Prethodno priopćenje
https://doi.org/10.17018/portal.2021.7
A forgotten memento mori from Belec
Ivana Sambolić
orcid.org/0000-0002-9250-0728
; Hrvatski restauratorski zavod, Odjel za štafelajno slikarstvo
Sažetak
The paper presents the course of events that have had a direct or indirect impact on the antependium from the main altar in the church of St George in Belec, the most significant example of a medieval country church in Croatia. The antependium of St George is painted on both sides and has a memento mori motif on the back. Conservation of the antependium was carried out in 2016, after it was discovered in the rectory. Conservation of the altar began in 2018 in a private workshop. The goal was to return the antependium to the altar and enable the presentation of both sides of the antependium after the work was complete. A decorative frame was constructed that also functioned as a subframe, because it has a system with springs with which the antependium is tensioned. In addition, the paper provides a description of the work that was carried out, and it questions the reasons for painting the memento mori motif on the back of the antependium. On the basis of research results, the possible role of this type of motif during liturgical rites relating to funerals, and other liturgical rites relating to the deceased (no longer performed in Belec after the Second Vatican Council), was presented. Personal interviews and research conducted by studying archival data showed that the church of St George served Mass for the deceased with a catafalque, or an empty coffin covered with a black cloth, with skull and crossbones on top. For this type of Mass, called ‘black mass’ (črna meša) or requiem, the altar linens had to be black, so it can be concluded that the back of the antependium with the memento mori motif was displayed for such occasions. The practice has almost completely fallen into oblivion, and there are only a few preserved antependia in Europe with a memento mori painted on the back. Given that human skulls and bones were found behind the main altar in Taborsko in 2010, serving this type of Mass was probably widespread in the Hrvatsko Zagorje region.
Ključne riječi
church of St George; Belec; antependium painted on both sides; Memento mori; requiem; ‘black mass’; skull; Taborsko; Hrvatsko Zagorje region
Hrčak ID:
270793
URI
Datum izdavanja:
27.12.2021.
Posjeta: 1.530 *