ – In the name of God, this holy church was built and adorned with murals under Father Superior Lazare; Christ, forgive him his sins and protect him with your righteousness on the Final Day, Amen (Svanet’is ts’erilobit’i dzeglebi (X–XVIII ss.), II, epigrap’ikuli dzeglebi, tek’stebi gamosatsemad moamzada, gamokvlevebi da sametsniero-satsnobaro aparati daurt’o valeri silogavam [Svaneti Literary Monuments (10th–XVIIIth cc.), II, Epigraphical Monuments, rdited by Valeri Silogava] (Tbilisi, 1988), 65).

Another inscription outlined above the capital on the northern (left) edge of the conch mentions Amrola: Ⴜ Ⴓ(ႴႠႪ)Ⴍ Ⴈ(ႤႱ)Ⴓ Ⴕ(ႰႨႱႲ)Ⴄ ႫႴႪႭႡ[ႤႪႭ ႭႰ]ႧႠ[ႥႤ] | ႱႳႴႤႥႠႧႠ ႺႾ[- – -] ႣႠ ႠႺ|ႾႭႥႬႤ ႭႰႱႠႥႤ [ႸႨႬႠ] ႺႾႭႥ|ႰႤႡႠႱႠ ႡႤႭ[- – – – -]Ⴄ Ⴐ~Ⴊ [Ⴀ]Ⴋ|ႰႭႪႠ Ⴘ(ႤႨႼႷႠႪႤ)Ⴌ ႡႠ[- – – – -] | [Ⴃ]Ⴀ ႸႤႳႬ|ႣႤ ႱႳႪႱႠ ႫႠႧ[ႱႠ ႣႠ]ႶႨႰ(Ⴑ) Ⴗ[Ⴀ]Ⴅ | ႫႠႰႿႳႤႬႨႧ Ⴘ(Ⴄ)ႬႱ[Ⴀ] ႣႶႤႱႠ Ⴋ(Ⴀ)Ⴑ ႢႬႩႨႧႾႥႨႱႠႱႠ Ⴀ(ႫႤ)Ⴌ – Jesus Christ, the Lord of both worlds [- – -] and bless in bot worlds(!) Beo [- – – – -] have mercy on Amrola [- – – – -] and forgive him and cover him with your righteousness on the Final Day, Amen (Svanet’is ts’erilobit’i dzeglebi (X–XVIII ss.), II, epigrap’ikuli dzeglebi, tek’stebi gamosatsemad moamzada, gamokvlevebi da sametsniero-satsnobaro aparati daurt’o valeri silogavam [Svaneti Literary Monuments (10th–XVIIIth cc.), II, Epigraphical Monuments, rdited by Valeri Silogava] (Tbilisi, 1988), 66).

After cleaning the painting, the graphemes under the three inscriptions became more vivid: These three palimpsest inscriptions seem to have been outlined over an existing one which was first covered with black background; a continuous text can be read only on the lower layer of the third (‘Amrola’s’) inscription:

[…] ႱႠႣႭ […] | […] ႣႠ ႸႥႨႪႬႨ Ⴋ[ႠႧႬႨ] […] | […]ႪႱ[- – -]Ⴋ[…] – Sado […] and their children […] ls[- – -]m (Svanet’is ts’erilobit’i dzeglebi (X–XVIII ss.), II, epigrap’ikuli dzeglebi, tek’stebi gamosatsemad moamzada, gamokvlevebi da sametsniero-satsnobaro aparati daurt’o valeri silogavam [Svaneti Literary Monuments (10th–XVIIIth cc.), II, Epigraphical Monuments, rdited by Valeri Silogava] (Tbilisi, 1988), 67).

of the Painter(s)

Description

Initially, only the chancel was painted; later, probably in the late 18th– early 19th cc., the second registre of the apse was repainted.

Chancel

The apse features an extended, two-registre composition of Christ in Majesty. In the conch enthroned Christ with the blessing right hand and an open gospel (John 8:12) in the left hand, contained in a multi-layer circular mandorla is depicted in the center of the composition. The conch keystone features a ray sent from the sky segment and a blessing right hand. A host of archangels and other heavenly bodies are represented around the Savior’s mandorla. On both sides above Christ’s mandorla is a pair of flying angels; frontal, full-length figures of archangels holding a sphere and a labarum are standing on the edge of the composition. Images of a seraph (on the north) and a tetramorph (on the south) riding on fiery chariots are inscribed between the Christ and the archangels. Between Christ’s mandorla and the seraphs, on the south and the north, there are texts of seraphim’s hymns: Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ Ⴀ)ႰႱ | Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ Ⴀ)ႰႱ | Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ Ⴀ)ႰႱ | [Ⴓ(ႴႠႪ)Ⴈ] ႱႠ|[ႡႠ]ႭႧ – Holy, Holy, Holy, The Lord All-Powerful Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ Ⴀ)ႰႱ | Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ Ⴀ)ႰႱ | Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ Ⴀ)ႰႱ | [Ⴓ(ႴႠႪ)Ⴈ] ႱႠ | [ႡႠ]ႭႧ – Holy, Holy, Holy, The Lord All-Powerful (Isaiah 6:3).

The composition is represented against the starry sky with images of the sun and the moon depicted on two sides of the upper part of the conch.

The second registre of the chancel is occupied by twelve figures of the Apostles that are evenly distributed on two sides of the window. The apostles are depicted with the whole body, their right hands in blessing and holding closed codices or scrolls in the left; the image of St. John the Evangelist is featured in an unusual manner: both of his hands are covered with himation and an open codex is laid upon it (John 1:1). Left of the window, the first saint on the north is Paul (Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ)Ⴢ | [ႮႠႥႪႤ] – Saint Paul); next are St. Mathew (Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ)Ⴢ | ႫႠ[ႧႤ] – Saint Mathew) and St. Mark (the inscription is obliterated); the other three images are substantially damaged and it is impossible to identify them. On the right of the window (on the south) the figure of St. Peter is almost undiscernible; next to him are St. Andrew, St. John, St. Luke, St. James and St, Philip (Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠ)Ⴢ | ႴႨ|ႦႨ|ႮႤ – Saint Philip). A floral ornament follows the triumphal arch of the chancel, while the face of the intrados features a text from Psalms: ႱႠႾႪႱႠ Ⴘ(Ⴄ)ႬႱႠ ႸႳჁႬႨႱ ႱႨႼႫ(Ⴈ)ႣႤ Ⴓ(ႴႠႪ)Ⴍ ႱႨႢႰႻႤႱႠ ႣႶ(Ⴡ)ႧႠႱႠ – How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts! (Psalms 92:5).

A cross inscribed in a circle is depicted in the arch of the chancel window.

Bibliography

Svanet’is ts’erilobit’i dzeglebi (X–XVIII ss.), II, epigrap’ikuli dzeglebi, tek’stebi gamosatsemad moamzada, gamokvlevebi da sametsniero-satsnobaro aparati daurt’o valeri silogavam [Svaneti Literary Monuments (10th–XVIIIth cc.), II, Epigraphical Monuments, rdited by Valeri Silogava] (Tbilisi, 1988), 63-7..

Natela Aladashvili, Gajane Alibegashvili, Aneli Volskaja, Zhivopisnaja shkola Svaneti [The Painting School of Svaneti] (Tbilisi, 1983), 27–9.

Natela Aladashvili, “Kompozitsia altarnoj konkhi v tserkvakh svanet’i” [“Chancel Conch Compositions in the Svaneti Churches”], IV Mezhdunarodnij simpozium po gruzinskomu iskusstvu [IV International Symposium on Georgian Art] (Tbilisi, 1983), 4–5.

Guram Ch’eishvili, Davit’ Gagoshidze, “Amroleant’a X saukunis sak’titoro ts’arts’erebi chvabianis matskhovris eklesiidan” [“Tenth-Century Donor Inscriptions of the Amroleanis in the Chvabiani Church of Saviour”], Dzeglis megobari [Monument’s Friend] 75 (1987): 62–6.

Rusudan Q’enia, Nat’ela Aladashvili, Zemo Svanet’i (shua saukuneebis khelovneba). Gzamkvlevi [Medieval Art of Upper Svaneti: A Guidebook] [Sak’art’velos megzuri [Guide of Georgia]: 2] (Tbilisi, 2000), 65–6.

Marine Q’enia, “Mkhatvrobis saert’o sistemis gadats’q’vetis t’aviseburebani adreuli khanis Svanet’is mokhatulobebshi” [“Pecularities of the General Arrangement of the Decoration System in Early Medieval Murals in Svaneti”], Sak’art’velos Sidzveleni [Georgian Antiquities] 12 (2008): 128–9.

Zaza Skhirtladze, “Chvabiani matskhovris eklesiis mokhatulobis p’enebi da mat’i k’titorebi” [Paiting Layers in the Chvabiani Church Saviour and their Donors”, in Svanet’i III (Tbilisi, 2008), 85–8.

Anna Zakharova, Sofia Sverdlova, “Original wall paintings at the Church of the Saviour in Chvabiani (Upper Svaneti, Georgia) and Byzantine art at the turn of the tenth to eleventh centuries”, Зограф 39 (2015): 11–23.