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« 2024. # 6 (180)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2024. № 6 (180), 1450—1460

UDK 738.5(477.411)”10/111″

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

SOME METHODS OF DEPICTING LIGHT IN THE KYIV MOSAICS OF THE XI — EARLY XII CENTURIES

SHEVLIUGA Oleksandra

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5404-0900
  • PhD in Art History,
  • Head of the Research Department
  • of Old Art,
  • National Art Museum of Ukraine,
  • 6 Mykhailo Hrushevskoho Street, 01001, Kyiv, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e-mail: oshevliuga@namu.ua
  • oshevliuga@gmail.com

Abstract. The article is devoted to the problem of depicting divine light in the mosaic decoration of St. Sophia of Kyiv, second quarter of the eleventh century, and St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral, 1108—1113. In Byzantine art, gold symbolised divine light, so the background in Byzantine churches was made with golden mosaics. But the figures of Christ, the Mother of God, angels and saints also shone with this golden light.

We are interested in light not as an artistic tool for the plastic structure of the form, modeling the volume, we are focused precisely on the methods of transmission of the divine, uncreated, mystical light, the golden rays of which shine on the figures and the background on the walls of the temples. We do not intend to determine the nature of this light or its original source, or to engage in theological debates on this issue. Our attention is focused on something else.

The aim of the article is to study the methods of depicting golden light on mosaic figures of Kyiv churches.

The task was to identify and analyse the lighting devices characteristic of Byzantine mosaic technique and their implementation in Kyiv ensembles.

The comparative method and methods of art historical analysis and synthesis were used in the work.

Keywords: divine light, Hesychasm, Byzantine mosaic, art of Rus’.

Received 8.11.2024

REFERENCES

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