Church Art Research Articles

Death on a yellow horse: Rendering of the color term in Revelation 6:8 in Danish Bible translations

The article investigates a case of color usage in Revelation 6:8 and various ways it has been translated into Danish. The Greek χλωρός used to describe the horse under the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse is polysemic and thus rather difficult to interpret, which resulted in numerous variations among translators. The image of Death on a pale horse has become part of the Western cultural heritage, although linguists have argued if this equivalent is indeed accurate in terms of color meaning comprised within the original lexeme. Fourteen translations, from medieval to modern, allowed to scrutinize some particular features of rendering this intricate color term in Danish, rising the main question of the study: why do so many Danish translations opt for the chromatic meaning of yellow in the given passage? In order to answer that, firstly, all of the translations were examined from the point of view of the time they were made, the primary source that the works were based upon and the special characteristics of chosen equivalents of χλωρός. Secondly, a few external sources were introduced in order to put the issue in a broader linguacultural context, such as the language, color symbolism and early Danish church art. This approach has helped to determine possible reasons for Death’s horse turning yellow, like the influence of German, deadly connotations of the Danish color term gul ‘yellow’ when referring to paleness and the bad symbolic reputation of color yellow itself.

Листи мистецтвознавця Василя Пуцка до отця Володимира Яреми (1973–1994) (з фондів відділу рукописів Львівської національної наукової бібліотеки України імені В. Стефаника)

Attention to the epistolary heritage of Ukrainian cultural figures is relevant nowadays as one of the most important narrative and documentary sources. In particular, the problem of publishing the author’s epistolary in source studies, in particular in biography, occupies an exceptional place. The purpose and task of this publication was to present the letters of one of the most prominent Ukrainian art critics, Vasyl Putsko (Born in 1941), to Fr. Volodymyr Yarema (1915–2000), who, having lived the lion’s share of his life outside Ukraine, still made a significant contribution to the development of national science. Letters of V. Putskо to Fr. V. Yaremy (in monasticism – Dymytrii), pastor of the church of St. Peter and Paul in Lviv, a researcher of church art, later a church figure, the patriarch of Kyiv and all Ukraine of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church is an important source for studying the formation of national art history. Against the background of the biography of V. Putsk, the subject of his art history interests is analyzed. A bibliography of his main works for the years 1977–2021 has been compiled.

Šodienas sakrālā arhitektūra: Latvijas baznīcu jaunbūves – konservatīva pasūtītāja izaicinājums

World War (Grieze, etc.) or build new ones on the old ruins or near them (Džūkste, Ērgļi, Salaspils, etc.), as well as reopen the churches closed during the “Khrushchev thaw” (the largest number: Matīši, Riga Reformed, Rēzekne, Varakļāni, etc. In some cases, after the opening, the church was abandoned again (Lambarte). New congregations with newly built houses of worship are far and between (Antuļi, Ape, Kārķi, Aizkraukle, Ķurbe, Ķegums). In none of the aforementioned examples can we talk about an unconventional architectonic solution. Perhaps the partially abandoned Antuļi church hides the potential for reviving 70 years of architectural handwriting. On the other hand, the organization of Latvian Lutherans in exile can be proud of modern churches in the New World, but has almost no real estate in Latvia. The restoration of the magnanimously purchased Ilze church will definitely require the financial means that could be invested in larger centers. Latvian Orthodox and Old Believers (similar to Lutherans) are mostly involved in the restoration of churches abandoned in the 1960s, especially in the Orthodox diaspora of Vidzeme (Lēdurga, Nītaure), however, some vivid examples of a contemporary approach can be found. Metropolitan Alexander emphasized that Orthodox architecture purposefully follows traditional norms, but in some new buildings, unexpected corners are still found, for example, the proportions of the building and the dome in Iecava or Salaspils. In Riga, during the tenure of J. Pujats, 2 new churches were built, 1 was reconstructed and several chapels of women’s communities were also opened. 3 churches, whose construction commenced in pre-Soviet times, have been completed in Latgale. After the founding of the Latgale diocese (1995), 5 new unimpressive churches were built during the next bishop J. Bulis. In Vidzeme, some of the congregations founded before the war to serve Polish, Lithuanian and Latgalian agricultural workers, have been restored. For them, churches were also built in 20 parishes. In Zemgale and Kurzeme, bishops A. Justs and A. Ā. Brumanis implemented the restoration of closed congregations, and supplied them with churches, but on a smaller scale. According to the assessment of the president of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Ojārs Spārītis, the artistic quality of new Latvian church buildings is bordering on kitsch. According to him, the programmatic movement of church art towards cheaper Western church models is superficial and banal, literally and figuratively. However, it should be explained that the occurrence of low-quality architecture is determined by the haste of the customer, lack of European experience and limited financial means.

Features of Solving Plots in Temple Painting by the Founders of the Religious-national Trend and Artists of the Circle of M. M. Vasiliev

The subject of the study is to identify the peculiarities in solving the plots of church painting of individual representatives of the religious-national trend of the turn of the XIX - XX centuries. The purpose is to show the development of national trends of Russian monumental church art by the founders of the religious-national trend on the examples of the work of V. M.Vasnetsov, M. V. Nesterov, M.A. Vrubel and artists M. M. Vasiliev, A. P. Blaznov, L. A. Pyanovsky, K. S. Petrov-Vodkin, F. R. Raylian, to identify similarities and differences in the manner and in the transmission of images and compositions, as well as to substantiate the significance of these differences for art history. The basis of art criticism research is the formal stylistic method of G. Velflin, the iconographic method of N. P. Kondakov, the iconological method of E. Panofsky; the method of phenomenological analysis of the aesthetic perception of the artistic work of V. V. Bychkov and G. K. Wagner. Comparative analysis of murals by artists M. M. Vasiliev, A. P. Blaznov, L. A. Pyanovsky, F. R. Raylian, K. S. Petrov-Vodkin in comparison with the work of representatives of the "Vasnetsov school" allowed us to see the development of the national style in art, from an abstract-figurative understanding to a conscious spiritual-symbolic interpretation of church painting of the Middle Ages and pre-Petrine Russia as an integral artistic phenomenon of the religious-national trend. The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that the example of the artists of the "Vasiliev circle" revealed a kind of overcoming of one of the main problems of the iconographic image, which consists in maintaining a delicate balance of life-likeness and ideality. In their works, in the context of interpretation, the measure of realism of the image is traced, in which the spiritual content can be embodied in a material form without losing its sacred content, which is a valuable example for modern artists who set themselves the task of creating images without copying, but remaining in the canon.

Review: Rubens in Repeat: The Logic of the Copy in Colonial Latin America, by Aaron M. Hyman; Clothing the New World Church: Liturgical Textiles of Spanish America, 1520–1820, by Maya Stanfield-Mazzi

Review: <i>Rubens in Repeat: The Logic of the Copy in Colonial Latin America</i>, by Aaron M. Hyman; <i>Clothing the New World Church: Liturgical Textiles of Spanish America, 1520–1820</i>, by Maya Stanfield-Mazzi

Oleh Bolyuk, Wooden sacred artefacts (as based on Ukraine’s western regions)

Oleh Bolyuk’s book is an impressive work in terms of content and editing. Enclosed in hardcovers, navy blue with gold embellishments, with 260 A3-size half-chalk pages, nearly 450 color and black-and-white illustrations in the margins as well as inserted into the text, it entices with its enviably beautiful layout and extreme editorial diligence. At this point, it is worth emphasizing the fact that in Ukraine, researchers often have to apply for funds themselves to publish their own research and are not assisted in this by state institutions. Fortunately, the author found full support at the Institute of Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which proves the exceptionally high esteem in the results of the research work presented in the book. The expeditionary research which allowed for a detailed study of the collection of church art, was made possible thanks to the support of the NGO Center for Cultural and Artistic Initiatives in Lviv.

Migrant Church: Icons and Wall Paintings of the Wooden Church of St Nicholas in Hradec Králove

The church of St Nicholas, which is now located on the territory ofJiráskovy sady Park in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, was originallybuilt in the village of Habura (Slovakia). During the 2017 restoration,the iconostasis was dismantled, which made it possible to study thewall painting, preserved in fragments. The article examines the iconson the church walls, in the sanctuary and in the iconostasis, and thewall painting in the context of the activity of their authors. Most ofthe icons are attributed to the centre of church art in the town ofRybotychi (today the village of Rybotycze in Fredropol district ofthe Subcarpathian Voivodeship of Poland). In addition to the mannerof painting and of the frame carving of the icons, the history of thechurch’s relocation shows that it was originally built in the epicentreof the activity of these masters on the border of the Peremyshl (todaythe town of Przemyśl, Subcarpathian Voivodeship of Poland) andMukachevo (today a town in Ukraine) dioceses of the Ukrainian (thancalled Rus’ka) church. The chronology of the icon painting is relatedto the transfers and rededications of the church. The connectionof the wall painting with the painting style of the master Yakivof Rybotychi, who, as we assume, was the leading master of thiscentre in the 1670s and 1680s, is substantiated. Associated with hisauthorship are icons originating from the churches of Habura’sneighbouring villages. This confirms our hypothesis that the wallpainting was created in the 1670s. Church icons belong to masterswhose other works have been identified in museum collections andin churches in Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine.

Historiography of Greek Religious Engravings

The article presents an overview of the literature on the history of the study of Greek religious engravings. For the first time, there is collected information about the Greek engravings, from the first mentions of them by travelers, to scientific works — monographs, articles, catalogs of collections and exhibitions dedicated to this rare phenomenon of mass religious culture of the 19th century, which has received insufficient attention, especially in Russian literature. This kind of art is quite fully represented in Russian collections, but it remains known only to a narrow circle of specialists. The article presents a systematized review of the world literature, which shows the extent of the study of the topic and opens up space for further research. The article shows the first pre-scientific (empirical) experiments in the description and interpretation of Greek engravings as a special type of church art, mainly Athonite. Further, the author considers the first scientific research and analyzes the monumental works on which all subsequent scientists rely. These are such catalogs as “Paper Icons” by D. Papastratu (in two volumes), “Khilandar Graphics”, “Svyatogorsk Graphics” by D. Davydov. Along with the studies of the main contemporary authors, there are also mentioned studies related to the theme of Greek engraving in an indirect way — those concerning the genesis of the phenomenon of this type of church art. These are studies of proskynetarions, specific engravings and paintings with views of holy places. The article concludes with a historiographic survey of recently published Russian catalogs and studies. This presentation structure corresponds to the task of studying the interest of scientists in this kind of art, identifying scientific problems that attracted researchers in different periods of time.

Liturgy and Biblical Interpretation: The Sanctus and the Qedushah by Sebastian Selvén

Reviewed by: Liturgy and Biblical Interpretation: The Sanctus and the Qedushah by Sebastian Selvén Michael Gabizon sebastian selvén, Liturgy and Biblical Interpretation: The Sanctus and the Qedushah (Reading the Scriptures; Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2021). Pp. viii + 233. $55.99. Sebastian Selvén's monograph is part of the Reading the Scriptures series published by Notre Dame Press, a series that explores the intersection between biblical studies and theology. S.'s contribution to the series focuses on the role of liturgy in the broader field of reception history; as he writes, "Liturgy is, among other things, an experienced biblical interpretation" (p. 2). Through an assessment of Isa 6:1–5 in the Qedushot and the Sanctus,S. demonstrates how the study of liturgy provides a lens through which to view historical interpretive traditions (i.e., how certain Scriptures have been understood by different communities) as well as how liturgy continues to shape contemporary interpretations of the text. Following a two-part introduction, in which S. explores the nature of liturgy as well as the structure of the Qedushot and the Sanctus, the next three chapters explore three interpretations [End Page 488] related to Isa 6:1–5 that have been influenced by liturgical traditions: the identity of the seraphim, the concept of holiness, and the divine presence of God. In chap. 1, S. argues that liturgy has largely shaped the conventional understanding that the seraphim from Isa 6:1–3 are celestial beings, thus resulting in the later creation of angelic hierarchies by religious communities. Following a textual analysis of the word "seraphim" in Scripture, whereby he demonstrates that the most consistent definition of the Hebrew word is "snakes," S. proposes that the identification of seraphim as angels was influenced by early Jewish liturgy. In Qedusha deYotzer, for example, Isa 6:1–3 is read alongside Ezekiel 1–3, which recounts Ezekiel's interaction with heavenly figures; this intertextual link requires some form of harmonization between the biblical texts (p. 32). In turn, S. argues that the connection between the two passages has affected the interpretation of Isa 6:1–3 and the study of angels generally: "The received understanding of what they [the seraphim] are has to a large extent been shaped by how they are presented in Jewish and Christian liturgy, and the theological background of these liturgies" (p. 31). S. further explores the development of angelology through both traditions, and he argues that the ramifications of grouping Isa 6:1–3 with Ezekiel 1–3 in Qedusha deYotzer continue to shape biblical interpretations of the seraphim today. Indeed, S. posits that the "resistance towards describing them [the seraphim] as serpents" reflects centuries of conditioned readings through church art and liturgical texts (p. 58). The example of the seraphim, then, reveals one way the study of liturgy develops our understanding of historical biblical interpretation: "Liturgy actualizes and prioritizes certain passages, strings them together in different ways, and in this kaleidoscopic reconfiguration of texts, certain meanings emerge from them" (p. 123). In chap. 2, S. focuses specifically on the thrice-holy cry of the seraphim, questioning whether this short pericope originally functioned as a celestial hymn to evoke awe, or as a warning to instill fear (p. 58). Although he argues that the purpose of Isa 6:3 is unclear, he proposes that the standard categorization of the thrice-holy cry as celestial liturgy originates from the very role of Isa 6:3 in Jewish and Christian traditions. In other words, since this passage is used for liturgical purposes in some religious communities, the qedusha became "something possessing its own ontological integrity: a liturgy, performed by the celestial beings, taking place in the heavens" (p. 70). In this case, S. again demonstrates how liturgical traditions shape biblical interpretation. S. also posits that the spotlight placed on Isa 6:3, and in turn the emphasis on "holy," has influenced theological movements in various traditions, including the holiness movement of the twentieth century (pp. 77–79). Since liturgies naturally determine which Scriptures become important or central for communities, they inevitably mold the theological movements who engage with such traditional readings. In chap. 3, S. discusses...

REFLECTION OF THE INFORMATION VALUE OF CLERics STATEMENTS IN HISTORICAL LITERATURE

Historical and ecclesiastical issues occupy an increasing place in the mass media and in the life of Russian society, since the Orthodox Church, along with other confessions, acts not only as a social institution, but also as a guardian of the material and spiritual culture of the past. In this regard, the history of the Orthodox confession in the country as a whole and in individual regions is of genuine interest. Various problems of the history of Orthodoxy are increasingly reflected in scientific research. Among the most pressing problems are aspects of the social and mental history of society, which caused the need to study historical sources, which previously, due to their vastness or dryness, had no major significance. The article presents an overview of the historical literature on the clerics statements, which were the material for accounting for the parish clergy and the Orthodox population of the Russian Empire since 1769. Introduced into scientific circulation more recently, the clerics statements are a specific historical source about the parish life of Russia during the imperial period. The article presents a historiographical review of the literature on clerics statements and focuses on works in which researchers, one way or another, using the materials of church records of the population, revealed various aspects of the functioning of an Orthodox parish. In general, historical literature can be divided into several blocks. Among them, scientific publications devoted directly to the social status of the parish clergy, their origin, education, moral character, and the practical activities of clerics occupy a leading position. A number of works reveal the state of the flock, its social structure, attitude towards the church and the Orthodox faith in general. Clerics statements are a unique source about the history of a particular parish, locality, diocese, and church art. Of separate note are the works in which the genesis and further changes in the structure and form of the document are considered. In general, the clerics statements have a huge information potential in the study of social history and confessional policy of the state.

Liturgy and Biblical Interpretation: The Sanctus and the Qedushah by Sebastian Selvén

Reviewed by: Liturgy and Biblical Interpretation: The Sanctus and the Qedushah by Sebastian Selvén Rhoda Schuler Liturgy and Biblical Interpretation: The Sanctus and the Qedushah. By Sebastian Selvén. Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, 2021. 233 pp. As the title indicates, this book explores how "liturgy influences the way we read biblical texts" (124). As a dissertation revised for publication, it is densely written and argued, heavily annotated, and includes original languages (Hebrew, Latin, and Swedish), all of which are translated into English. As a scholarly work, the intended audience is liturgical and biblical scholars, especially the latter. The introduction makes a case for liturgical texts as performative. Rather than explaining doctrines of divine forgiveness on Yom Kippur or transubstantiation at Sunday Mass, the author asserts that "liturgical language does not describe these moments, it instantiates them" (9, emphasis in original). The liturgical texts (Jewish Qedushah and Christian Sanctus) both use Isaiah 6:1–5. Chapter 1 argues that biblical interpreters distinguish the seraphim of Isaiah 6 from all other uses of the word in the Hebrew Bible, where [End Page 244] the word "always refers to a snake" and "are dangerous to humans" (30), because they have been influenced by liturgical texts and worship practices, especially the Qedushah deYotzer which uses images from Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1–3. Biblical interpreters have also been influenced by Jewish and Christian curiosity about heavenly beings from the Second Temple period and beyond. The author extends his argument by offering material evidence that early and medieval art in churches shaped the Christian imagination of a hierarchy of heavenly beings. In chapter 2 the author turns to "The Function of Isaiah 6:3" and asks: "Is Isaiah 6:3 a hymn, a warning, or a statement of doctrine? Does it instill fear, awe, or adoration?" He challenges the traditional interpretation that the verse is a heavenly liturgy (86). To make his case, he analyzes a nineteenth-century introit from a Swedish liturgy which "concatenates" Isaiah 6:3 with Psalm 11:4 and Isaiah 57:13. Written by Swedish church historian Emanuel Linderholm, Selvén argues that this widely used liturgical text introduced Rudolph Otto's concept of holiness into popular church life and that this notion of holiness dominated biblical scholarship through much of the twentieth century. Chapter 3 addresses "the tension between the idea of divine omnipresence and localized presence" (87). The author notes: "we will find . . . God's presence being mystified [Jewish], affirmed [Lutheran], and denied [Anglican], all in the context of standing before God in worship" (88). His analysis of the Jewish Qedushah leads him to conclude that the presence of God must be understood in a mysterious sense (95). Through analysis of Luther's Formula Missae and Swedish Church Order of 1571 (much of which was retained through the mid-twentieth century), Selvén argues that the liturgy reflected a theology of Christ's sacramental presence. In contrast, the 1552 Book of Common Prayer reflects a Reformed "theology of absence." He sees parallels between the Reformed theology of divine absence and the Lutheran accent on divine presence in historical-critical biblical scholarship (117). Selvén is to be commended for his depth of knowledge in not only biblical scholarship but also in Jewish and Christian ritual and [End Page 245] liturgy. Still, I offer these two cautions. First, his perspective is that of continental Europe and its post-Reformation divisions within Christianity. Thus, his thesis does not apply to American biblical scholars from non-liturgical Christian denominations who have no experience of worship with a Sanctus. Second, his thesis that biblical scholars are influenced by liturgical or ritual practices seems to assume that these scholars are practicing adherents of the Jewish or Christian tradition, an assumption one cannot make in the twenty-first century. Nevertheless, I agree with his conclusion: "Like other forms of reception, liturgy is not scales that need to fall from our eyes, rather, it is a lens that brings certain features into focus, while blurring others" (127). Rhoda Schuler Concordia University St. Paul, Minnesota Copyright © 2022 Johns Hopkins University Press and Lutheran Quarterly, Inc.

Presentation of the Sacred Heritage of Boikos by Means of Audiovisual Art

The purpose of the study is to analyze the coverage of the Boiko church heritage in live-action films and documentary films, in mass media and in photographs. To determine the role of audio-visual art in the coverage of sacred objects of Boikivshchyna and to prove the necessity to preserve works of sacred heritage by means of photo art. The researh methodology consists in the application of the following methods: theoretical – the analysis of television plots and documentaries providing information about the church art of Boikivshchyna, synchronous and comparative method for deeper analysis of film adaptations of M. Gogol’s work, generalization of media influence on the formation of public opinion. Scientific novelty. For the first time the reflection of audiovisual means has been analyzed and a detailed analysis of documentaries, film adaptations, television reports and photo exhibitions representing the church art of the Boikos has been made. The factors influencing the importance of the popularization of sacred heritage have been defined. Conclusions. In the article, we have analyzed the coverage of the church heritage of Boikos in live-action films and documentary films, in mass media and in photographs. With the help of the analysis of television plots and documentaries, the role of audiovisual art in the coverage of sacred objects has been defined. The factors influencing the preservation of works of church heritage have been studied and generalized in detail.

THE ART OF MODERN STAINED GLASS IN THE ARCHITECTURE OF CHURCHES OF UKRAINE

An important place in modern art culture is occupied by the stained glass art of modern temples. Particular attention is drawn to the stained glass compositions of sacred buildings, which impress with their aesthetics, composition, colors, and artistic expression. Ukraine has formed its own special traditions of stained glass work in the decoration of temples. The use of stained glass, made by modern various technologies by artistic processing of glass in combination with other types of decorative finishes create a special emotional worldview in a modern church. In the process of studying modern stained glass windows in the decoration of temples, their manufacturing technology, compositional solution, color scheme were analyzed and the main features of the artistic image were identified. The study of modern stained glass windows of sacred buildings makes it possible to determine the features of Ukrainian stained glass art and its national decoration Analyzing the stained glass windows of modern church buildings as a form of monumental and decorative art, it can be argued that the process of formation of church art was influenced by both Ukrainian traditional manufacturing technologies and European cultural factors, including artistic language, composition, colors and performance technologies. It is worth noting that the modern art of monumental stained glass has its own artistic, constructive and technical, and technological features. It is safe to say that modern stained glass compositions of temple buildings, made by advanced modern technologies and techniques, the latest methods of processing sheet glass using new materials and improving the artistic image, impress with their aesthetics, composition, colors, and artistic expression.

The 19th century Old Believers’ chased icon “Cross of Calvary” as a heritage of Old Russian Staurotheke

This article examines the chased relief icon “Cross of Calvary” made on a thin brass plate fastened to a rectangular wooden board. The chased icon compositional construction and the inscriptions-cryptograms are similar to the wood-carved Old Believers’ icons of the 18th — 19th centuries made by masters of the Russian North. The general composition, the style of the ornament, the technique of execution and the inset inscription on the engraved icon “Cross of Calvary” testify that this work was created by an Old Believers master, a follower of the Old Pomor community Filippovtsy in the Russian North in the first half of the 19th century and is focused on the oldest traditions of church art. The chased relief icon depicting the eight-pointed Calvary Cross is an echo of the ancient tradition of creating a Staurotheke, well-known in ancient Russian and Byzantine art. Such icons did not only belong to churches but also were carefully kept as family relics in the Cross chambers or in the Red corners of the living quarters and subsequently contributed to the church. Making of a Staurotheke is associated with the veneration and preservation of liturgical or pectoral crosses, which were cut into a board or placed in closed arks then becoming an icon of the Cross. Those Staurothekes were сonsidered to be sacred objects richly decorated with oklads, precious stones and pearls. This article also presents various types of liturgical and pectoral crosses with embedded sacred relics, which were especially revered. Old Russian crosses were made in different periods of time with different art styles, shape, proportions, sizes, nature of decor. All this indicates a variety of traditions and revered sanctities which served as models in the process of making later crosses.

To sources of polysematics Kitch (on the example of the “spiritual song” of the XVII–XVIII centuries)

The article proposes a consideration of the phenomenon of Kitch in the context of the development of the culture of Western Europe, the flow of cultural processes of which was significantly different from the processes that occurred in the culture of the colonized part of Ukraine in the 17–19th centuries. The main reason for such differences was primarily in aristocratic imperatives and educational tendencies, which aggregately contributed to the development of art in the whole Europe. During this period, Ukraine was at the crossroards of Metropoles and, as a result of historical circumstances, was not able to develop similarly to Western European conditions. The lack of dominant role in society, and, in particular, the absence of universities, concentrated creative progress within church art and imitation of western samples, as well as the development of amateur art, which will form a whole layer of “Grassroots” culture. In fact, in the Baroque period in Ukraine only polyphony was introduced into the liturgical rite and a party concert on the Western model was staged. At the same time, the musically educated intelligentsia, which was concentrated at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, composed chants, spiritual songs and brought them to the lower strata of society. Since all this was closely connected with the church rite, over time, the leading place in society was taken by the spiritual aristocracy, which gradually took over the educational mission of the people. The introduction of the practice of salons in Ukraine in the 19th century, the tradition of home music, in fact, had no resistance, because this tradition was nurtured mainly in the families of priests, who at that time had an authoritative influence on the processes taking place in society. On this basis, the use of means of “Kitch” was detected long before this term appeared with internal polysemantic characteristics in Germany of the XIX century. We believe that kitsch in music appeared when the society intuitively needed it, even in periods when this term did not yet exist, but the principles and methods that later became the basis of definition, and formed the basis of the conceptual structure of kitsch, had already been in existence. In essence, kitsch was a measure that balanced culture within different social strata and social needs, as well as disseminated it. Differences in the functioning of the kitsch phenomenon were observed: in European countries kitsch had negative semantics, in Ukraine, on the contrary, the most relevant examples of European cultural achievements were spread and interpreted in their own way. This blurred the border between “low” and “high” culture. Apparently, this is the main reason that the phenomenon of “kitsch” in Ukrainian culture played a positive role, helped to supplement the missing links and relieved tension in the confrontation between “an original” and “a copy”. This prepared a solid foundation for the emergence of Ukrainian professional art in the twentieth century.

Change of Status, Change of Art

The changes in art and the changes in the status of Orthodox icon painters from Transylvania during the 18th and early 19th centuries are closely linked. This paper looks into the link between the two. During this time, there is an important shift in the condition of the painters from that of mere craftsmen to artists. The main sources used in this paper, besides the paintings themselves and the signatures of the artists are the visitations notes, a few contracts that remain to this day and the painters’ biographies. The article first looks into the status of the painters, then it presents the social and political context of the period. These sections are followed by an analysis of the changes at the level of the art and also by a semantic analysis. The change in the status of Orthodox icon painters can be considered not only by looking into the transformation and development of certain iconographic representations, but also by the study of their signatures. Are all these changes due to the desire of icon painters to acquire a better social status, or are they imposed by the donors and the church authorities? This is the main question addressed in this article. In conclusion, the seeking of social status is intertwined with the demands of the donors, both determining the changes in Orthodox church art.

Guercino's Saint Petronilla: Saintly Body, Michelangelo, and New St Peter's

This essay investigates the visual language of Guercino's monumental altarpiece of St Petronilla for St Peter's (1623), through which he constructs an authoritative image of her sanctity deeply intertwined with the art and fabric of the renewed church, particularly as it pertains to Michelangelo's legacy at the site. The saint's body, almost in tandem with the sculptor's Pietà, circulated throughout the old and new basilica during its gradual demolition and reconstruction. Guercino's imagery consolidates references to Petronilla's relics, her cult and the statue in the configuration of the saint suspended at her grave. A hitherto unnoticed portrait of Michelangelo underscores these associations and renews his exemplarity as a sacred artist in the service of the papacy. The evocations of Michelangelo's sculpture and person, the body of Petronilla, together with the altarpiece's setting and architectural imagery, encourage an interpretation of the altarpiece as a microhistory of St Peter's basilica itself.

Crkvena umetnost i javnost u Kneževini Srbiji (1830-1882)

In the Principality of Serbia in the 19th century, the Orthodox Church represented a significant entity and had a privileged position as a state and national institution. This all affected its place in public life, as well as the public control of all the church activities regarding the churches' construction, equipping, painting, and renovation. Thus, the aesthetical criteria, demands, and effects of the cultural and scientific public were a tremendous factor in making church art common during the 19th century. The public had an influence on art development through various forms in the Principality of Serbia, and some of the instruments were both daily and periodical (printed) press. The public's attitude towards the church art was stated in the press and humongously affected the people's consciousness of the Church and church art's significance in relation to the state and nation, as well. Also, the ordering parties' tastes had thus been formed, which also had an impact on the complex mechanisms of the general church art trends during the 19th century. This kind of practice was characteristic of 19th-century Europe and Russia, and from there it was also accepted and developed in Serbia. Despite the fact that in the 19th century the Serbian people had lived in the territory of three states - the Ottoman Empire, the Principality/Kingdom of Serbia, and Austria, the periodical literature and newspapers had been available to the Serbian social and cultural elite at the mentioned territories. Since the press had not been strictly limited by the state boundaries, a wider reading audience had been familiar with the information and attitudes about art presented in both the newspapers and periodical literature, which were printed in Serbia and Austria, as well. The newspapers coming out in the period 1830-1882, such as Šumadinka, Srbske novine, Novine Čitališta beogradskog, Sion, Podunavka, Golubica, Orao, and others, contained different aesthetical attitudes on the church painting and architecture, but also considered various problems on the topics of erecting and painting the churches. The public significance of the works regarding the construction and equipping of the churches had been highlighted. Certain models of the church architecture and painting had been promoted, along with the individual artists' works. By reading the daily and periodical press, the reading public had been informed about the church heritage from the past through the reports about medieval churches and some debates on their renovation. Finally, the public of experts promoted, by using the (printed) press, certain advisable behavior models, such as the contribution activities towards the Church which were seen as the ultimate patriotic endeavor.

Reflection of the Spiritual World of Nikita Grigorievich Stroganov in Church Art

In this article the author examines the peculiarities of the personalities of the Stroganovs, entrepreneurs and patrons of the arts at the example of the Nikita Grigorevich. The main pivotal concepts that existed in the culture of the Late Middle Ages are determined, the channels of their transmission in society are indicated. To understand the factors that influenced his worldview and were reflected in the art of the Late Middle Ages, the theory of identity was chosen, which determines the involvement of a person in certain areas of culture at universal, national and regional level. This phenomenon is realized through the adoption of fundamental values characteristic of society. The translators of these values and cultural codes in Russia during the late Middle Ages were the church, chronicles and books, public and family institutions and art. The latter is able to convey semantic concepts through a system of images and symbols filled with emotions and forming a person’s involvement with the themes and ideas of the works. The author describes the influence of the fundamental ideas of that time on the formation N. G. Stroganov’s spiritual world. It’s identified cultural codes that shape the personality of entrepreneur and found their manifestation in the art he revered

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ МУЗЕЙНЫХ ФОНДОВ ДРЕВНЕРУССКОГО И ЦЕРКОВНОГО ИСКУССТВА В КОНЦЕ XIX – НАЧАЛЕ ХХ ВЕКА В САМАРЕ

The article is devoted to the culturological analysis of the initial stage of museum development in Samara region and, in particular, the identification of specific features of the church art collection formation in the Samara Public Museum. This museum was the first in the Middle Volga region and was the only large central museum of the province. In the article, the author studies the main stages in the development of the public museum and the organization of its stock activities, explores the ways to replenish the stock collections, as well as the sources of new exhibits and designs of the exposition. Having studied a number of historiographical sources, the author draws a conclusion about traditional approaches and methods of creating museum collections at the initial stage, typical for many Russian regions in the late XIXth – early XXth centuries, at the same time revealing the peculiarities of building a collection of Old Russian and church art in Samara. Along with other items of church heritage (sculptures, old printed and handwritten books, articles of arts and crafts), icon painting originally occupied one of the central places in the exposition area of the Samara Public Museum, being for the visitors, on the one hand, a window into the museum space itself, and on the other, a translation of complex and deep concepts of spiritual reality through a specific symbolic artistic language of art.