Original scientific paper
"HEAVENLY JERUSALEM" IN THE CHAPEL OF THE BLESSED IVAN TROGIRSKI (JOHN OF TROGIR)
Igor Fisković
; Zagreb, Filozofski fakultet
Abstract
The chapel of the patron of the City of Trogir, the blessed John of Trogir, designed in 1467, is an outstanding Renaissance work and demands more systematic and thorough analysis from those so far written. The paper gives the chronology of the chapel based on documentation concerning the work of its architects until the 16th century. The monument is put in political, and especially social and cultural context of a small town in central Dalmatia rich in artistic tradition. In the second half of the Quattrocento, humanistic ideas spread there mainly influence of modern thoughts developed by the University of Padua. Among other things these ideas included new interpretation of the Holly Gospel, especially in the moment when Eastern coast was threatened by the horrors of Turkish invasions from the Balkans hinterland. Bordering on one side with the Latin world, but being endangered on the other side by anti-Christian forces, the Trogir citizens sought their salvation in religion and introduced this component in their life and art. They wanted to revive classical architectural-plastic expression in order to strengthen moral aspects of their existence, and to prove their belonging to the west European community and to Catholic world. Their communal awareness, together with their need to express the traditional values of their past was an impulse for the construction of a magnificent votive chapel which was to be a new frame for the consecrated grave of their honoured protector. They originally intended to build it in Renaissance style, but because of the lack of money they eventually used the old 14th century chapel. Anyway, the entire chapel was executed after original design in classic spirit and imaginatively enriched with exquisite sculptures and reliefs thus becoming one of the most peculiar works of Renaissance art in Croatia and Europe. The impetus was given (as is explained in the text) by the leading city noblemen and learned church dignitaries, especially Coriolanus Cipico and Bishop Jacobus Torlonus, from Ancona. The former was called Great because of great role he played in public life of his native Trogir, and the latter was deeply concerned with strengthening the worship of local saints, especially Blessed John. After residing in this Croatian city for over thirty years he was eventually buried in front of the Saint's altar in the new chapel in 1482. These two drew up a programme and supervised the project conceived by the master sculptor Andrija Aleši, talented creator of the new baptistery of the Trogir Cathedral and by Niccolo di Giovanni, from Florence. The latter had just arrived on the Adriatic coast where he remained until his death in 1505. From careful study of the archives it can be deduced that another artist, also trained in Italy took the lead in the execution of the chapel furnishing immediately after the building contract was signed. This fact is also proved by different stylistic features of most sculptures. Leaving this problem to be dealt with on another occasion, the author concentrates on iconographic analysis. According to the author there is close and faithful concordance between the chapel and the book of Revelation, that is, the last chapters of Apocalypse - the last book of the 530 New Testament. The Trogir chapel is in fact a grandiose picture of Heavenly Jerusalem, that is, the fulfilment of glory of millennium - long Church, a Great Day at the end of Time, Joyful News and Salvation of the world. In spite of its intricate meaning transformed in a plastic picture inspired by Renaissance, in its main idea the chapel reflects psychosis of an environment threatened by a seemingly invincible enemy. But, this harmoniously rendered work of art is imbued with optimism of the 15th century humanistic culture. It is illuminated by triumphant Faith and Hope for which it was built in the expectation of God's Salvation. Only in this way can its exquisite forms and richness be explained the more so, since each detail of its iconography has its origin in the verses of the final part of the Bible. The author parallelly follows literary pictures, compares them with the figures in the chapel and explains their distribution in it. The main division is into the Earth and the Sky merged in the vision of the New World where under eyes of a crowd of saints the miracle of merging of the universe occurred. In it each scene and figure has its origin in the Book of Revelation as a continuation of the Gospel according to John so that their meanings are interwoven. In the first horizontal zone the coming of the chosen in the New World is rendered in classic motifs (Apoc. XXI-XXII), and in the other apostles are lined as Symbols of the Light - of the Christ himself who appears between the Virgin and John the Baptist in the rear. His dominating figure which seems to be resurrecting from the grave at the same time communicates with the Creator's bust in the medallion in the middle of the vault. Among a crowd of seraphins he indicates the merging of the Earth and Sky which is crucial picture in the creation of Heavenly Jerusalem and final confirmation of the Salvation of penitents. The Virgin is an eternal pleader for the entrance of earthly creatures into the heaven so that her crowning is an evidence of life in eternity where she will take all her children. That is why her crowing is represented in the rear lunette of the chapel. Decorations are reminiscent of classic period but at the same time full of symbolism. The Annunciation is placed at the entrance arch, and St. Jerome as a witness of the Holy Bible is also among the saints. He translated the Bible into Latin (understood by Trogir citizens) but he was also traditional protector of Dalmatia which was the country of his origin. Such licences and even clashes with uniform iconographic solutions are the result of contemporary religious beliefs but also of the fact that the building of the Trogir chapel took a long time which must have caused a departure from the original concept In his attempt to explain some problems (for instance two figures of St. John the Evangelist), the author suggests evidences from the text written by this saint and connects everything into a relevant whole. This exquisite work of art is consistent with the historical and cultural conditions of the environment that created it.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
117830
URI
Publication date:
10.2.1992.
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