Kumurdo, Murals of the Cathedral of the Virgin. Second Layer

Building:	Kumurdo, Cathedral of the Virgin
Layer of the Murals:	Second Layer
Date/Period:	The end of 10th or the beginning of 11th century
Donor(s):	Supposedly Zosime, the Bishop of Kumurdo
Painter(s):	Unknown

Inscription(s)

of the Donor(s)

inscription whose beginning and end are presently missing is carved out on the southern façade of the stoa; it runs along the wall in the form of a transversal single line [-]ႧႨ Ⴋ(Ⴀ)Ⴐ(ႨႠ)Ⴋ Ⴃ(Ⴄ)Ⴃ(Ⴍ)Ⴔ(Ⴀ)ႪႨ; ႠႶႤႸ(Ⴡ)ႬႠ ႸႲႭჂ ႤႱႤ Ⴋ(Ⴄ)Ⴔ(Ⴍ)Ⴁ(Ⴀ)ႱႠ Ⴋ(Ⴀ)ႧႱႠ ႫႶႣ(Ⴄ)ႪႧႫ(Ⴍ)ႻႶ(Ⴓ)Ⴐ(Ⴍ)Ⴁ(Ⴀ)ႱႠ Ⴆ(Ⴍ)Ⴑ(Ⴈ)ႫႤ Ⴉ(Ⴓ)Ⴋ(Ⴓ)ႰႣႭ(Ⴄ)ႪႨႱ(Ⴀ)ႱႠ [-] – [-]თი მ(ა)რ(ია)მ დ(ე)დ(ო)ფ(ა)ლი; აღეშ(ჱ)ნა შტოჲ ესე მ(ე)ფ(ო)ბ(ა)სა მ(ა)თსა, მღდ(ე)ლთმ(ო)ძღ(უ)რ(ო)ბ(ა)სა ზ(ო)ს(ი)მე კ(უ)მ(უ)რდო(ე)ლის(ა)სა [-] (Javakhet’is epigrap’ikuli korpusi, gamosatsemad moamzades da gamokvlevebi daurt’es †valeri silogavam, lia akhaladzem, merab beridzem, nestan sulavam da roin q’avrelishvilma [The Epigraphic Corpus of Javakhet’I, Edited and Accompanied with the Studies by †Valeri Silogava, Lia Akhaladze, Merab Beridze, Nestan Sulava and Roin Q’avrelishvili] (Tbilisi, 2012), 85 (№114)).

An inscription is carved out right of the south gate of the church: Ⴑ(Ⴀ)Ⴞ(Ⴄ)Ⴊ(Ⴈ)ႧႠ Ⴖ(ႫႰႧႨႱႠჂ)ႧႠ ႫႤ Ⴆ(Ⴍ)Ⴑ(Ⴈ)ႫႤ Ⴉ(ႳႫႳႰႣႭႤႪႫႠႬ Ⴘ(Ⴄ)ႥႫ(Ⴍ)ႱႤ Ⴑ(Ⴀ)Ⴉ(Ⴓ)ႰႧႾ(Ⴄ)Ⴅ(Ⴄ)ႪႨ Ⴁ(Ⴀ)ႰႻႨႫ-ႴႤႾႸ(ႳႤ)ႫႨ ႿႳ(Ⴀ)ႰႨ ႣႠ Ⴘ(Ⴄ)Ⴅ(Ⴀ)ႫႩႥႤ Ⴞ(Ⴀ)ႲႨ Ⴖ(ႫႰ)Ⴇ(ႠႤ)Ⴁ(Ⴈ)ႱႠჂ ჄႤႪ(Ⴈ)ႧႠ Ⴃ(Ⴀ)Ⴅ(Ⴈ)ႧႨႱႠჂႧႠ. ႣႠႳႣ(Ⴄ)Ⴅ ႱႠႪႭ(Ⴚ)Ⴅ(Ⴄ)Ⴊ(Ⴀ)Ⴃ Ⴁ(Ⴆ)ႥႭႡ(Ⴈ)ႱႠ Ⴄ Ⴉ(Ⴣ)Ⴐ(ႨႤ)Ⴊ(ႤႨ)Ⴑ(Ⴍ)Ⴌ(Ⴈ)ႧႠ Ⴃ(Ⴄ)Ⴉ(Ⴀ)Ⴌ(ႭႦႨ ႸႤႱ(ႳႤ)Ⴌ(Ⴄ)ႡႣ(Ⴄ)Ⴑ Ⴜ(ႫႨႣႠႱ)Ⴀ Ⴑ(Ⴀ)Ⴋ(Ⴄ)ႡႠႱႠ//Ⴑ(Ⴀ)Ⴋ(ႤႡႭ)ႡႠႱႠ ႸႤႱႳ(Ⴄ)Ⴌ(Ⴄ)Ⴁ(Ⴈ)Ⴇ(Ⴀ). ႩႰ(Ⴓ)Ⴊ(ႨႠ) ႠႫ(Ⴈ)Ⴇ Ⴞ(Ⴀ)Ⴒ(ႨႧ)Ⴀ Ⴅ(Ⴈ)Ⴌ ႸႤႳႺႥ(Ⴀ)Ⴊ(Ⴍ)Ⴑ(…) – ს(ა)ხ(ე)ლ(ი)თა ღ(მრთისაჲ)თა. მე, ზ(ო)ს(ი)მე კ(უმურდოელმან შ(ე)ვმ(ო)სე ს(ა)კ(უ)რთხ(ე)ვ(ე)ლი, ბ(ა)რძიმ–ფეხშ(უე)მი, ჯუ(ა)რი და შ(ე)ვ(ა)მკვე ხ(ა)ტი ღ(მრ)თ(აე)ბ(ი)საჲ ჴელ(ი)თა დ(ა)ვ(ი)თისაჲთა. დაუდ(ე)ვ სალო(ც)ვ(ე)ლ(ა)დ ბ(ზ)ვობ(ი)სა ე, კ(ჳ)რ(იე)ლ(ეი)ს(ო)ნ(ი)თა დ(ე)კ(ა)ნ(ოზი შეს(უე)ნ(ე)ბდ(ე)ს წ(მიდას)ა ს(ა)მ(ე)ბასა//ს(ა)მ(ებო)ბასა შესუ(ე)ნ(ე)ბ(ი)თ(ა). კრ(უ)ლ(ია) ამ(ი)თ ხ(ა)ტ(ით)ა ვ(ი)ნ შეუცვ(ა)ლ(ო)ს(…) (Javakhet’is epigrap’ikuli korpusi, gamosatsemad moamzades da gamokvlevebi daurt’es †valeri silogavam, lia akhaladzem, merab beridzem, nestan sulavam da roin q’avrelishvilma [The Epigraphic Corpus of Javakhet’I, Edited and Accompanied with the Studies by †Valeri Silogava, Lia Akhaladze, Merab Beridze, Nestan Sulava and Roin Q’avrelishvili](Tbilisi, 2012), 86, №115).

of the Painter(s)

Description

The interior of the church, which was embellishted with colorful décor (keystone of the chancel conch and, presumably, the sections similar to other apses) simultaneously with constructing, was painted several decades later. Nowadays, in the interior of the church fragments of painting can be discerned in the chancel, south-east and north-east apses (nothing can be said about the décor of the dome, as it has been destroyed for several centuries already). Among the frescos preserved in the church the fragments extant in the chancel seem to be the earliest.

Chancel

Painting in the chancel was divided into three registres.

The conch (its registre line did not provide for the foot of the conch and considerably extended below it) had a depiction of Christ in Majesty, which represented the Savior seated on a sumptuous throne with a pedestal attended by the seraphim based upon fiery wheels (as it seems, in order to depict the lower part (feet) of the Savior and the pedestal, it became necessary to block up the circular window arranged in the upper part of the apse (T’inat’in Virsaladze, “X–XI saukuneebis zogiert’I tao-klarjuli mokhatuloba”, in id., K’art’uli mkhatvrobis istoriidan [From the History of Georgian Painting] (Tbilisi, 2007), 71, note. 158).

The second registre of the chancel painting is separated from the conch representation by a wide frieze of floral ornament which extends into the bema too. The second registre shows a row of saint apostles. The registre is divided into two parts by the chancel window (the narrow area between its lintel and the conch composition- the ornamental frieze dividing the second registre – is left unpainted). The Virgin bordered with ornamental vertical bands on two sides is depicted left of the window. The ornamental bands are intended to represent certain kinds of columns on which abundantly draped fabric is spread out (Cf. the similar solution in the chancel murals of Ot’kht’a Eklesia – Zaza Skhirtladze, Otkht’a eklesiis p’reskebi [The Frescoes of Ot’kht’a Eklesia] (Tbilisi, 2009), 54-5, fig. 52, colour pl. VI₁). St. John the Baptist must be depicted right of the window. On both sides of the Virgin and St. John the Forerunner there are figures of saint apostles: two – in the apse and three – on the walls of the bema. Presently, the headmost figures of the row are better discernible (it must be St. Peter depicted on the right).

Currently, the third registre is unidentifiable; Tinatin Virsaladze considered presence of a row of church fathers there.

Fragments of a relief stucco icon of the Dormition preserved in the south-east apse belongs to an early stage of embellishing of the church. The composition had been colored.

Dating

Tinatin Virsaladze dates the painting in chancel of Kumurdo Cathedral by the third quarter of the eleventh century and associates its creation with construction of the west stoa, which, according to the inscriptions outlined there, was executed under King Bagrat IV and his mother Queen Mariam (see: Javakhet’is epigrap’ikuli korpusi, gamosatsemad moamzades da gamokvlevebi daurt’es †valeri silogavam, lia akhaladzem, merab beridzem, nestan sulavam da roin q’avrelishvilma [The Epigraphic Corpus of Javakhet’I, Edited and Accompanied with the Studies by †Valeri Silogava, Lia Akhaladze, Merab Beridze, Nestan Sulava and Roin Q’avrelishvili] (Tbilisi, 2012), 86, №115). It is not excluded that such dating of the frescos in the chancel could be related to another inscription of the church, according to which while building the stoa, Bishop Zosime of Kumurdo had the church renovated and “the chancel – dressed” (Javakhet’is epigrap’ikuli korpusi, gamosatsemad moamzades da gamokvlevebi daurt’es †valeri silogavam, lia akhaladzem, merab beridzem, nestan sulavam da roin q’avrelishvilma [The Epigraphic Corpus of Javakhet’I, Edited and Accompanied with the Studies by †Valeri Silogava, Lia Akhaladze, Merab Beridze, Nestan Sulava and Roin Q’avrelishvili] (Tbilisi, 2012), 86, №115). Furthermore, it must be taken into consideration that in terms of its iconographic and stylistic features, the painting of the chancel of Kumurdo Cathedral stands very close to the pictorial ensembles of Tao-Klarjeti of the second half of the tenth century and the beginning of the eleventh century (especially to the frescos of Ishkhani Cathedral, whose accurate dating has not been provided yet). Therefore, it should not be excluded that the murals of the chancel of Kumurdo Cathedral were executed in the second half of the tenth century, namely, sometime after its construction.

Bibliography

Javakhet’is epigrap’ikuli korpusi, gamosatsemad moamzades da gamokvlevebi daurt’es †valeri silogavam, lia akhaladzem, merab beridzem, nestan sulavam da roin q’avrelishvilma [The Epigraphic Corpus of Javakhet’I, Edited and Accompanied with the Studies by †Valeri Silogava, Lia Akhaladze, Merab Beridze, Nestan Sulava and Roin Q’avrelishvili] (Tbilisi, 2012), 85 (№114), 86 (№115).

Georgij Chubinashvili, Nikolaj Severov, Pamjatniki gruzinskoj arkhitektury I: Kumurdo i Nikortcminda [Monuments of Georgian Architecture I: Kumurdo and Nikotsminda] (Moscow, 1947), 8; Reprinted in Georgij Chubinashvili, Voprosy istorii iskusstva. Issledovania i zametki [Issues of Art History: Studies and Notes] I (Tbilisi, 1970), 241–2.

Tinatin Virsaladze, “Osnovnye etapy razvitija gruzinskoj srednevekovoj monumenta’noj zhivopisi” [“Main Stages of Development of Medieval Georgian Monumental Painting”], II Mezhdunarodnij simpozium po gruzinskomu iskusstvu [II International Symposium on Georgian Art] (Tbilisi, 1977), 9; Reprinted in id., Izbrannye Trudy [Selected Studies] (Tbilisi, 2007), 14.

Zaza Skhirtladze, “Ghvt’ismshoblis midzinebis kompozitsia kumurdos eklesiashi” [“The Composition of the Dormition of the Mother of God in the Kumurdo Church”], Sak’art’velos metsnierebat’a akademiis mats’ne: istoriis, etnograp’iisa da khelovnebis istoriis seria [Proceedings of Georgian Academy of Sciences: Series of History, Ethnography, and Art History] 2 (1992): 143–60.

T’inat’in Virsaladze, “X–XI saukuneebis zogiert’I tao-klarjuli mokhatuloba”, in id., K’art’uli mkhatvrobis istoriidan [From the History of Georgian Painting] (Tbilisi, 2007), 57, 71 (note 158).

Mariam Didebulidze, “Shua saukuneebis k’art’uli kedlis mkhatvrobis dzeglebi tao-klarjet’shi” [“The Monuments of the Georgian Medieval Wall Painting in the North-East Turkey”], Sak’art’velos sidzveleni [Georgian Antiquities] 19 (2016): 60.

Dea Gunia, Kumurdo Cathedral (Tbilisi, 2019), 157–69.