{"id":1337,"date":"2020-12-03T17:03:10","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T17:03:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/?post_type=painting&p=1337"},"modified":"2022-01-10T15:04:14","modified_gmt":"2022-01-10T15:04:14","slug":"zemo-krikhi-murals-of-church-of-the-holy-archangels-second-layer","status":"publish","type":"painting","link":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/painting\/zemo-krikhi-murals-of-church-of-the-holy-archangels-second-layer\/","title":{"rendered":"Zemo Krikhi, Murals of the Church of Holy Archangels. Second Layer"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Building:<\/strong><\/td>\nZemo Krikhi, Church of Holy Archangels<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Layer of the Murals:<\/strong><\/td>\nSecond Layer<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Date\/Period:<\/strong><\/td>\nThe fourth quarter of the 11th century<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Donor(s):<\/strong><\/td>\nUnknown<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Painter(s):<\/strong><\/td>\nUnknown<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Building\"<\/a><\/td>\n\"Gallery\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n
[toc]<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Inscription(s)<\/h4>\n

of the Donor(s)<\/h6>\n
of the Painter(s)<\/h6>\n\n
\n

Description<\/h4>\n

The second layer of the painting covered the whole interior of the church.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chancel<\/h6>\n

In the chancel the painting was distributed in two registres: a three-figure Deesis\/Vision <\/em>was depicted in the chancel conch (the transitional composition from Christ in Glory to Deesis): enthroned Christ (\u10c2<\/strong>(\u10a4\u10b1)<\/strong>\u10c3 |<\/strong> \u10b5<\/strong>(\u10b0\u10a8\u10b1\u10b2)<\/strong>\u10a4 <\/strong>\u2013 Jesus Christ<\/strong>) with an open codex (John 8:12) flanked by the Virgin and St. John the Baptist imploring the intercession of Christ (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : <\/strong>\u10a8<\/strong>(\u10ad\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10ac\u10a4<\/strong> \u2013 Saint John<\/strong>). Images of a cherub and a seraph were depicted between these three figures; two archangels were represented in the bema: St. Gabriel with a labarum bearing an inscription (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : <\/strong>\u10a2<\/strong>(\u10a0)\u10a1(\u10b0\u10a8\u10a4)\u10aa<\/strong> \u2013 Saint Gabriel<\/strong>) on the southern panel (Isaiah 6:3), and St. Michael on the northern panel (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : <\/strong>\u10ab<\/strong>(\u10a8)\u10b5(\u10a0\u10a4)\u10aa<\/strong> \u2013 Saint Michael<\/strong>). The second registre of the chancel was occupied by a row of church fathers made up of six frontal figures. South of the central window of the chancel: St. John Chrysostom (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : <\/strong>\u10a8<\/strong>(\u10ad\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10ac\u10a4 |<\/strong> \u10ad\u10b5\u10b0\u10ad\u10ae\u10a8\u10b0\u10a8 <\/strong>\u2013 Saint John Chrysostom<\/strong>); St. Nicholas (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : | <\/strong>\u10ac<\/strong>(\u10a8)\u10a9(\u10ad\u10aa\u10ad)\u10a6<\/strong> \u2013 Saint Nicholas<\/strong>); St. Athanasius of Alexandria (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : | <\/strong>\u10a0\u10a7\u10a0\u10ac\u10a0\u10b1\u10a4 <\/strong>\u2013 Saint Athanasios<\/strong>); north of the window \u2013 St. Gregory the Theologian (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : | <\/strong>\u10a2<\/strong>(\u10b0\u10a8)\u10a2(\u10ad)\u10aa\u10a8<\/strong> \u2013 Saint Gregory<\/strong>), St. Basil the Great (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : | <\/strong>\u10a1\u10a0\u10b1\u10a8\u10aa\u10a8<\/strong> \u2013 Saint Basil<\/strong>), St. Cyril of Alexandria (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : | <\/strong>\u10a9\u10a8\u10b0\u10a8[\u10aa\u10a4]<\/strong> \u2013 Saint Cyril<\/strong>); lintels of the three chancel windows represented saint deacons and stylites: in the central window \u2013 saint deacons (unidentified); south window \u2013 stylites (identities not specified); north window \u2013 unknown saints.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Aisle<\/h6>\n

The tympanum of the east wall<\/strong> (triumphal arch of the chancel) represents the Annunciation<\/em> (\u10be\u10a0\u10b0[\u10a4\u10a1\u10a0<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong>] <\/strong>\u2013 Annunciation<\/strong>), to which St. Isaiah the Prophet (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10a8\u10ac\u10a0\u10b1)\u10bc(\u10a0\u10b0\u10ab\u10a4)\u10b2\u10b7(\u10a5\u10a4)\u10aa\u10a8<\/strong> \u10a4\u10b1\u10a0\u10a8\u10a0 <\/strong>\u2013 Prophet Isaiah<\/strong>), depicted with an open scroll at the north edge of the arch, is related (the inscription is executed in minuscule script \u2013 Isaiah 7:14). Frontal figures of four martyred holy mothers are represented on the lower sections of the wall; south to north: St. Marine (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : | <\/strong>\u10ab\u10a0\u10b0\u10a8\u10ac\u10a0 <\/strong>\u2013 Saint Marine<\/strong>); St. Catherine (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : <\/strong>\u10a4\u10a9\u10a0\u10b2\u10a8\u10b0\u10a8\u10ac\u10a0 <\/strong>\u2013 Saint Catherine<\/strong>); St. Irene (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : <\/strong>\u10a8\u10b0\u10a8\u10ac\u10a0 <\/strong>\u2013 Saint Irene<\/strong>); St. Barbara (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : | <\/strong>\u10a1\u10a0\u10b0\u10a1\u10a0\u10b0\u10a0 <\/strong>\u2013 Saint Barbara<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

Painting on the south wall<\/strong> was distributed in three registres;<\/p>\n

The Nativity<\/em> (\u10b8\u10ad<\/strong>[\u10a1\u10a0\u10c2] | <\/strong>\u10b5<\/strong> [(\u10b0\u10a8\u10b1\u10b2)\u10a4\u10b1\u10a8] <\/strong>\u2013 Birth of Christ<\/strong>]<\/strong>) and the Transfiguration <\/em>were depicted in the first registre on the southern panel of the vault.<\/p>\n

The second registre represented the second half of the Raising of Lazarus<\/em> (the first half of the Raising of Lazarus<\/em> (\u10aa<\/strong>(\u10a0)\u10a6(\u10a0)\u10b0\u10a4\u10b1<\/strong> : \u10a0\u10b6\u10a3|\u10a2\u10a8\u10ac\u10a4\u10a1\u10a0 <\/strong>\u2013 Raising of Lazarus<\/strong>) with the Savior and St. Peter extended into the middle part of the east wall) and images of saints.<\/p>\n

Above the eastern arch of the arcade on the wall two half-length figures of holy martyrs were depicted (identity unknown). Two holy monks \u2013 St. Arsen (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : <\/strong>\u10a0\u10b0\u10b1\u10a4\u10ac\u10a8 <\/strong>–<\/strong> Saint Arsen<\/strong>) and St. Anton (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : <\/strong>\u10a0\u10ac\u10b2\u10ad\u10ac\u10a8 <\/strong>\u2013 Saint Anton<\/strong>) are represented on both sides of the east window; St. Onofre (\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong> : <\/strong>\u10ad\u10ac\u10ad\u10b4\u10b0\u10a4<\/strong> \u2013 Saint Onofre<\/strong>) and St. Pachomius\/Pafnut ([<\/strong>\u10bc<\/strong>(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong>]<\/strong> \u10ae\u10a0[\u10be\u10ad\u10c3<\/strong>\u10ab<\/strong>\u10a8] <\/strong>\u2013 Saint Pachomios<\/strong>)<\/strong> – on window lintels; holy monk (name is lost) \u2013 left of the west window.<\/p>\n

In the third registre, figures of saints were depicted on the eastern edge of the wall and saint martyr (?) \u2013 on top of the south door (identity unknown).<\/p>\n

Painting on the north wall<\/strong> was distributed in the same way as on the south wall. The Baptism <\/em>and The<\/em> Ascension<\/em> (\u10a0\u10ab\u10a0\u10b6\u10aa\u10a4\u10a1\u10a0<\/strong>\u10c2<\/strong>: <\/strong>\u10b5<\/strong>(<\/strong>\u10b0\u10a8\u10b1\u10b2<\/strong>\u10a4<\/strong>)<\/strong>\u10b1\u10a8 <\/strong>\u2013 Ascension of Christ <\/strong>and \u10c2<\/strong>(\u10a4\u10b1)<\/strong>\u10c3 |<\/strong> \u10b5<\/strong>(\u10b0\u10a8\u10b1\u10b2)<\/strong>\u10a4 <\/strong>\u2013 Jesus Christ<\/strong>) were depicted on the northern panel of the vault (first registre).<\/p>\n

The second, middle registre represented the Crucifixion<\/em> (inscription on the board was renovated in minuscule script later), the Descent into Hell<\/em> (the section of the host of the Righteous extends into the middle part of the east wall); the upper area of the registre is filled with the host of \u2018servant\u2019 angels occupying the section left between the first and the second registres.<\/p>\n

The third registre shows four donors in supplication before St. Archangel Michael: the third figure is accompanied with an inscription: \u10a4\u10b1\u10a4 <\/strong>: <\/strong>\u10a0\u10b0\u10b1<\/strong> \u10a5\u10a0\u10b9\u10a8\u10a0\u10ac\u10a8 <\/strong>\u2013 This is Vachiani<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

The painting on the west wall<\/strong> was destroyed during the renovation of the church in 1884; it had not been described. Tinatin Virsaladze presumed presence of compositions of the Presentation, the Pentecost <\/em>and the Dormition<\/em> on this wall.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dating<\/h6>\n

During the monographic research of the painting, Tinatin Virsaladze considered the second quarter of the eleventh century -the period of constructing the gate of the church – as the date of painting the frescos (Tinatin Virsaladze, \u201cFreskovaja rospis\u2019 v tcerkvi arkhangelov sela Zemo Krikhi\u201d [\u201cMurals of the Church of Archangels in the village Zemo Krikhi\u201d], Ars Georgica<\/em> 6-A (1963): 107\u201370; Reprinted in id., Izbrannye trudy [Collected Studies]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 2007), 107-70); however, later, in her report dealing with the major stages of development of Georgian wall painting she defined the date by the mid or the second half of the eleventh century (Tinatin Virsaladze, \u201cOsnovnye etapy razvitija gruzinskoj srednevekovoj monumenta\u2019noj zhivopisi\u201d [\u201cMain Stages of Development of Medieval Georgian Monumental Painting\u201d], II Mezhdunarodnij simpozium po gruzinskomu iskusstvu [II International Symposium on Georgian Art]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 1977), 14; Reprinted in id., Izbrannye trudy [Collected Studies]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 2007), 17). Nowadays, studies provide both dates, but the priority is often given to the second quarter of the eleventh century (comp. Ekaterine Privalova, \u201cShua saukuneebis k\u2019art\u2019uli kedlis mkhatvrobis ert\u2019i t\u2019aviseburebis shesakheb zemo krikhis mt\u2019avarangelozt\u2019a eklesiis magalit\u2019ze\u201d [\u201cConcerning a Certain Pecularity of Medieval Georgian Wall Painting on the Example of the Church of Archangels in Zemo Krikhi\u201d], ts\u2019elits\u2019deuli [Annual]<\/em> I (1995): 9-28; Marine Q\u2019enia, \u201cKidev ertkhel zemo krikhis mt\u2019avarangelozt\u2019a eklesiis mokhatulobis programis gamo\u201d [\u201cOnce Again on the Programme of the Murals in the Church of Holy Archangels in Zemo Krikhi\u201d], Sak\u2019art\u2019velos sidzveleni [Georgian Antiquities]<\/em> 6 (2004): 89-104). However, in some cases the second date is also cited (see: (\u10d8\u10ee. Rach\u2019a 1991: Mits\u2019idzvrit\u2019 dazianebuli dzeglebi [Racha: Heritage destroyed in the 1991 Earthquake]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 2008), 8-10).<\/p>\n

Iconographic characteristics and certain features of the artistic style of the murals of the church of Zemo Krikhi more convincingly indicate the date of painting the frescos -the second half of the eleventh century.<\/p>\n\n

\n

Bibliography<\/h4>\n

Tinatin Virsaladze, \u201cFreskovaja rospis\u2019 v tcerkvi arkhangelov sela Zemo Krikhi\u201d [\u201cMurals of the Church of Archangels in the village Zemo Krikhi\u201d], Ars Georgica<\/em> 6-A (1963): 107\u201370; Reprinted in id., Izbrannye trudy [Collected Studies]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 2007), 25\u201395.<\/p>\n

Tinatin Virsaladze, \u201cOsnovnye etapy razvitija gruzinskoj srednevekovoj monumenta\u2019noj zhivopisi\u201d [\u201cMain Stages of Development of Medieval Georgian Monumental Painting\u201d], II Mezhdunarodnij simpozium po gruzinskomu iskusstvu [II International Symposium on Georgian Art]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 1977), 14; Reprinted in id., Izbrannye trudy [Collected Studies]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 2007), 17.<\/p>\n

Giorgi Boch\u2019oridze, Rach\u2019a-lechkhumis istoriuli dzeglebi da sidzveleebi [Historical Monuments and Antiquities of Racha-Lechkhumi]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 1992), 157\u201365.<\/p>\n

Ekaterine Privalova, \u201cShua saukuneebis k\u2019art\u2019uli kedlis mkhatvrobis ert\u2019i t\u2019aviseburebis shesakheb zemo krikhis mt\u2019avarangelozt\u2019a eklesiis magalit\u2019ze\u201d [\u201cConcerning a Certain Pecularity of Medieval Georgian Wall Painting on the Example of the Church of Archangels in Zemo Krikhi\u201d], ts\u2019elits\u2019deuli [Annual]<\/em> I (1995): 9\u201328.<\/p>\n

Marine Q\u2019enia, \u201cKidev ertkhel zemo krikhis mt\u2019avarangelozt\u2019a eklesiis mokhatulobis programis gamo\u201d [\u201cOnce Again on the Programme of the Murals in the Church of Holy Archangels in Zemo Krikhi\u201d], Sak\u2019art\u2019velos sidzveleni [Georgian Antiquities]<\/em> 6 (2004): 89\u2013104.<\/p>\n

Rach\u2019a 1991: Mits\u2019idzvrit\u2019 dazianebuli dzeglebi [Racha: Heritage destroyed in the 1991 Earthquake]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 2008), 8\u201310, 45\u201397.<\/p>\n

Efhtalia Constantinides, \u201cThe Frescoes of the Church of the Holy Archangels at Zemo-Krichi, Ra\u010da (Georgia) and the Contemporary Monuments on Mani in Southern Greece\u201d, \u0394\u03b5\u03bb\u03c4\u03af\u03bf\u03bd \u03c4\u03b7\u03c2 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae\u03c2 \u0391\u03c1\u03c7\u03b1\u03b9\u03bf\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae\u03c2 \u0395\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9\u03c1\u03b5\u03af\u03b1\u03c2<\/em> 17 (1993\u20131994): 181\u201392; Reprinted in id., Images From Byzantine Periphery. Studies in Iconography and Style<\/em> (Leiden, 2007), 180\u201394.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3465,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":[],"layer":[302],"period":[446],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/painting\/1337"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/painting"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/painting"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"layer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/layer?post=1337"},{"taxonomy":"period","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/period?post=1337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}