Series Byzantina XIV, pp. 81–95 Akathistos Cycle in Supraśl Revisited Nazar Kozak, Lviv The cycle of scenes illustrating strophes of the Akathistos Hymn for the Virgin (further the Akathistos cycle) that once adorned the walls of the Annunciation church at Supraśl monastery no longer exits. The church was destroyed and its mid sixteenth-century wallpaintings almost completely vanished. They, however, could be scrutinised through historic documentation. Scholars have already attempted to recreate the iconographic programme of the church, but some puzzles still remain unsolved. This article revisits the Akathistos cycle in Supraśl to complete the identifaction of its scene and to answer the question that has not yet been posed: where did its iconographic models come from? In order to meet this task, first, we will focus on each individual scene providing reasons for its identification with certain Akathistos strophe and indicating related illustrations in other cycles. Then, relying on this data we will identify these iconographic versions of the Akathistos cycle that artists had utilised in Supraśl. Since versions have specific regional localizations, and, therefore, serve as markers for tracking artistic migrations and contacts, this would help us to bring new light on the Supraśl wall-paintings authorship and to situate them on the map of post-Byzantine art more precisely than it has been done before. Documents ans scholarship In 1870, the Vilnius Study District of the Russian Empire published the Chronicle of Supraśl monastery, a collection of documents highlighting its history to the early ninteenth century.1 From the preface to this collection we know that in 1498, Joseph Sołtan, 1 ‘Лћтопись Супрашльськой Лавры’, in: Археографический сборникъ документовъ относящихся къ исторіи Северо-Западной Руси издаваемый при управлении Виленскаго учебнаго округа, vol. 9, Вильна 1870, pp. 1–408. Nazar Kozak 82 Metropolitan of Rus’, and Aleksander Chodkiewicz a warlord of Navahrudak, founded a monastery in Gródek, but in two years monks moved to the new place, approx. 30 km to the west, and there, in 1503, the foundation of the Annunciation church was laid2. The church was built as a domed basilica with three apses and narrow towers on the corners. Most scholars date the wall-paintings circa 1557, the year when Sergious Kymbar, archimandritis of the monastery, ordered to write the Inventory of all his expenses. He notated the decoration of the church as his first spending and provided an exact sum, one and a half sexagena of Lithuanian money accept allowance and presents.3 Four hundred years later, on July 23, 1943, the church was destroyed. 4 A few fragments of the wall-paintings which survived do not include Akathistos scenes among them.5 The core data on the Supraśl Akathistos cycle was collected in 1900s when architect P. P. Pokryshkin had visited the monastery to assess the possible repairs of the Annunciation church. Eventually he published almost complete iconographic description of wall paintings including the “Akathistos tier”.6 Pokryshkin’s photographs now belong to the photographic Archive in the Institute of History of Material Culture at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg.7 On six of them, ten Akathistos scenes are visible, either in full or in fragment. Another two photographs of a later date, which show some of these scenes from different angles, are stored in the Institute of Arts of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. 8 Scholars discussed Supraśl Akathistos cycle in broader studies aiming to recreate the whole iconographic program of the church. Thus, A. I. Rogov, relying on Pokryshkin’s description and the Warsaw set of photographs, identified correctly ten scenes of the cycles. Six other scenes he either identified incorrectly or left unidentified.9 Rogov also included the Annunciation on the altar pillars as the scene of the Akathistos cycle. Joanna Kotyńska, in turn, not citing Pokryshkin’s and Rogov’s articles (perhaps unknown to her), wrote about only nine Akathistos scenes, two of which she appropriated from the Chris2 Ibidem, pp. 1–3. Ibidem, p. 49. 4 L. Lebiedzińska, Freski z Supraśla. Katalog wystawy, Białystok 1968. 5 A. Siemaszko, K. Sawicka, Freski z Supraśla: unikatowy zabytek XVI-wiecznego pobizantyńskiego malarstwa ściennego, Białystok 2006. See also the web site of the monastery at http://www.monastersuprasl.pl/ 6 П. П. Покрышкин, ‘Благовещенская церковь в Супрасльшском монастыре’, in: Сборник археологических статей поднесенных графу А. А. Бобринскому, Санкт-Петербург 1911, pp. 235–237. 7 Four of these photographs were published in A. Siemaszko, ‘Malowidła ścienne cerkwi Zwiastowania w Supraślu. Rekonstrukcja programu ikonograficznego’, Zeszyty Naukowe Universytetu Jagellońskiego, MCLXXIII, Prace z historii sztuki, Zeszyt 21 (1995), fig. 23, 26, 29, 30. Two photographs were not yet published. I express my gratitude to Alexandr Musin for the access to these photographs, and to Piotr Grotowski for his help. 3 8 These photographs were published for the first time in: L. Lebiedzińska, op. cit., fig. 48, 62. А. И. Рогов, ‘Фрески Супрасля’, in: Древнерусское искусство. Монументальная живопись ХІ– XVIII вв., Москва 1980, pp. 352–354. 9 Akathistos Cycle 83 tological cycle located above the Akthasitos.10 Finally, Alexander Siemaszko engaging the widest available range of data including the photographs from Saint Petersburg set, which were not accessed by previous authors, increased the number of identified strophes up to thirteen.11 Thus, only three scenes remained unidentified, by now. Identifacation of the scenes In Supraśl, as we know from Pokryshkin’s description and photographs, the Akathistos cycle occupied the middle zone on the walls of the naos. It began on the south wall near the iconostasis and then unfolded clockwise through the west wall to the north wall. This space housed only scenes, which is less then, the standard number of twenty four or twenty five scenes in most of Akathistos cycles. It seems that in Suprśl the scale of the scenes exceeded the available space. The artists attempted to resolve the issue through rendering the scenes into vertical format, and limiting the number of personages and details in each of the scene. However, this was not enough and they had to skip several scenes. It is unknown whether any scenes were located on the east wall which separated the naos from the sanctuary. In the time of Pokryshin’s visit, this wall was almost completely hidden behind the iconostasis. Even if we assume that there were some unregistered scenes, it is nevertheless clear that the Supraśl cycle was still incomplete because two scenes were omitted in the documented part o the cycle (see further discussion). Elaborating and supplementing previous suggestions by Rogov and Siemaszko, we propose that scenes of the Akathistos cycle in Suprasl were located in the following order: on the south wall – Strophes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; on the west wall – Strophes 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14; on the north wall – Strophes 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Now let us examine each scene in detail. Strophe 2 (Оίκος Β, Кондак 2) “The holy one, seeing herself to be chaste ...” (fig 1.). This opening scene of the cycle was located on the south wall of the naos next to the iconostasis. It is visible on the photograph from Saint Petersburg (sign. II 28897). The scene represents the Annunciation which is the usual choice for illustrations of the first Akathistos strophes. Archangel Gabriel stretching his hand approaches the Virgin from the left, the Virgin stands to the right next to her throne. On the background there is a high wall and symmetrical buildings towering over the it cloth hanging between them. Pokryshkin cited an inscription with 10 J. Kotyńska, ‘Bizantyńskie freski z cerkwi Zwiastowania w Supraślu’, Roczniki Humanistyczne, 34/4 (1986), pp. 39–40. 11 A. Siemaszko, op. cit., pp. 42–46. Siemaszko also has rendered the scheme indicating the location of each scene on the walls of the church. Nazar Kozak 84 the first words of Stophe 2, which are also readable on the photograph: в видещи с[вя]таа сэбе въ чистотэ ре[че] гавріилъ д[е]рьзостно.12 Strophe 3 (Оίκος Γ, Ікос 2) “The Virgin, yearning to grasp a knowledge unknowable ...” (fig. 2). This scene was located on the south wall of the naos to the west of Strophe 2. It is visible on the photograph from Saint Petersburg (Sign ІІ 28283). Pokryshkin did not include it in his description, yet it was mentioned by Kotyńska, who suggested that it stands for illustration of Strophes 2, 3 and 4 simultaneously.13 Similar to the previous scene, this one represents the Annunciation, which is a typical choice for the illustration of the first strophes. The composition is almost identical with the previous scene, except a peculiar detail that the Virgin touches her lips with the finger. The fragment of inscription is visible on the photograph, which matches the first words of Strophe 3: Разuмь не разuмен разумэти д[э]ва. Strophe 4 (Оίκος Δ, Кондак 3) “Then the power of the Most High overshadowed her ...” (fig. 2). This scene was the third in a row on the south wall of Fig. 1. Supraśl, Akathistos cycle, the naos. It is visible on the photographs from Saint Strophe 2. Photograph from archive of Petersburg (sign. II 28283) and from Warsaw (sign. IHMC RAS, Inv. № II 28897 9426). The scene represents the Virgin Mary standing in mandorla with Christ-Child seated in the smaller mandorla in front of her chest. Christ rises his right hand in blessing, and holds a scroll in his left hand. There is a star above the Virgin and the wall with two Doric columns (to the left) and a tower (to the right) behind her. The inscription runs on both sides of the star in the upper part of the scene. It matches first words of Strophe 4 Сила вышнэго wсени тог[д]а. This iconographic version for the illustration of Strophe 4 is rather rare. Siemaszko has pointed to three other examples in the Tomić Psalter (1360–1363) from the State Historical Museum in Moscow, the Holy Trinity church in Cozia (с. 1390), and Snagov monastery (1563), both in Wallachia.14 This list should be extended with the icon from the Zoodohos Pigi church on the island of Scopelos (first half of the 15th century)15 , Perivolis Monastery on Lesbos (ca. 12 13 14 15 П. П. Покрышкин, op. cit., p. 236. J. Kotyńska, op. cit., p. 40. A. Siemaszko, op. cit., p. 44. I. Spatharakis, The Pictoral Cycles of the Akathistos Hymn for the Virgin, Leiden 2005, fig. 237. Akathistos Cycle 85 Fig. 2. Supraśl, Akathistos cycle, Strophes 3, 4, 5. Photograph from archive of IHMC RAS, Inv. № II 28283 1550)16, Tismana monastery in Wallachia (1564)17, monastery of Hosios Meletios in Boetia (1573–1592)18, the Ekatontapiliani church on the island of Paros (after 1636)19, the epitrachelion from Stavronikita monastery on Mount Athos (16th century)20, the epitrachelion from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (17th century)21, and the icon from the skete of Saint Eustachius near the Iviron monastry on Mount Athos (17th century).22 16 Γ. Γουναρη, Μεταβυζαντίνες τοίχογραφίες στην Λεσβο (16ος–17ος αί), Αθήνα 1999, ριν. 82Β. The image is not published. 18 H. Deliyanni-Doris, Die Wandmalereien der Lite der Klosterkirche von Hosios Meletios, München 1975, fig. 22. 19 Α. Ορλάνδος, Αρχείον των Βυζαντινών μνημείων της Ελλάδος, Ί (1964), fig.10. 20 Treasures of Mount Athos. Catalog of the exhibition, Ed. A. Karakatsanis, Thessaloniki 1997, 17 no. 11.10. 21 Α. Παλιούρας, ‘Ο Πατριαρχικος ναος και ο οικος’, in: Το Οικομενικο Πατριαρχειο. Η μεγαλη του Χριστου εκκκησια, Αθηνα 1989, fig. 102. 22 fig. 46. Н. П. Кондаков, Памятники христианского искусства на Афоне, Санкт Петербург 1902, Nazar Kozak 86 Strophe 5 (Оίκος Ε, Ікос 3) “The Virgin, bearing God in her womb ...” (fig. 2). This was the fourth scene on south wall of the naos. It is visible on the photographs from Saint Petersburg (sign. II 28283) and from Warsaw (sign. 9426). The scene represents the Visitation, which is a typical choice for the illustration of Strophe 5. The Virgin and Elisabeth embrace each other in the middle of the scene. On the background we see the wall and two high buildings with the cloth overthrown above the roofs. The inscription with the opening words of Strophe 5 runs under the upper part of the frame Имuщн бгопрiетноuю дэа uтробø. Strophe 6 (Оίκος Ζ, Кондак 4) “Tossed inwardly by a storm of doubts ...” It was the last scene on the south wall, near the south-west corner of the naos. Pokryshkin wrote about it as almost destroyed by the new gallery of the choir. He also cites the fragment of inscription Бøриунuтъ, suggesting that originally it was Бøриу вънuтрь имэя,23 which are words of Strophe 6. In Akathistos cycles this strophe was illustrated with the scene of Joseph’s Doubts. Strophe 8 (Оίκος Θ, Кондак 5) “The magi saw a star moving towards God ...” It was the first scene on the west wall located near south-west corner of the naos. According to Pokryshkin, same as the previous scene, it was damaged by the new gallery of the choir. He cited first two words of the inscription as б[о]готечною звэздоу24 which matches Strophe 8. In Akathistos cycles this Strophe was illustrated with the scene of the Magi’s Journey to Bethlehem. Strophe 9 (Оίκος Ι, Ікос 5) “The children of the Chaldaeans ...” The second scene on the west wall was also damaged, still, Pokryshkin identified its subject as the Adoration of the Magi and read two letters from the inscription: ви.25 This subject is a usual choice for the illustration of Strophe 9 and these two letters match the first word of this strophe Видэшz wтроци халдеистіи наржку двичю. Strophe 10 (Оίκος Κ, Кондак 6) “The magi became heralds, bearing the message of God ...” The third scene on the west wall was located to the south of the gallery entrance. Pokryshkin cited a fragment of the inscription проповэднибгоносціивлъсви, 26 which matches the first words of Strophe 10: Проповэдници б[о]гоносніи влъсви бывше. In Akathistos cycles this strophe was illustrated with the scene of Magi’s return to Babylon in variations from departure to arrival. Strophe 11 (Оίκος Λ, Ікос 6) “Shining upon Egypt the light of truth ...” The fourth scene on the west wall was located to the north of the entrance on the balcony. Pokryshkin cited only few letters of the inscription въсія..чтіл.27 The first word in this fragment – въсія – matches the beginning of Strophe 11: Въсіа въ египтэ просвэщеніе истинэ. The second word was reproduced with mistake. In Akathistos cycles this strophe was usually illustrated with the Flight into Egypt. 23 24 25 26 27 П. П. Покрышкин, op. cit., p. 236. Ibidem, p. 236. Ibidem, p. 236. Ibidem, p. 237. Ibidem, p. 237. Akathistos Cycle 87 Strophe 13 (Оίκος Ν, Ікос 7) “A new creation has the Creator revealed ...” and Strophe 14 (Оίκος Ξ, Кондак 8) “Seeing this strange birth ...” These were the two last scenes on the west wall (fifth and sixth respectively) located in its north part. Since Pokryshkin mentioned them as “pictures without inscriptions,”28 later scholars left them unidentified. This identification, nevertheless, could be attemped. First, we should consider the sequence of the Akathistos scenes that inframes these scenes. They were preceded by the illustration of Strophe 11 and followed by the illustration of Strophe 15 (see further). Therefore it is reasonable to suggest that they represented strophes in the sequence between 11 and 15, i.e. Strophes 12 and 13, or 13 and 14, or 12 and 14. Of these three pairs the second should be considered as the most probable since it excludes Strophe 12. The usual illustration for this strophe is the Hyppapante. In Supraśl, the Hyppapante was included into the Christological cycle, which run on the walls of the naos directly above the Akathistos cycle. Since it is unlikely that two scenes of the same subject were depicted so the close each other. We may assume that Strophe 12 was excluded from the Akathistos cycle. There was another precedent of such exclusion. We know from Pokryshkin’s description that the illustration of Strophe 7 was omitted too. The usual illustration for this strophe is the Nativity, which in Supraśl opened the Christological cycle on the south wall . All in all, it most probabale that the last two Akathistos scenes on the west wall illustrated Strophes 13 and 14. The illustration of Strophe 13 is not visible on the extant photographs. In Akathistos cycles it was illustrated in a variety of ways and there is no clues to established the variation which was chosen in Supraśl. The illustration of Strophe 14, which was the last scene on the west wall located near the north-west corner of the naos, is partly visible on the photograph from Saint Petersburg (sign. II 28892). This detail was unnoticed by early scholars. Only the upper part of the scene is visible: the head in a nimbus in the centre, and a building with a conic roof behind it (fig. 3). The fragment resembles the version of Strophe 14, that represents the Virgin enthroned with Christ-Child on her lap at the background of the temple, while two groups of people praise her on both sides. This version is found, for instance, in Stăneşti monastery in Wallachia (1537) 29 and in the refectory of Great Lavra on Mount Athos (1535–1541).30 Strophe 15 (Оίκος Ο, Ікос 8) “The uncircumscribed Word was present wholly among those below ...” (fig. 3). This scene was the first on the north wall, near the north-west corner of the naos. Its upper part is visible on the photograph from Saint Petersburg (sign. II 28892). We see a head in a nimbus and the mandorla which circumscribs the whole figure. 28 П. П. Покрышкин, op. cit., p. 237. C. L. Dumitrescu, ‘O reconsiderare a picturii bisericii din Stanesti-Valcea’, Pagini de Veche Artă Romanească, vol II, Bucureşti 1972, fig. 62. 30 М. Ασπρά Βαρδαβάκη , Οι μικρογραφίες του Ακάθιστου στον κώδικα Garrett 13, Princeton, Αθήναι 1992, fig. 121. 29 Nazar Kozak 88 Fig. 3. Supraśl, Akathistos cycle, Strophes 14, 15. Photograph from archive of IHMC RAS, Inv. № II 28892 Siemaszko was the first who noticed this scene on the photograph. He suggested that the scene represents Christ standing in mandorla and identified it as Strophe 15.31 Indeed, the depiction of Christ in mandorla is rather spread iconographic element for this strophe, yet usually it is accompanied with another image of Christ (as Old of the Days) depicted in the segment of heaven above the main image. The double image of Christ refers to the text of the Strophe 15 which claims that he stayed both below and above. The Supraśl scene represented a rare example of the illustration without the upper image of Christ. Siemaszko pointed to another such example in the Holy Trinity church in Cozia (с. 1390)32 where the figure of Christ is accompanied with two groups of angels depicted in the corners of the scene. There was, however, no angels in Supraśl. Examples of a single figure (without angels) in the illustration of Strophe 15 are found in Stăneşti monastery in Wallachia (1537)33, and in the unpublished cycle in the monastery of Corona near Karditsa in Theassaly (1587). 31 32 33 A. Siemaszko, op. cit., p. 44. Ibidem, p. 45. C. L. Dumitrescu, op. cit., fig. 63. Akathistos Cycle 89 Strophe 16 (Оίκος Π, Кондак 9) “All the ranks of angels marveled ...” (fig. 4). This was a second scene on the north wall. It is visible on the photographs from Saint Petersburg (sign. II 28898) and from Warsaw (sign. 9428). The Virgin Orans is depicted in the centre while two angels accompany her on both sides. The inscription which runs in the upper part of the scene – нэстьествство яьасво uбоиміс – more or less matches opening words of Strophe 16: Въсэко ество аггльское uдивисz. Rogov noticed that the Virgin is depicted as an orans, which is unusual detail among illustrations of this strophes. As the only parallel Rogov mentioned the illustration of the corresponding Strophe from Humor monastery in Moldova (1535).34 Yet there is a difference: in Humor Christ-Child is in front of the Virgin’s chest, while, in Supraśl Christ was not depicted. Strophe 17 (Оίκος Ρ, Ікос 9) “Wordy orators we see dumb as the fishes ...” (fig. 4). The third scene on the north wall is visible on the photographs from Saint Petersburg (sign. II 28898) and from Warsaw (sign. 9428). The icon of the Virgin-Orans with Christ-Child in front of her chest is depicted in the middle of the scene. It is raised high on the pole inserted into a rectangular base flanked by two hierarchs. There is a wall with towers on the background. Rogov and Kotyńska identified this scene as illustration of Strophe 24.35 Siemaszko, instead, pointed out that such a scene could illustrate several other strophes, yet he was not sure which one to prefer.36 Since this scene was located between the illustrations of Strophes 16 and 18, it should be identified as an illustration of Strophe 17. The icon scene is rather rare in the iconography of this strophe, nevertheless six other examples could be mentioned: the Dormition church in Matejče in Macedonia (1356–1360)37, Probota monastery (1532)38, Suceava Saint John the New monastery (church of Saint George) (1532–1534)39, Humor monastery (1535)40 and Suceviţa monastery (бл. 1600), 41 all in Moldova, and Lavriv monastery in Ukraine (бл. 1550). 42 From the standpoint of iconography the scene in Supraśl is most close to Probota, Suceava and Lavriv, which include the icon of the same iconographic type. 34 А. И. Рогов, op. cit., p. 352. Ibidem, p. 352. Cf. J. Kotyńska, op. cit., p. 39. 36 A. Siemaszko, op. cit., p. 45. 37 A. Pätzold, Der Akathistos-Hymnos: Die Bilderzyklen in der byzantinischen Wandmalerei des 14. Jahrhunderts, Stuttgart 1989, fig. 69. 38 C. Costea, ‘Sub semnul Miresei nenuntite. Despre reprezentarea Imnului Acatist în Moldova secolului XVI-lea’, Ars Transsilvaniae, 19 (2009), fig. 32. 39 The image is not published. 40 C. Costea, op. cit., fig. 33. 41 R. Fabritius, Außenmalerei und Liturgie. Die streitbare Orthodoxie im Bildprogramm der Moldaukirchen, Düsseldorf 1999, fig. 116. 42 Н. Козак, ‘Втрачені фрагменти стінопису церкви св. Онуфрія в Лаврові’, Бюлетень Львівського філіалу Національного науково-дослідного реставраційного центра України, 9 (2007), pp. 34–43, fig. 5, 6. 35 Nazar Kozak 90 Fig. 4. Supraśl, Akathistos cycle, Strophes 16, 17. Photograph from archive of IHMC RAS, Inv. № II 28898 Strophe 18 (Оίκος Σ, Кондак 10) “Wishing to save the world ...” (fig. 5). The fourth scene of the Akathistos cycle on the north wall is visible on the photographs from Saint Petersburg (sign. II 28279) and from Warsaw (sign. 9428). It represented the Anapeson.43 Christ Emmanuel was depicted sleeping while the Virgin siting next to him. In the lower part of the scene, the Personification of Cosmos was placed with the horn in his hands. The scene is set on the mountain background. Streten Petkovic, who was the first to identify this scene as the illustration of Strophe 18, noted that similar iconography of that strophe could be found in “one Rus(s)ian manuscript.”44 This manuscript belonged to the collection of the 43 44 p. 217. Cf. B. Todic, ‘Anapeson. Iconographie et Signification du thème’, Byzantion, 64/1 (1994), pp. 134–165. C. Петковић, ‘Нектарије Србин, сликар XVI века’, Зборник за ликовне уметности, 8 (1972), Akathistos Cycle 91 Fig. 5. Supraśl, Akathistos cycle, Strophe 18. Photograph from archive of IHMC RAS, Inv. № II 28279 Church Academy in Saint Petersburg and few of its illustrations were earlier published by N. V. Pokrovsky.45 For a long time the location of the manuscript was unknown, 46 but recently it was mentioned in the catalogue of the Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg (ДР/ Гр.-78) and it appears to be a Greek manuscript dated to the eighteenth century.47 Rogov indicated several earlier examples of this iconographic version of Strophe 18 in the Tomic 45 Н. В. Покровский, Евангелие в памятниках иконографии преимущественно византийских и русских, Москва 1892, il. 225. 46 In 1960s M. V. Schepkina mentioned that codes as missing (М.В. Щепкина, Болгарская миниатюра XIV века. Исследование псалтыри Томича, Москва 1963, p. 148). 47 Н. В. Пивоварова, Памятники церковной старины в Петербурге-Петрограде-Ленинграде. Из истории формирования музейных коллекций: 1850–1930-е годы, Москва 2014, p. 122. I express my gretitude to Alexandr Preobrazensky for this information. Nazar Kozak 92 Fig. 6. Supraśl, Akathistos cycle, Strophe 19. Photograph from archive of IHMC RAS, Inv. № II 28290 Psalter (1360–1363) from the State History Museum in Moscow and in the Serbian Psalter (1396–1410) from the State Library of Bavaria in Munich.48 Kotyńska supplemented this list with cycles in Tismana monastery in Wallachia (1564) and Arbore church in Moldova (1541).49 Finally, Siemaszko indicated two more examples: the icon from the Zoodohos Pigi church on the island of Scopelos (first half of the 15th century) and Snagov monastery in Wallachia (1563).50 This list should be extended with other examples such as Bolniţa church 48 49 50 А. И. Рогов, op. cit., p. 353. J. Kotyńska, op. cit., p. 39. A. Siemaszko, op. cit., p. 45. Akathistos Cycle 93 in Cozia in Wallachia (1543),51 Perivolis monastery (c. 1550) on Lesbos52 the Ekatontapiliani church on island of Paros (after 1636),53 the epitrachelion from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (17th century)54, and icon from the skete of Saint Eustachius near Iviron monastery on Mount Athos (17th century).55 Iconographically, Supraśl is most similar to Snagov and Tismana beacause of the specific representation of the Cosmos with a horn56. In other examples this figure either holds a cloth or is not depicted at all. Strophe 19 (Оίκος Τ, Ікос 10) “For virgins and for all who flee to you, you are a wall ...” (fig. 6). The fifth and the last scene on the Northern wall is visible on the photographs from Saint Petersburg (sign. II 28279 and II 28290), right near the iconostasis. The Virgin was reresented standing and stretching her hands to the sides while flanked by two persons. Pokryshkin identified them as two young men,57 and other scholars repeated this observation. In the meantime, only the left figure which is fully visible on the photographs could be clearly identified as a young man because of the costume and a haircut, while the figure to the right might represent a young women. On both photographs this figure is partly covered with the iconostasis, yet the wide round collar usual for females is visible around her neck. Rogov suggested that this scene illustrates Prooimion58, while Siemaszko suggested that it should be identified as Strophe 19.59 The representation of the Virgin protecting the people corresponds with the main idea of this strophe in which it is expressed through the comparison of the Virgin to a protective wall for the virgins and all those who seek her protection. Because the virgins are mentioned in the text, usually women are represented under the Virgin’s protections, yet in same cases, men could be represented along with women. Siemaszko mentioned two such examples: the wall painting in the refectory of Great Lavra on Mount Athos (1535–1541) with hierarchs, and the icon from the skete of Saint Eustachius near Iviron monastery on Mount Athos (17th century) with young men.60 On this icon, as in Supraśl, young men stand to the left while women to the right.61 Another specific feature of the Supraśl’s illustration of Strophe 19 is the slightly tilted down position 51 I. Iancovescu,’Picturile de la Bolniţa mânăstirii Cozia: programul iconografic integral’, Archive of SCIA, AP, new series, 2/46 (2012), fig. 56. 52 Γ. Γουναρη, op.cit., fig. 89B. 53 Α. Ορλάνδος, Αρχείον των Βυζαντινών μνημείων της Ελλάδος, Ί (1964), fig.20. 54 Α. Παλιούρας, Ο Πατριαρχικος ναος και ο οικος, “Το Οικομενικο Πατριαρχειο. Η μεγαλη του Χριστου εκκκησια”, Αθηνα 1989, fig. 102. 55 Н. П. Кондаков, op. cit., fig. 46. 56 C. Dogaru identifies this figure in Snagov and Tisana not as the Cosmos but as David. Cf. C. Dogaru, ‘Μια ιδιόρρυθμη εικαστική απόδοση του 18ου οίκου του Ακαθίστου Ύμνου στις Μονές Snagov (1563) και Tismana (1564) στη νότια Ρουμανία και το πολιτικό της περιεχόμενο’, Εγνατία, 12 (2008), pp. 195–202. 57 П. П. Покрышкин, op. cit., p. 235. 58 А. И. Рогов, op. cit., p. 353. 59 A. Siemaszko, op. cit., p. 45. 60 Ibidem, p. 45. 61 Н. П. Конадков, op. cit., fig. 46. Nazar Kozak 94 of the Virgin’s hands. This tilt is reminiscent of the western image of the Madonna della Misericordia. In the later however Virgin stretches her hands over the heads of the people, not in front of them as in Suprasl. The parallel to this detail is found in the illustration of Strophe 19 in Stănesţi monastery in Wallachia (1537).62 Iconographic sources, authorship and artistic milieu As has been shown in the previous section, all Supraśl scenes which reveal similarities among other post-Byzantine Akathistos cycles. Some of these similarities, specific and rare, should serve as markers for the identification of the iconographic versions of Akathistos cycle used by the artists. I suggest, that in Supraśl, two such versions were creatively merged together to inform a new original version. The first of these versions has as it characteristic the combination of the standing Virgin in mandorla for the illustration of Strophe 4 with the Anapeson scene for the illustration of Strophe 18. This combination within one cycle is known only by few instances which range in chronology from the Late Byzantine era to the seventeenth century: the Tomic Psalter (1360–1363) from the State Historical Museum in Moscow, the icon from the Zoodohos Pigi church on the island of Scopelos (first half of the 15th century), Perivolis monastery (ca. 1550) on Lesbos, Snagov (1563) and Tismana (1564) monasteries in Wallachia, the Ekatontapiliani church on island of Paros (after 1636), the epitrachelion from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (17th century), and icon from the skete of Saint Eustachius near the monastery of Iviron on Mount Athos (17th century). From the standpoint of the chronology and iconography, Supraśl is most close to the Wallachian monasteries of Snagov and Tismana. All three cycles are dated to the middle of the 16th century and their illustrations of Strophes 4 and 18 share the same specific iconographic details. Thus, in Strophe 4 the Virgin supports the mandorla around Christ-Child with her hands (in other similar cases she is represented as Orans), and, in Strophe 18, the Personification of Cosmos holds a horn (in other similar cases this personage absent or holds a cloth). These specific detail suggest that the same iconographic models were used for the illustration of these two strophes in all three cycles. The second iconographic version of the Akathistos cycle used in Supraśl could be identified through the specific illustration of strophe 17. The text of this strophe describes how the eloquent orators became speechless when they learnt about the incarnation of Christ. In Akathistos cycles this Strophe was usually illustrated with scenes depicting affected orators. In Supraśl, instead, the icon scene was used. Apart of the isolated example from the Late Byzantine Macedonia, the church in Matejče (1356–1360), other instances of this version for Strophe 17 constitute a coherent geographical and chronological group which includes sixteenth-century cycles from the monasteries of Probota (1532), Saint John the 62 C. L. Dumitrescu, op. cit., fig. 67. Akathistos Cycle 95 New (church of Saint George) in Suceava (1532–34), Humor (1535) and Suceviţa (c.1600), all in Moldova, and Lavriv monastery in Ukraine (c.1550). As has been noted before, iconographically, Supraśl’s illustration is very close to those in Probota, Suceava and Lavriv, because of the specific type of the icon venerated in the scene, the Virgin Orans with a ChristChild in front of her chest instead of a more common for such scenes the Hodegetria type. There are other minor details that relate Supraśl to this group of cycles, for instance, like in Humor the Virgin is depicted as Orans in the illustration of Strophe 16, and Strophe 7 was excluded from the cycle same as it was in Lavriv. Thus, we can conclude that while one version of the Akathistos cycle used in Supraśl originated from the same artistic milieu as murals of Snagov and Tismana, i.e. from the region of Wallachia, the other version, associated with such cycles as Probota, Saint George in Suceava, Humor, and Lavriv, was spread in Moldova and Galicia. The monastery of Supraśl seems to designate the northern frontier to which both versions ever have reached. This conclusion is important for the implications about the authorship of the Supraśl murals, the issue that has been widely discussed in the scholarship before. Most of the scholars believed that walls of Supraśl were painted by Nektarinos Serbyn, an artists mentioned in Kymbar’s Inventory as the author of the icons for the iconostasis.63 His last name, Serbyn (the Serb), defined the direction in which scholars were looking for stylistic and iconographic parallels to Supraśl promoting its reputation as a monument of “Balkan art in Poland.” Thus, Ludmila Lebedzinska wrote about the “frescoes in northern Serbia in the basin of Morava river, painted in late 14th and early 15th century (Ravanitsa, Kalenić, Ljubostinja and first of all the church of Saint Trinity in Manasia).”64 Stanisław Szymański focusing on the analysis of ornaments pointed instead to the churches in “south-western Serbia and northern Macedonia, exactly in Old and New Pavlitsa, Mileševa, Arilje, Gračanica, Prizren, Rudenintsa, and specifically in Traskavac, Dečani, Sopoćani, and Studenitsa, which are dated from 12th century to 1410.”65 Another group of related murals, within a close chronological range, was identified by Petkovic including the monastery of Pećka Patrijaršija (1561), Mileševa (с. 1565) and the church of the Virgin in Studenitsa (1568).66 Our search for iconographic prototypes of the Supraśl Akathistos however points into different artistic milieu occured not to the south but to the north of the Danube. This perspective enables us to evaluate the Supraśl murals not as an export of Balkan art into some far-flung location, but as a ‘local’ product of a wider artistic region, which embraced principalities of Wallachia and Moldova along with Ruthenian (Belorusian and Ukrainian) lands in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 63 64 65 ‘Лћтопись Супрашльськой Лавры’ ..., p. 52. L. Lebiedzińska, op. cit. S. Szymański, ‘Freski z Supraśla: prόba rekonstruowania genealogii’, Rocznik Białostocki, 11 (1972), p. 182. 66 C. Петковић, op. cit., p. 225.