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The Virgin Mary in 11th Century Dalmatian Sculpture in the Context of the Political Program of the Reformed Church

Miljenko Jurković ; Odsjek za pOvijest umjetnosti FilozoJskog Jakulteta u Zagrebu HR -10000 Zagreb,


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str. 63-80

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A group of 11th century reliejs shows the first major concentration of images of the Virgin, primarily in the context of themes from the cycle ofCh rist's life. These are representations of Maiestas Virginis (Sedes Sapientiae), the Madonna orans, and subsequently individual scenes from the Christological cycle, such as the more interesting Annunciation and the Adoration of the Magi, as well as the Visitation, the Birth, and so forth. Even though only the first mentioned are tntiy independent representations of the Virgin Mary, the images are viewed here as a whole, as their significance in fact arisesfrom their mutual context and the message they bear in the framework ofthe reformed Jith centUJy.
The first among s~lch creations were the altar screen slabs in the Church ofSt Dominique in Zadar. The first (Fig. J) contains the following within nine arcades: the Annunciation (two arcades), the Visitation, the Birth with the Adoration of the Shepherds (three arcades), and the Adoration of the Magi (three arcades). The second slab (Fig. 2) contains the Slaughter of the Innocent Children (four arcades), the Flight to Egypt (three arcades), and the Baptism (two arcades, only one of which is preserved with the figure of the St John the Baptist, as the last, ninth field is missing). Following in terms of concentration, but also chronologically, is the sculpture from the Church ofSt Lawrence in Zadar, where the image ofthe Virgin appears several times. In the scene of the Annunciation on the portal it is almost hidden (Fig. 3) in the tendrils ofthe tree oflife. One of the reconstructed altar screen slabs (Fig. 4) shows the Annunciation, the Visitation, and the Birth in three square fields. The second row is damaged, but it is possible to recognize the visitation ofthe Wise Men to Herod in the centralfield on the basis of the remains of a throne and the figure of a soldier in armor) and to the right the visit of the .Vlagi. The totality of the figural representations in the Church ofSt Lawrence is enriched by the praying figure with an aureole caroed on une ofthe four capitals (Fig. 5).
Entirely different, and even unique among Croatian sC'ulpture of the Jith century, are the images of the Virgin Jlmy at Crkvina in Biskupija near Knin. She is shown on two occasions as an isolated figure, as the Madonna orans (Fig. 6) in the altar screen gable, and as Maiestas Virginis in the transenna at one ofthe most outstanding places within the sanctuary (Fig. 8J.
It is indisputable that the images of the Virgin in the described instances greatly differfrom one another. While aprogrammed emphasis of the Virgin, and certainly her triumph, can be perceived at Crkvina in Biskupija near Knin, the representations in Zadar remain dependent on the standard images from the Christological cycle. It is apparent in the choice of themes that the Virgin had a special position, no matter how this fit into the cycle of the Life of Christ. In the search for the reasons for this suddenly emphasized worship of the Virgin, the first and most solid indicators are given by the latest of the representations under discussion, those from the altar screen of the Cburch of Our Lady at Crkvina in Biskupija near Knin. The main focus was on the altar screen itself, emphasized not merely with the dominant figure ofthe Virgin on the central gable, but also by the inscriptions accompanying the carved images on the architrave and Rable. Although they are fragmentmy, contents from the Marian hymn cycle in rhythmic form can be recognized. The inscription on the central gable is important in this sense: SALVE/RF/G/INA S/ALVE V!IR/GO, with separated syllables that suggest a direct copying from a musical composition. This relates the inscription to the Marian antiphonies from the repertary of Gregorian chams ofthe 11th/12th centuries, such as Ave regina coelorum and Salve Regina.
The total arrangement ofelements in the church also indi.
cates the speCial importance given to the Virgin :vIary. The Virgin is an entirely independent supplicant who blesses those who turn to her, but she is also definitely a queen, as the inscription below her explicitly states. This strict tie between the inscription field and the figure exactly determines two key moments virgo and regina, which literally fits into the iconographic change in the significanee of the Virgin in the 11th centwy. Only at this point does she become the queen of the church in and of herself, a glimpse ofwhich can be caught in the developmental route and on the slabs ofSt Dominique in Zadar.
In the Church ofOur Lady in Crkvina the written text merely explains what the entire a11istic arrangement exhibits. The Virgo orans is exactly in the center ofthe altar screen composition, most probably in direct visual connection with the second representation -.\1aiestas Virginis (Sedes Sapientiae), which must have been part of the altar. The Virgin in this case had taken the place of Christ, which is something that had not been noted before. The crucified Christ (Fig. 9) was probably placed at the top of the gable of the altar screen, dominating the area for the faithful. The chancel eVidently belonged to the Virgin Mary, with the main altar dedicated to her.
There are several elements in the Church ofSt Dominique in Zadar that literally emphasize the Virgin Mary in scenes from Christ's childhood. The Virgin appears five times in the total of seven scenes shown on both slabs. Although these appearances necessari0Jresult from this segment of the Christological cycle, their choice was nonetheless deliberate, and the emphasize on the Virgin lVIary was desired. However, some of the scenes were packed into on(y one arcade, while others were drawn out into several. The background remains fairly empty in individual spaces, while elsewhere the figures are lilerally overlapping. A reason must existfor this stylistic and rythmicallack oflogic. On both slabs (composed of nine arcades) the Virgin assumes the central position, once in the scene ofthe Bil1h, and on the other on horseback in the Flight to Egypt. It should be noted that she could not successfully have been placed in the centra! field of the second slab (the Flight to Egypt) were the Slaughter of the Innocents not stretched out with a complete lack of logic over four fields. The scene of the Birth occupies the fourth and fifth arcades of the first slab. In order to "push" the Virgin into the fifth and central field, the sculptor clumsily succeeded in placing her head, over proportioned in relation to the other figures, in the center ofthe composition. It shouldfurther be emphasized that the sculptor had free choice within the given bounds. This is shown by another two elements.
In the scene ofthe Adoration of the ,'I;[agi, the Virgin on the throne was placed separately under one arcade, while the three wise men were separated in another two. It could certainly be said that here the necessary arrangement of the figures under the arcades reflected their logical position and order, which is correct in principle. However, it is also a fact that the scene of the Slaugbter of the innocent children takes up a full four arcades, while other scenes are compressed under a single arch. Thus it can be concluded that the position ofthe Virgin Mary on the throne under one arcade was a desired element, she appearing in this separated manner as Maiestas. That the emphasis was truly placed on the Virgin Mary is confirmed by a small detail of the Annunciation. Only tbe first two arcades of all tbose on botb slabs bear spirally twisted columns, with more empbasized relief than the others, and these are the only anes with capitals. It can be said that the master sculptor wished to emphasize the architecturalform in wbich the Virgin was located -a temple. But why was this not carried out in another, equally valid case, such as the Adoration of the Magi, where it should also have been present? It is exactly this detail thatproves the actual and contemplated desire to separate the Virgin Mary from the totality ofthe Gbristological cycle. This certainly is not some speCial element ofZadar representation in the 11th century. The process has already heen noted elsewhere, mainly on the miniatures ofthe Ottonian period, where tbe Virgin Mary gradually became hoth independent and dominant on her throne in the scene ofthe Adoration of the Magi.
All elements at the Church ofSt Lawrence in Zadar indicate a somewhat disguised but nonetheless evident greater importance ofthe cult of the Virgin Mary. Beginning from the portal, where on the doorjamb an artistically completely clumsy scene of the Annunciation appears in floral tendrils, which draws attention to the importance given to the cult, to the interior, where on one of the preserved slabs, the figure of the Virgin appears in the usual Christological cycle. The importance ofthe cult of Our Lady is emphasized here by a small praying figure with an aureole carved on one of the capitals of the church, entirely unexpected among the other capitals.
It is apparent in the examples presented here that the representations ofthe Virgin Mary have equal importance as those of Christ. This is evident at Crkvina in what is almost an exaltation of the Virgin Mary. The importance attributed to Our Lady can also be seen in the Zadar representations in the manner of compOSing the scenes frum the Christological cycle,from the position intended for her in tbe representation to the emphasis of detail which highlights bel' and places her in the center ofthe cult. The Virgin Mary certainly found a privileged position with the Gregorian reforms. The titles used to refer to her (Our Lady, Mother of God, etc.) speak of her importance, and especially of changes in relation to the earlier periods.
This entire group ofimages ofthe Virgin Mary is reminiscent of the situation, although it is somewhat later chronologically, in the territory ruled by Matilda ofCanossa, which is intensively tied to the nucleus of the Gregorian reforms. An emphasis is given in many churches on the liturgical furnishings to the iconography ofthe Incarnation ofChrist through J1ary. In such cases, the Virgin Mary is very often in the center of the altar screen, and related to other scenes from the Chn'stological cycle, such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, etc. This is yet more imp011ant as the entire Croatian Kingdom was added very early on to the circle of lands where the reform took hold, inheriting as early as the first halj of the 11th century the already begun reforms ofthe Benedictine Camaidolese branch.
In this sense, the described sculptural accomplishments are considered as a unitfiting into the clear political attitude ofthe reformed church in which the Virgin Mary was the ideal of reform, symbolizing, among other things, the resistance to lay law over the church. It should be mentioned in conclusion that the Church of Our Lady in Knin with its new liturgical furnishings was rededicated in the presence of the only recently enthroned King Zvonimir, who had received the insignia of royal power directly from the pope, as his vassal. Pat1icularly in this act it is possible to see the culmination ofthis imp011ance for propaganda ofthe described 11th centU1]! representations ofthe Virgin Mary.

Ključne riječi

Hrčak ID:

93252

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/93252

Datum izdavanja:

5.11.1998.

Podaci na drugim jezicima: hrvatski

Posjeta: 2.966 *