Theotokos and Archangels
Dublin Core
Title
Theotokos and Archangels
Subject
Description
The Mother of God flanked by the Archangels is depicted on the east side of the southern door of the naos. She sits on a rounded throne and holds Jesus Christ as a child in her arms. On the left side of Mary, there is Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel is shown on her right side.
Strange enough is the elongation of the figures in the scene, as if the painter draw it on purpose to cover a standing figure on the original fresco layer.
The scene as a whole within the frame of the panel resembles to that of an icon specifically painted for veneration, a proskynetarion. Its position was not chosen by chance as it is located adjacently to the icons of Christ the Merciful and Mary. Regarding the duplication of the depiction of Mary here and on the Paraklesis icon, the proskynetarion of the enthroned Mary functions as the depiction of the patron saint of the church and not as the Intercessor between the humankind and the Eleemon.
Comparing the throne of Mary and the throne of Christ on the patronal scene on the lunette just above it is profound that the enthroned Mary is an inspiration of the fourteenth century.
Special mention must be given to the scarcity of the depiction of enthroned Mary before the late twelfth century. As from the second half of the twelfth century, the presence of these mural icons became mainstream but again they were not placed with a purpose. Only at Lagoudera and Asinou they were located strategically, along with archangels.
Strange enough is the elongation of the figures in the scene, as if the painter draw it on purpose to cover a standing figure on the original fresco layer.
The scene as a whole within the frame of the panel resembles to that of an icon specifically painted for veneration, a proskynetarion. Its position was not chosen by chance as it is located adjacently to the icons of Christ the Merciful and Mary. Regarding the duplication of the depiction of Mary here and on the Paraklesis icon, the proskynetarion of the enthroned Mary functions as the depiction of the patron saint of the church and not as the Intercessor between the humankind and the Eleemon.
Comparing the throne of Mary and the throne of Christ on the patronal scene on the lunette just above it is profound that the enthroned Mary is an inspiration of the fourteenth century.
Special mention must be given to the scarcity of the depiction of enthroned Mary before the late twelfth century. As from the second half of the twelfth century, the presence of these mural icons became mainstream but again they were not placed with a purpose. Only at Lagoudera and Asinou they were located strategically, along with archangels.
Creator
Source
Digital Heritage Research Lab of Cyprus University of Technology
Publisher
Digital Heritage Research Lab of Cyprus University of Technology
Library of Cyprus University of Technology
Date
Contributor
Digital Heritage Research Lab of Cyprus University of Technology
Rights
Απαγορεύεται η δημοσίευση ή αναπαραγωγή, ηλεκτρονική ή άλλη χωρίς τη γραπτή συγκατάθεση του δημιουργού.
Relation
https://apsida.cut.ac.cy/items/show/45036
Format
JPG, MP3
Language
en
Type
Identifier
Figure-036
Coverage
35.046355, 32.973431
Files
Collection
Citation
Ioannides, Marinos, “Theotokos and Archangels,” Αψίδα, accessed January 31, 2025, https://apsida.cut.ac.cy/items/show/45250.