14/11/2006
Iconostases
The Tournovo wood sculptors in their art initially followed the centuries old Byzantine tradition, where the iconostases were mainly made of marble. Thereafter, during the post Byzantine period, the wood sculptors followed the new models. The norm became wood sculptured iconostases, which generally exhibited a tripartite division in the height, which is typologically different.
Rarely would one see sculptured decorative on the shields between the pessary sections. Especially in the 16th and 17th century we see here, as a rule, simple panelling that has been painted. Matters changed in the 18th century, where the upper shields were, since from the middle of the century onwards they carry a rich sculptured decorative. Above the shields are the Despotic icons, which were supported by sculptured columns or small pillars, which were usually twisted and carried an external decorative like the pessaries. Since the middle of the 18th century, for an elevation of the Despotic icons, lunettes were added above them, which incorporated sculptured depictions that were relevant to the Despotic icon that they framed (for example above the Sacred Porte there is a representation of the Last Supper, above the icon of Christ there is the Crucifixion or the Resurrection, etc.). Later, in the 19th century, the upper cetampedes were also added, which looked like metopes.
There followed upwards, on to the epistyle, many embossed decorative zones and rows with small icons, which formed the massive and imposing entablature. Here we shall observed subjects such as that concerning the Root of Jesse, the vine, birds, animals, etc. In the beginning (16th - mid 17th century) we only observe flora and fauna, which were rendered in schematics, later however (2nd half of the 17th, the 18th and the 19th century) we can also observe human forms amongst the fine embossed fascia, which have been rendered externally.
The sorrowful, as we can observe, are imposing from the entablature, namely the Cross, which has been supported upon dolphins or is stepping on dragons, with the small icons of the Theotokos and of Aghios Ioannis the Theologian in a mournful stance. The rich floral decorative that occupies the entire length of the iconostasis, which was also known as the «branch», completes this zone, which has as a result, mainly from the 18th century onwards, to reach on many occasions as far as the ceiling of the church.
From technical aspect, their decorations until the 17th century was mainly floral, which has been attributed by the technique of low relief or pressing, which was also in accordance and with the centuries old Byzantine tradition on the marble iconostases. The situation changed from the 18th century onwards, where the depictions became richer and were rendered with the deep embossing technique and the perforated technique. Even the depictions changed with subjects now being taken from mythology, old Christian symbols, scenes from the Holy Bible and the history of the church as well as the lives of the saints or from the animal and floral kingdom and daily life. The influences from the West in art by the Baroque (17th 18th century) and Rococo (18th 19th century) styles are evident. Furthermore, it is certain that both the Baroque technique as well as the elevation of the iconostasis to the ceiling, is also due to the influence in art by Russia of the same faith, which in fact provided the models to the Orthodox world during the years of the Turkish occupation, since they were considered to be continuing the Byzantine tradition. It would appear that the trade relations that were developed in these regions resulted in the designs travelling throughout the entire Balkans and consequently the influences. However, the wood sculptors did not mechanically adopt them, but combined them with their own local colour and in such a way, which indicates that they incorporated them harmoniously, until they had assimilated them.
This art has never ceased, even where it has gone through difficult periods (end of the 19th 1st half of the 20th century). From the beginning of the 20th century and during there was feebly instituted the neo Byzantine style in the wood sculptured iconostases, where the sculptured decorative has been rendered in either the pressing or the perforated technique. The decorative is almost a level sculpture, which has been inspired mainly by the floral kingdom. From a morphology perspective, they all refer to the earlier marble Byzantine iconostases. On a parallel however, we also observe iconostases that we have termed in the neo Classical style, mimicking in this regard the classical wood sculptured works of the 2nd half of the 18th and the 19th century, which are rich externally, with a sculptured Baroque or Rococo decorative.
A group of similar iconostases in terms of the structure, the technique execution and the subject matter, as well as of the same period (17th century), have been encountered in the churches of Aghion Anargyron at Kleidonia in Konitsa, of Aghia Paraskevi at Skamneli, etc.
We have encountered similar iconostases even in the next century (18th century) in the corresponding regions, such as at the churches of Aghios Nikolaos at Tsepelovo, the Repose of the Virgin Mary at Makrino, etc.
Finally, we have encountered even in the 19th century most noteworthy similar wood sculptured works in the broader region, such as at the church of Aghios Nikolaos at Kepoi of Zagorion, of Aghios Nikolaos at Konitsa, etc.
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