Annunciation
Dublin Core
Title
Annunciation
Subject
Description
On the eastern transverse arch of the central bay, which is a strengthened later addition, the Annunciation scene in a compound with Christ as the Ancient of Days is illustrated.
The Virgin is depicted enthroned, holding the spindle in front of an architectural scenery with pots of flowers. At the centre, Jesus as the Ancient of Days sends the dove of the Holy Spirit to Mary in a very descriptive way while Archangel Gabriel, on the northern side, moves towards Her.
The portrait of Christ as the Ancient of Days constitutes a problematic theme. Here at Asinou, His representation in this type is the first example attested in Cyprus. Christ Emmanuel or the Mandylion are portrait types of Him attested elsewhere. A parallel depiction seems to exist at Saint Nicholas Agoriane in Greece from around the same period (ca. 1300). Based on that, the figure of the Ancient of the Days promotes the belief that Christ is identified with the Father, who exists before time and along with the Holy Spirit in the form of the dove constitute the Holy Trinity. Therefore, this could be a visual crash test of the filioque. However, this does not seem to be the case in Lusignan Cyprus. Rather the attention must be paid to the interplay of the message of Incarnation through time on the eastern transverse arch and the Incarnation through the Prophecies on the western.
According to scholars’ beliefs, the placement of the Holy Mandylion and the Ancient of Days in the apex of the transverse arches may substitute the absence of Pantokrator in the central apex of the nave.
Traditionally, the Annunciation scene decorates the bema opening and so the twelfth-century representation does. But during the course of the time span between A.D. 1105/6 and the fourteenth-century redecoration in which this fresco belongs, the Annunciation scene was relocated to the bema arch. Therefore, the fourteenth century painters left the twelfth-century fresco as it was and added the Annunciation scene on the bema arch as it was the trend during that time.
Finally, contradictory features co-exist in the depiction of the Virgin. On the one hand, Mary is depicted in a novel type in Cypriot artistic context which derives from the customary representation of the scene attested in the West. Specifically, the composition evokes contemporary architectural setting. Also, the vivid colours and the vigorous movements of the figures seem to depart from the stylized postures of the previous centuries. On the other hand, Theotokos is dressed in an attire reminiscing twelfth century style. In this way, the painter highlighted the importance of tradition and conservatism in art and incorporates the message of the scene into the new style trends and the visual program of the central nave.
The Virgin is depicted enthroned, holding the spindle in front of an architectural scenery with pots of flowers. At the centre, Jesus as the Ancient of Days sends the dove of the Holy Spirit to Mary in a very descriptive way while Archangel Gabriel, on the northern side, moves towards Her.
The portrait of Christ as the Ancient of Days constitutes a problematic theme. Here at Asinou, His representation in this type is the first example attested in Cyprus. Christ Emmanuel or the Mandylion are portrait types of Him attested elsewhere. A parallel depiction seems to exist at Saint Nicholas Agoriane in Greece from around the same period (ca. 1300). Based on that, the figure of the Ancient of the Days promotes the belief that Christ is identified with the Father, who exists before time and along with the Holy Spirit in the form of the dove constitute the Holy Trinity. Therefore, this could be a visual crash test of the filioque. However, this does not seem to be the case in Lusignan Cyprus. Rather the attention must be paid to the interplay of the message of Incarnation through time on the eastern transverse arch and the Incarnation through the Prophecies on the western.
According to scholars’ beliefs, the placement of the Holy Mandylion and the Ancient of Days in the apex of the transverse arches may substitute the absence of Pantokrator in the central apex of the nave.
Traditionally, the Annunciation scene decorates the bema opening and so the twelfth-century representation does. But during the course of the time span between A.D. 1105/6 and the fourteenth-century redecoration in which this fresco belongs, the Annunciation scene was relocated to the bema arch. Therefore, the fourteenth century painters left the twelfth-century fresco as it was and added the Annunciation scene on the bema arch as it was the trend during that time.
Finally, contradictory features co-exist in the depiction of the Virgin. On the one hand, Mary is depicted in a novel type in Cypriot artistic context which derives from the customary representation of the scene attested in the West. Specifically, the composition evokes contemporary architectural setting. Also, the vivid colours and the vigorous movements of the figures seem to depart from the stylized postures of the previous centuries. On the other hand, Theotokos is dressed in an attire reminiscing twelfth century style. In this way, the painter highlighted the importance of tradition and conservatism in art and incorporates the message of the scene into the new style trends and the visual program of the central nave.
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-065
Coverage
35.046355, 32.973431
Files
Collection
Citation
Ioannides, Marinos, “Annunciation,” Αψίδα, accessed May 13, 2024, https://apsida.cut.ac.cy/items/show/45275.