Νέος ανεικονικός διάκοσμος εκκλησίας στη Νάξο : Οι τοιχογραφίες του Αγίου Ιωάννη του Θεολόγου στ' Αδησαρού
Part of : Δελτίον της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας ; Vol.30, 1986, pages 329-382
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Pages:
329-382
Parallel Title:
A Νew Αniconic Decoration on Naxos : The Wall Paintings of the Church of Hagios Ioannis στ' Αδησαρού
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Articles
Abstract:
The church of Hagios Ioannis Theologos stands on the location στ' Άδησαρού, not far from Lathrino, on the southwest area of Naxos island. The restoration work carried by the 2nd Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities during 1980-1983 brought in light the wall paintings of the church, executed in three phases. The older phase is aniconic and is the third major decoration on the island along with the wall paintings of Hagia Kyriaki at Apeiranthos and of Hagios Artemios at Sagri. Hagios Ioannis, a simple stone building, is a single aisled, domed basilica, a type quite common in Naxos. A part of a synthronon has been located in the semi-circular bema apse (Fig. 9, not indicated in the earlier of its location plans, Figs. 3-4); the two transeptal arches carrying the dome divide the interior of the church in three distinct parts: the central, crowned by the dome, the eastern, occupied by the bema and the western, covered by barrel vaults; each of the north and the south sides is articulated by three blind arches. The aniconic painting decorating the bema was partially covered in the 13th century with the representation of the Deesis, on the apse, presently preserved in fragments. To this second phase must also belong the representation of St. John Theologos and of a female saint (Marina?) on the two western pilasters. The third phase, dated in all probability to the 14th century, was confined to the central part of the church and is well represented by the popular in Naxos St. Mamas and St. George in the central blind arches. The aniconic program has survived almost intact. Redbrown, pink, warm ochre, green, white and black have been used for the colouring, while proper instruments have been employed, when necessary, for the fine drawing of shapes. The painting on the cylinder of the apse imitates architectural decoration with marble revetments and opus sectile. Narrow frames form panels symmetrically embellished with rhombs, cycles, cross-form rosettes and flora designs. On the narrow lintel separating the cylinder from the conch of the apse there are remnants of an inscription in capital letters ΤΗΝ ΠΑΡΘΕΝΟΝ ΘΕΟ[ΤΟKON...], an indication that the church was probably at that time dedicated to the Virgin. At the conch base a narrow band with rotae sericae enriched with cross-form rosettes frames a rectangular panel, between the blind windows, with a cross under an arch. A fragmentary inscription in the panel reads TON ΘΕΟΝ and TEKNON ΠΑΝΥΚΗ. A part of a huge embellished cycle, that once would have enclosed the sacred symbol of the cross, has been preserved on the right of the apse conch. On the right side of the cycle a scaly design imitating peacock feathers can still be seen. This pattern has also been used in Hagia Kyriaki and elsewhere, while the inscribed cross has similarly been employed in the chapel of Hagios Georgios close to Apeiranthos and in Theologos, at Danakos. The tympanon of the apse is decorated with three ornamental friezes of geometric motives, interrupted at the top by a cross inscribed in a cycle. The painting on the vault of the bema and on the intrados of the transeptal arch imitates lacunar with a rich geometric and flora decoration. The flora character is prevailing in the embellishment of the arch and of its north pilaster. The two blind arches are richly decorated with a variety of motives: notchy themes, rhombs, cycles and semi-cycles, scaly designs, flowers, heart-shaped leaves, rotae sericae, rhomboid patterns and fleur-de-lis. The aniconic wall paintings of Theologos are closely related to the decoration in Hagia Kyriaki and Hagios Artemios. Both their resemblance and differentiation, when exists, indicate contemporary works executed by different artists who drew the decorative themes mainly from a wide repertoire of early christian origin. The sort of ornamental motives and the style of painting as well as the paleography of the inscriptions point to the 9th century and most probably to its first half, that is, to the second phase of Iconoclasm. The wall paintings of Naxos are related to with the aniconic decoration in the church of Hagios Nicolaos in Kastelli Mirambellou, Crete, Hagios Procopios in Mesa Mani and Episkopi, Eurytania (presently in the Byzantine Museum, Athens) as well as to the decoration painting of a ruined church in Thessaloniki. Apart from the wall paintings of Hagios Ioannis στ' Άδησαρου, Hagia Kyriaki and Hagios Artemios a considerable number of aniconic paintings is known from Naxos: Protothroni at Chalki, Hagios Ioannis Theologos at Danakos, Panagia Monastiriotissa, not far from the village Egares, Hagios Georgios close to Apeiranthos, Hagia Kyriaki and Hagios Georgios on the site Kakavas, Apeiranthos, Hagios Demetrios on the site Chalandra, not far from the village Kynidaros. Furthermore, a number of other churches on Naxos give indications for a probable aniconic decoration. The forementioned churches spread on a large area cover, topographically speaking, the central section of the island which is rich in monuments of various periods and can be counted among the most fertile and productive regions of Naxos. The argument that the aniconic decorations in Greece from the iconoclastic period or later derive from and continue an ideologically established aniconic tendency in art, which has survived since the early christian age and has coexisted with the iconic decoration does not seem to apply to Naxos. No aniconic monumental paintings have been as yet located there, that can be definitely dated in the pre-iconoclastic years. From this period only the iconic representations from Drosiani close to Moni, and Protothroni at Chalki are known so far. In this context the case of Protothroni is exceptionally interesting. The detachment of aniconic wall paintings from the bema apse brought in light the former representation of apostles from a scene of Ascension or Majestas Domini, which must be dated to the pre-iconoclastic years. Therefore, it does not seem probable that whoever had the responsibility for the new decoration would have decided to substitute the aniconic theme for the beautiful figures of the apostles simply for traditional reasons, which had, moreover, been ignored everywhere else on the island. This "backward" and delayed preference for the aniconic painting -compared to the former decoration of the apse- must be owed to a new, definite in objectives tendency and policy that brought in the focus of interest the aniconic repertoire even as far as the Cyclades. The adoption of the aniconic painting not only in Protothroni -an episcopal church in all probability- but also in a great number of churches on Naxos speaks for the extension and significance of the phenomenon. The painted crosses in Protothroni were covered in the late 10th or early 11th century by frontal hierarchs. Consequently, the two iconic phases in Protothroni can be used as boundaries for the dating of the aniconic phase of wall paintings on Naxos. The wall paintings of Naxos along with the other similar decorations of insular and mainland Greece may have a direct or indirect connection with the iconoclastic movement as it was expressed in monumental painting. The numerous, common decorative themes as well as other elements subtly indicate the existence of a more or less broadly accepted art which possessed certain principles regarding the iconographie program and an established thematic repertoire. Not only the decorative motives and themes (rosettes, interlacing cycles, rotae sericae) are typical of this art in the monuments mentioned so far, but also their arrangement on the architectural surfaces. Most characteristic is the composition occupying the bema apse. It is repeated with variations in the forementioned churches and also in others located abroad as, for example, in the Monastery of Midye, Turkey. The quantity and quality of most of the Naxian wall paintings testify that most probably in the 9th century a quite vivid, expressive and evolutional movement of aniconic painting had existed here. It remains as yet unknown how, why and for how long it has prospered on this biggest and richest island of the Cyclades. The administrative role of Naxos and its geographic position have obviously facilitated the introduction of new artistic elements; these factors along with the developments and dynamics in the Aegean archipelagos must in all probability be held responsible for the evolution of this art on the specific island. The monumental paintings of Naxos contribute a lot to {he study and elucidation of the aniconic phenomenon in Byzantine painting and especially during the iconoclastic period.
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