Other
Ivan Mirnik
Abstract
The site of the 12th century romanesque Abbey of St. Michael of Rudine is situated in the Požega Valley (Vallis aurea) in North Croatia, above the village čečavac. For ages it has been used as a quarry by the surrounding villages. The site itself has been known to scientists for more than a century, while the sculpture called their attention much later, which was probably caused by its rustic and rough workmanship.
In 1971. three pieces of architectural decoration from Rudine were exhibited at the exhibition >Art on yugoslav Territory from Prehistory to our Times which was held both in Paris and Sarajevo. The interest they caused was considerable.
The unpublished relief described above represents a roughly out face set into a quadrangle (its dimensions are 15,5 X 17 cm). The forehead is very low and it has got one horizontal groove, which indicates wrinkles. The nose is tubular and quite long and it is horizontally grooved in its lower part. This detail we owe to the rich phantasy of the unskilled stone-cutter. The eyes are plostic and oblong, with eyelids anđ pupils executed with a drill. The cheeks are f lat. The moustache covers the upper lip and then continues in a slight tripartite bow first down to the
chin and then up to the edge of the stone. The mouth is well defined by the upper and lower lips and its opening is formed in shape of a short rectangular hole. The chin in also rectangular and it has got no beard.
Accorđing to Anđela Horvat, all similar sculpture from Rudine can be dated around 1200 AD. As it has often been pointed out, no questions concerning the history of romanesque art in North Croatia can be solved without a đetailed analysis of the Rudine finds, which in its turn calls for archaeological excavations of the site in near future.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
158268
URI
Publication date:
15.12.1974.
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