{"id":1873,"date":"2020-12-31T19:06:39","date_gmt":"2020-12-31T19:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/?post_type=painting&p=1873"},"modified":"2022-01-12T07:02:30","modified_gmt":"2022-01-12T07:02:30","slug":"chvabiani-murals-of-the-church-of-the-ascension-matskhvar","status":"publish","type":"painting","link":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/painting\/chvabiani-murals-of-the-church-of-the-ascension-matskhvar\/","title":{"rendered":"Chvabiani, Murals of the Church of the Ascension. First layer"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Building:<\/strong><\/td>\nChvabiani, Church of the Ascension (\u201cMatskhvar\u201d)<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Layer of the Murals:<\/strong><\/td>\nFirst Layer<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Date\/Period:<\/strong><\/td>\n10th c.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Donor(s):<\/strong><\/td>\nRepresentatives of the Amroliani family \u2013 Bende, Amrola and Michael; Father Superior Lazare<\/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

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):<\/p>\n

\u10b5 \u10b1\u10a0\u10be[\u10a4]\u10aa\u10a8\u10a7\u10a0 \u10b6(\u10ab\u10b0)\u10a7\u10a8\u10b1\u10a0<\/strong>|<\/strong>\u10c2\u10a7[\u10a0] \u10b9(\u10b3\u10a4)\u10ac \u10a0\u10ab\u10b0\u10ad\u10aa\u10a4\u10a0\u10ac\u10a7\u10a0 | \u10b1[\u10a0]\u10ab\u10a7\u10a0 \u10bb\u10ab\u10a0\u10a7\u10a0 \u10a1\u10a4\u10ac\u10a3\u10a4\u10b1 || \u10a0\u10ab\u10b0\u10ad\u10aa\u10a0\u10b1 \u10a3\u10a0 \u10ab\u10a8\u10b5\u10a0\u10a4\u10aa\u10b1 \u10ab\u10ad|\u10a2\u10b3\u10ba\u10a0 \u10bb\u10a0\u10aa\u10a8 \u10b6(\u10ab\u10a4\u10b0\u10a7\u10ab\u10a0)\u10ac \u10b3\u10ab\u10bf\u10ad\u10a1\u10a4|\u10b1\u10a0\u10a3 \u10ab\u10a0\u10ab<\/strong>(<\/strong>\u10a0<\/strong>)<\/strong>\u10a7\u10a0 \u10b9(\u10b3\u10a4)\u10ac\u10a7\u10a0\u10c2\u10b1\u10a0 | \u10a3\u10a0 \u10a0\u10b6\u10a5\u10a0\u10b8\u10a4\u10ac\u10a4\u10a7 \u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)\u10c2 \u10a4\u10b1\u10a4 | \u10a4\u10a9\u10aa\u10a4\u10b1\u10a8\u10a0\u10c2 \u10b1\u10a0\u10aa\u10ad\u10ba\u10a5(\u10a4)\u10aa(\u10a0)[\u10a3] | \u10b1\u10b3\u10aa\u10a8\u10b1[\u10a0] \u10b9(\u10b3\u10a4)\u10ac\u10a8\u10b1\u10a0 \u10a3\u10a0 \u10ab\u10ad[\u10a5]|\u10bc\u10a4\u10b0[\u10a4\u10a7] \u10a6\u10a4\u10ad[\u10a1]\u10a0\u10b1\u10a0 […] | \u10a0\u10b4\u10be(\u10a0)\u10a6\u10a7\u10a0 \u10ab\u10a4\u10b4\u10a8\u10b1\u10a0 \u10b5(\u10b0\u10a8\u10b1\u10b2)\u10a4 \u10a0[\u10a3\u10a8]\u10a3[\u10a4] \u10a4\u10b0\u10a8\u10b1\u10a7\u10a0\u10a5\u10ad\u10a1\u10a0\u10b1\u10a0 | […]\u10b1\u10b1\u10a0 \u10c0\u10b4\u10a0\u10b0\u10a0\u10a5[\u10a3\u10a8]\u10ac [\u10ab\u10a0\u10a7 \u10b6(\u10ab\u10a4\u10b0)]\u10a7\u10a8 [\u10a3\u10a0 \u10ab]\u10a0\u10b8\u10a4\u10ac[\u10a4\u10a1]|[\u10a4]\u10aa[\u10ac\u10a8][…] <\/strong>\u2013 I<\/strong>n the name of God, we, three brothers of the Amroleans family \u2013 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 [\u2026], let God protect them and the builders <\/strong>(Svanet\u2019is ts\u2019erilobit\u2019i dzeglebi (X\u2013XVIII ss.), II, epigrap\u2019ikuli dzeglebi, tek\u2019stebi gamosatsemad moamzada, gamokvlevebi da sametsniero-satsnobaro aparati daurt\u2019o valeri silogavam [Svaneti Literary Monuments (10th\u2013XVIIIth cc.), II, Epigraphical Monuments, rdited by Valeri Silogava]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 1988), 63).<\/strong><\/p>\n

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:<\/p>\n

[\u10b5 \u10b1]\u10a0\u10be\u10a4\u10aa\u10a8\u10a7(\u10a0) \u10b6(\u10ab\u10b0)\u10a7\u10a8\u10b1(\u10a0)\u10c2\u10a7\u10a0<\/strong> | [\u10ab\u10a0\u10ab]\u10a0\u10b1(\u10a0)\u10be\u10aa\u10a8\u10b1\u10ad\u10a1\u10a0\u10b1\u10a0 \u10aa(\u10a0)\u10a6(\u10a0)\u10b0\u10a4|[\u10b1]\u10a0 \u10a0\u10a4\u10b8\u10a4\u10ac\u10a0 \u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)\u10c2 \u10a4\u10b1\u10a4 \u10a4\u10a9\u10aa\u10a4[\u10b1\u10a8\u10a0]\u10c2 \u10a3\u10a0 \u10ab\u10a8\u10b1\u10b1\u10a0\u10a5\u10a4 \u10a6\u10a4\u10ad\u10a1\u10a0[\u10b1]\u10a0 \u10ab\u10ad\u10a8\u10bc\u10a4\u10b0\u10a0 \u10b5(\u10b0\u10a8\u10b1\u10b2)\u10a4 \u10b8\u10a4\u10b3\u10ac\u10a3\u10a5|[\u10a4\u10ac] \u10b1\u10b3\u10aa\u10b1\u10a0 \u10ab\u10a8\u10b1\u10b1\u10a0 \u10ba\u10ad\u10a3\u10a5\u10a0|[\u10ac]\u10a8 \u10a3\u10a0 \u10ab\u10a0\u10b0\u10bf\u10b3\u10a4\u10ac\u10a8\u10a7 \u10b8<\/strong>(<\/strong>\u10a4<\/strong>)<\/strong>\u10ac\u10b1\u10a0 | [\u10b6\u10a8]\u10b0\u10b1 \u10b7\u10a0\u10a5 \u10a3\u10b6\u10a4\u10b1\u10a0 \u10ab\u10a0\u10b1 \u10a2(\u10a0)\u10ac|[\u10a9\u10a8]\u10a7\u10be\u10a5\u10a8\u10b1\u10a0\u10b1\u10a0 \u10a0<\/strong>(<\/strong>\u10ab\u10a4<\/strong>)<\/strong>\u10ac <\/strong>\u2013 In the name of God, this holy church was built and adorned with murals under Father Superior Lazare; Christ, forgive him his sins and<\/strong> protect him with your righteousness on the Final Day<\/strong>,<\/strong> Amen<\/strong> (Svanet\u2019is ts\u2019erilobit\u2019i dzeglebi (X\u2013XVIII ss.), II, epigrap\u2019ikuli dzeglebi, tek\u2019stebi gamosatsemad moamzada, gamokvlevebi da sametsniero-satsnobaro aparati daurt\u2019o valeri silogavam [Svaneti Literary Monuments (10th\u2013XVIIIth cc.), II, Epigraphical Monuments, rdited by Valeri Silogava]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 1988), 65).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another inscription outlined above the capital on the northern (left) edge of the conch mentions Amrola: \u10bc \u10b3(\u10b4\u10a0\u10aa)\u10ad \u10a8(\u10a4\u10b1)\u10b3 \u10b5(\u10b0\u10a8\u10b1\u10b2)\u10a4 \u10ab\u10b4\u10aa\u10ad\u10a1[\u10a4\u10aa\u10ad \u10ad\u10b0]\u10a7\u10a0[\u10a5\u10a4] | \u10b1\u10b3\u10b4\u10a4\u10a5\u10a0\u10a7\u10a0 \u10ba\u10be[- – -] \u10a3\u10a0 \u10a0\u10ba|\u10be\u10ad\u10a5\u10ac\u10a4 \u10ad\u10b0\u10b1\u10a0\u10a5\u10a4 [\u10b8\u10a8\u10ac\u10a0] \u10ba\u10be\u10ad\u10a5|\u10b0\u10a4\u10a1\u10a0\u10b1\u10a0 \u10a1\u10a4\u10ad[- – – – -]\u10a4 \u10b0~\u10aa [\u10a0]\u10ab|\u10b0\u10ad\u10aa\u10a0 \u10b8(\u10a4\u10a8\u10bc\u10b7\u10a0\u10aa\u10a4)\u10ac \u10a1\u10a0[- – – – -] | [\u10a3]\u10a0 \u10b8\u10a4\u10b3\u10ac|\u10a3\u10a4 \u10b1\u10b3\u10aa\u10b1\u10a0 \u10ab\u10a0\u10a7[\u10b1\u10a0 \u10a3\u10a0]\u10b6\u10a8\u10b0(\u10b1) \u10b7[\u10a0]\u10a5 | \u10ab\u10a0\u10b0\u10bf\u10b3\u10a4\u10ac\u10a8\u10a7 \u10b8(\u10a4)\u10ac\u10b1[\u10a0] \u10a3\u10b6\u10a4\u10b1\u10a0 \u10ab(\u10a0)\u10b1 \u10a2\u10ac\u10a9\u10a8\u10a7\u10be\u10a5\u10a8\u10b1\u10a0\u10b1\u10a0 \u10a0(\u10ab\u10a4)\u10ac <\/strong>\u2013 Jesus Christ, the Lord of both worlds [- – -] and bless in bot worlds(!) <\/strong>Beo [- – – – -] have mercy on Amrola [- – – – -] and forgive him and cover him with your righteousness on the Final Day<\/strong>,<\/strong> Amen<\/strong> (Svanet\u2019is ts\u2019erilobit\u2019i dzeglebi (X\u2013XVIII ss.), II, epigrap\u2019ikuli dzeglebi, tek\u2019stebi gamosatsemad moamzada, gamokvlevebi da sametsniero-satsnobaro aparati daurt\u2019o valeri silogavam [Svaneti Literary Monuments (10th\u2013XVIIIth cc.), II, Epigraphical Monuments, rdited by Valeri Silogava]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 1988), 66).<\/strong><\/p>\n

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 (\u2018Amrola\u2019s\u2019) inscription:<\/p>\n

[…] \u10b1\u10a0\u10a3\u10ad […] | […] \u10a3\u10a0 \u10b8\u10a5\u10a8\u10aa\u10ac\u10a8 \u10ab[\u10a0\u10a7\u10ac\u10a8] […] | […]\u10aa\u10b1[- – -]\u10ab[\u2026] <\/strong>\u2013 Sado [\u2026] and their children [\u2026] ls[- – -]m<\/strong> (Svanet\u2019is ts\u2019erilobit\u2019i dzeglebi (X\u2013XVIII ss.), II, epigrap\u2019ikuli dzeglebi, tek\u2019stebi gamosatsemad moamzada, gamokvlevebi da sametsniero-satsnobaro aparati daurt\u2019o valeri silogavam [Svaneti Literary Monuments (10th\u2013XVIIIth cc.), II, Epigraphical Monuments, rdited by Valeri Silogava]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 1988), 67).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

Description<\/h4>\n

Initially, only the chancel was painted; later, probably in the late 18th\u2013 early 19th cc., the second registre of the apse was repainted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chancel<\/h6>\n

The apse features an extended, two-registre composition of Christ in Majesty<\/em>. 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\u2019s mandorla. On both sides above Christ\u2019s 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\u2019s mandorla and the seraphs, on the south and the north, there are texts of seraphim\u2019s hymns: \u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0 \u10a0)\u10b0\u10b1 | \u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0 \u10a0)\u10b0\u10b1 | \u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0 \u10a0)\u10b0\u10b1 | [\u10b3(\u10b4\u10a0\u10aa<\/strong>)<\/strong>\u10a8] \u10b1\u10a0|[\u10a1\u10a0]\u10ad\u10a7 <\/strong>\u2013 Holy, Holy, Holy, The Lord All-Powerful <\/strong>\u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0 \u10a0)\u10b0\u10b1 | \u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0 \u10a0)\u10b0\u10b1 | \u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0 \u10a0)\u10b0\u10b1 | [\u10b3(\u10b4\u10a0\u10aa<\/strong>)<\/strong>\u10a8] \u10b1\u10a0 | [\u10a1\u10a0]\u10ad\u10a7 <\/strong>\u2013 Holy, Holy, Holy, The Lord All-Powerful <\/strong>(Isaiah 6:3).<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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 (\u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)\u10c2 | [\u10ae\u10a0\u10a5\u10aa\u10a4] <\/strong>\u2013 Saint Paul);<\/strong> next are St. Mathew (<\/strong>\u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)\u10c2 | \u10ab\u10a0[\u10a7\u10a4] <\/strong>\u2013 Saint Mathew<\/strong>) 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 (<\/strong>\u10bc(\u10ab\u10a8\u10a3\u10a0)\u10c2 | \u10b4\u10a8|\u10a6\u10a8|\u10ae\u10a4 \u2013<\/strong> Saint Philip<\/strong>). A floral ornament follows the triumphal arch of the chancel, while the face of the intrados features a text from Psalms: \u10b1\u10a0\u10be\u10aa\u10b1\u10a0 \u10b8(\u10a4)\u10ac\u10b1\u10a0 \u10b8\u10b3\u10c1\u10ac\u10a8\u10b1 \u10b1\u10a8\u10bc\u10ab(\u10a8)\u10a3\u10a4 \u10b3(\u10b4\u10a0\u10aa)\u10ad \u10b1\u10a8\u10a2\u10b0\u10bb\u10a4\u10b1\u10a0 \u10a3\u10b6(\u10c1)\u10a7\u10a0\u10b1\u10a0 <\/strong>\u2013 How great are your works,\u00a0<\/strong>Lord<\/strong>,<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>how profound your thoughts! (<\/strong>Psalms 92:5).<\/strong><\/p>\n

A cross inscribed in a circle is depicted in the arch of the chancel window.<\/p>\n\n

\n

Bibliography<\/h4>\n

Svanet\u2019is ts\u2019erilobit\u2019i dzeglebi (X\u2013XVIII ss.), II, epigrap\u2019ikuli dzeglebi, tek\u2019stebi gamosatsemad moamzada, gamokvlevebi da sametsniero-satsnobaro aparati daurt\u2019o valeri silogavam [Svaneti Literary Monuments (10th\u2013XVIIIth cc.), II, Epigraphical Monuments, rdited by Valeri Silogava]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 1988), 63-7..<\/p>\n

Natela Aladashvili, Gajane Alibegashvili, Aneli Volskaja, Zhivopisnaja shkola Svaneti [The Painting School of Svaneti]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 1983), 27\u20139.<\/p>\n

Natela Aladashvili, \u201cKompozitsia altarnoj konkhi v tserkvakh svanet\u2019i\u201d [\u201cChancel Conch Compositions in the Svaneti Churches\u201d], IV Mezhdunarodnij simpozium po gruzinskomu iskusstvu [IV International Symposium on Georgian Art]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 1983), 4\u20135.<\/p>\n

Guram Ch\u2019eishvili, Davit\u2019 Gagoshidze, \u201cAmroleant\u2019a X saukunis sak\u2019titoro ts\u2019arts\u2019erebi chvabianis matskhovris eklesiidan\u201d [\u201cTenth-Century Donor Inscriptions of the Amroleanis in the Chvabiani Church of Saviour\u201d], Dzeglis megobari [Monument\u2019s Friend]<\/em> 75 (1987): 62\u20136.<\/p>\n

Rusudan Q\u2019enia, Nat\u2019ela Aladashvili, Zemo Svanet\u2019i (shua saukuneebis khelovneba). Gzamkvlevi [Medieval Art of Upper Svaneti: A Guidebook] [Sak\u2019art\u2019velos megzuri [Guide of Georgia]: 2]<\/em> (Tbilisi, 2000), 65\u20136.<\/p>\n

Marine Q\u2019enia, \u201cMkhatvrobis saert\u2019o sistemis gadats\u2019q\u2019vetis t\u2019aviseburebani adreuli khanis Svanet\u2019is mokhatulobebshi\u201d [\u201cPecularities of the General Arrangement of the Decoration System in Early Medieval Murals in Svaneti\u201d], Sak\u2019art\u2019velos Sidzveleni [Georgian Antiquities]<\/em> 12 (2008): 128\u20139.<\/p>\n

Zaza Skhirtladze, \u201cChvabiani matskhovris eklesiis mokhatulobis p\u2019enebi da mat\u2019i k\u2019titorebi\u201d [Paiting Layers in the Chvabiani Church Saviour and their Donors\u201d, in Svanet\u2019i <\/em>III (Tbilisi, 2008), 85\u20138.<\/p>\n

Anna Zakharova, Sofia Sverdlova, \u201cOriginal 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\u201d, \u0417\u043e\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0444<\/em> 39 (2015): 11\u201323.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3401,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":[],"layer":[300],"period":[446],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/painting\/1873"}],"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\/3401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"layer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/layer?post=1873"},{"taxonomy":"period","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arthistory.tsu.ge\/murals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/period?post=1873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}