A Source of Inspiration for the 18th Century Iconography of the Wooden Churches of Maramureș: The Triodion.

Abstract

The iconographic program of the wooden churches of Maramureș has a thematic unity although there are many masters who painted the churches throughout the 18th century (and early 19th century). The thematic unity is given by the same sources of inspiration. The following study aims at sheding some light on the influence of the main source of inspiration, the Triodion, on the iconographic program. In my research, I have followed two directions of investigation: the Triodion as a liturgical period of time with a specific theological message (the theology of the Triodion) and the book of Triodion used by the Eastern Church in the aforementiond liturgical time. The printed liturgical book does not only include the hymnography (biblical and theologial themes evoked by the written text), but also the engravings (the illustrations) of the feasts and themes of the Triodion. The masters who painted the wooden churches of Maramureș have transfered both the theology conveyed by the thematic content of the Triodion and the compositional solutions of the engravings into iconography.