Review article
Iconostasis of the Greek Catholic Holy Trinity Cathedral in Križevci
Zdenko Balog
Abstract
The renovation of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Križevci is one of the most interesting conservation projects of the architect Herman Bollé and the group of artisans and craftsmen whose work he coordinated. The uniate cathedral is the seat of the Eparchy of Križevci (the restored Eparchy of Marča). This was not the first remodeling intervention on the church and the monastery and it can be said that this building complex was being reconstructed throughout 19th century.
After becoming the bishop of Križevci, Julije Drohobeczky decided to reconstruct the old monastery gothic church with a splendor becoming of a cathedral, for which he gathered support using his political and church relations. Next to Drohobeczky, the leading figure of this project, and Bollé – the artist behind the reconstruction – the third important figure in the realization of this reconstruction was its initiator, art historian and cultural benefactor Izidor Iso Kršnjavi, who was the head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Education in the critical period.
The reconstruction of the church and the manufacturing of the new inventory, especially the church iconostasis, took place in one of the most important periods of Croatian art, when the most notable figures of the Modern period in Croatia returned, either temporarily or permanently, from their studies full of new ideas and revolutionary art concepts never before seen in Croatia. Conflicts between traditionalist and modernists culminated in heated polemics. Kršnjavi’s changing political influence reflected prominently on art projects, as well as the destinies of some painters and sculptors.
In such circumstances some projects, still unacknowledged as of today, which transformed Croatia from a province to a cultural Central European milieu. One of such projects was the Križevci cathedral and its iconostasis. The iconostasis is an important and ground breaking work in Croatian art and culture, which enriched the oeuvre of painters that worked on it and stood out in the bigger group of works of art that were made in the following couple of years. In the following analysis we shall strive to elucidate the creation of this iconostasis out of the conflict and synergy of the multitude of artistic and non-artistic factors, art tradition and newly educated painters, as well as the political constellation in the sphere of action of Kršnjavi and his supporters and detractors, and finally – and most crucially – specific perspectives of the Eastern rite, and especially the Uniate community.
Keywords
iconostasis; Croatian Modern period; Ivan Tišov; Isidor Kršnjavi; Bishop Drohobeczky; Greek Catholic cathedral; Historicism; Herman Bollé
Hrčak ID:
150057
URI
Publication date:
28.12.2015.
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