Най-старата щампа за български манастири (original) (raw)

Най-старата щампа за български манастири

2023, In memoriam. Сборник в памет на проф. д.изк. Елена Попова. Велико Търново

THE OLDEST ENGRAVING FOR BULGARIAN MONASTERIES In 1712, Leontiy, abbot of the Transfiguration (Preobrazhenski) Monastery near Veliko Tarnovo, visited Russia to ask for charity for his impoverished monastery. He was accepted by Tsar Petar I and was given alms. It appears that, during his time in Russia, he commissioned a big, copper engraving depicting the monasteries of the Tarnovo Metropolis. The engraving has been signed by the great Russian etcher Alexey Zubov. A main highlight in the engraving is the depiction of Christ’s Тransfiguration in the sky. On the lower part of it, there is a landscape that depicts the Yantra River flowing between two hills. On the hills, there are seven monasteries marked with their patrons. We can identify with certainty the Transfiguration, Holy Trinity, Kapinovo, Plakovo, and Lyaskovets monasteries. The Holy Archangels Monastery is most likely the Prisovо Мonastery. The Metropolis Monastery is also depicted, which is located near the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Veliko Tarnovo. The engraving’s composition is very similar and probably inspired by the panorama images of the Holy Mountain monasteries, which were only two at the beginning of the 18th century. It appears that the monasteries around Veliko Tarnovo have been perceived (or viewed) as the local Holy Mountain. The engraving is one of the first of its kind on the Balkans and its commissioning is of great significance, even though it is unclear whether copies of it have reached Bulgaria at all.