Fourteenth-century monumental art in the Eastern Christian world: the role of narrative and architecture (original) (raw)
From the end of the thirteenth century, representational changes are visible in monumental depictions in the Eastern Christian world: new cycles are introduced, narrative is expounded and architectural settings increase in size. This paper aims to pair and contrast the visual formulas of fourteenth-century monumental depictions in the Byzantine Empire and the Serbian Kingdom. Two case-studies will be presented. First, the iconography of the Marriage at Cana in Byzantine and Serbian churches will be compared. The aim is to assess the way the narrative is developed, especially the importance assumed by the banquet in contrast to the miracle of the transformation of water into wine, and the emphasis on emotions in the characterisation of the figures. Secondly, the episode of Christ Healing of the Paralytic at Capernum will be used to illustrate the function played by background architecture. Due to its narrative in the Gospels, this episode raises questions regarding the way interiors and exteriors are articulated, especially in connection to the use of draperies –a commonly acknowledged Byzantine device to show that the episode took place indoors. This paper will also address the intricate interaction between the use of existent architectures and the repetition of invented models. It will critically discuss and explore architecture and narrative in the fourteenth-century Eastern Christian world, questioning the assumption that architectural structures were just used as a frame, while shedding new light on their purpose and function.
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