Процесійні хрести авторства риботицьких майстрів 1680–1740-х років: тип і тематика зображення

Abstract

У статті досліджено процесійні хрести авторства майстрів з осередку церковного мистецтва у м. Риботичі поблизу Перемишля (Надсяння, тепер – Польща), що активно діяв у 1680–1740-х рр., забезпечуючи творами сакрального мистецтва храми не тільки навколишні, а й віддалених територій Перемиської та Мукачівської єпархій. До авторства риботицьких майстрів досліджувані хрести віднесені на підставі характерної стилістики малярства, іконографії та різьби. Розглянуто взаємозв’язок зображень обох боків процесійних хрестів. Простежено символіку форми процесійного хреста у контексті її розвитку на українських землях.

В статье исследованы процессионные кресты авторства мастеров из центра церковного искусства в г. Рыботичи вблизи Перемышля (Надсянье, теперь – Польша), который активно действовал в 1680–1740-х гг., обеспечивая произведениями сакрального искусства храмы не только окружающие, но и отдаленных территорий Перемышльской и Мукачевской епархий. К авторству рыботицких мастеров исследуемые кресты отнесены на основании характерной стилистики живописи, иконографии и резьбы. Рассмотрено взаимосвязь изображений обеих сторон процессионных крестов. Изучено символику формы процессионных крестов в контексте ее развития на украинских землях.

The purpose of this article is to study processional crosses of the masters from the church art center in the town of Rybotychi near Peremyshl’ (Nadsiannia, now village in Subcarpathian voivodeship of Poland). These masters were active in the 1680–1740’s, providing the artworks not only to the nearby churches but also to the remote areas of Peremyshl’ and Mukachevo dioceses. The crosses were attributed to the Rybotychi masters on the basis of the painting stylistics, iconography, and carving technique. Interconnection of images on both sides of processional crosses is considered. The symbolism of the processional crosses form is studied in a context of its development on Ukrainian lands. 1680–1740’s processional crosses of Rybotychi masters form a homogeneous group of artworks, united by a form (a type of a cross) and iconography. These crosses have three horizontal beams and seven ends, the pole does not extend beyond the upper cross-section. The upper beam represents a plate with the inscribed abbreviation “ІНЦІ”. Its width is identical with a lower crossbar, which is located at a much greater distance from the second beam, than the upper. The Rybotychi masters adhered to the established tradition of the eastern rite of the so-called patriarchal cross, typical for the local region and throughout the Ukrainian lands. This form dominates in the 17th–19th centuries hand-crosses made by the local masters, as well as on the 18th–19thcenturies crosses on the cupola of Ukrainian churches. The crosses of the Rybotychi masters are painted on both sides, they do not use sculptural elements, although the sculptural heads of angels are among the distinctive elements of icons’ frames of these masters. On all the processional figurative crosses, including those of Rybotychi masters, the scene of the Crucifixion of the Lord is depicted on the front side. The images of the reverse may be different. Two oldest known crosses from the Rybotychi workshop painted in 1689 by master Yakiv have a full-length image of the Virgin with Child and the saint patrons of the church on the reverse side. The other known crosses of these masters show a steady iconography tradition. On the reverse side, the scene of the Baptism of the Lord is depicted. This composition is designed in such a way that Christ is painted on the pole of the cross in the waters of the Jordan river. Jordan is represented symbolically in the shape of an outlined circle or a rhomb. On the left part of the beam, a half-figure of St. John the Baptist is drawn, on the right – a half-figure of an angel with a cloth in his hands. On some crosses, the head of St. John on a plate is shown that reminds of the sacrifice of the last prophet of the Old Testament. His martyrdom stands as an opposition to the death of the first man Adam, whose skull is depicted under the cross of the Lord on the front side of the crosses. The combination of the scenes of the Crucifixion and the Baptism of the Lord on processional crosses was of symbolic meaning. For by the baptism, Christ, who did not have any sin, washed away the human sins and partially defeated the devil. The ultimate victory over death and the devil was achieved by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The sin of Adam and all the humanity after him is washed away with the blood of the Savior, so the blood of Christ’s wounds is painted dropping on the skull of Adam. The connection of the images on both sides of the crosses of the Rybotychi masters has a profound connotation in the theological sense, as both scenes emphasize the sacrifice and victory over death and evil made by Christ.