STYLISTIC FEATURES OF THE ZOGRAFI BROTHER’S PAINTINGS IN THE CHURCHES OF VITHKUQ
Abstract
The village of Vithkuq is distributed in an uneven, highland territory in south-east Albania, near the city of Korça. The villagers, who were part of the greek-orthodox religion, during a well economically developed time in the 17th and 18th century, they enriched Vithkuqi with circa 14 churches and a monastery. Today, in this monastery, are found only 2 churches in damaged conditions. The small mortal church of Saint Cosmas and Damian and the main church, which holds the same name as the monastery, Saint Peter and Paul. Both of these churches are decorated with miraculous murals from the famous Albanian painters, the brothers Kostandin and Athanas Zografi. Konstandin and Athanas Zografi are the painters with the widest activity during the 18th century and are known for their works in and outside the country. Their mural paintings can be really observed from 1744 until 1783, so for 24 years. The amount of work, and the fact that they were required to paint in the Mount Athos, were only the most talented painters of Epirius could work, shows the quality and their professional evaluation. The style of their work can be studied in the churches of Vithkuq. The features and elements of this style will be the theme of this work.Keywords: Mural painting, Post-Byzantine, Iconography, Vithkuq, Orthodox Art.
References
Dionysios von Phourna 1983 - Malerhandbuch des Malermönchs Dionysios vom Berge Athos, nach der deutschen Übersetzung von Godehard Schäfer (Trier 1855), Slavisches Institut München, München 1983.
Gouma Peterson 1971 – T. Gouma Peterson, The Survival of Byzantinism in the 18th Century Greek Painting, Allen Memorial Art Museum Bulletin 29, 1 (1971), pp.11-59.
K. Kirchhainer, Das Ossuarium des Petrus- und Paulus-Klosters in Vithkuq (Südalbanien) und seine Freskendekoration (1750), in: «Makedonika», 34(2003/04), pp. 149-208.
Papakozma, A. „Mananastiri i Shën Pjetrit dhe Pavlit në Vithkuq, datimi, urbanistika, arkitektura, mjeshtrit e ndërtimit“, Monumentet 1 (1983), pp.77-85.
Popa 1959 – Th. Popa, Piktoret korçare Konstantin dhe Athanas Zografi dhe freskat e tyre me skenat e apokalipsit, in: Buletin i Universitetit Shtetëror të Tiranës (BUSHT) 1, Tiranë 1959, pp. 23-48.
Rousseva. R. Iconographic Characteristics of the Churces of Moschopolis and Vithkuqi (Albania), Makedonika 35, 2006.
Thomo, P. Kishat Pasbizantine në Shqipërinë e Jugut, Tiranë 1998.
Triantaphyllopulos D. D. Die nachbyzantinische Wandmalerei auf Kerkyra und den anderen ionischen Inseln. Untersuchungen zur Konfrontation zwischen ostkirchlicher und abendländischer Kunst (15.-18. Jahrhundert), München 1985.
Vinjau-Caca, T. 2002. Some Data about the Activity of Konstantin and Athanas Zografi from Korça and th Charcteristics of their Art in the 18th Century, in: E. Drakopoulou, Topics in Post-Byzantine Painting in Memory of Manolis Chatzidakis. Conference Proceeding 28-29 May 1999, Athens 2002, pp. 203-216.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Declaration/Copyright transfer:
1. In consideration of the undertaking set out in paragraph 2, and upon acceptance by ANGLISTICUM for publication of the manuscript in the Journal, I/We hereby assign and transfer publication rights to ANGLISTICUM, whereas I/We retain the copyright for the manuscript. This assignment provides ANGLISTICUM the sole right and responsibility to publish the manuscript in its printed and online version, and/or in other media formats.
2. In consideration of this assignment, ANGLISTICUM hereby undertakes to prepare and publish the manuscript in the Journal, subject only to its right to refuse publication if there is a breach of the Author’s warranty in paragraph 4 or if there are other reasonable grounds.
3. Editors and the editorial board of ANGLISTICUM are empowered to make such editorial changes as may be necessary to make the Manuscript suitable for publication.
4. I/We hereby acknowledge that: (a) The manuscript submitted is an original work and that I/We participated in the work substantively and thus I/We hereby are prepared to take public responsibility for the work; (b) I/We hereby have seen and approved the manuscript as submitted and that the manuscript has not either been published, submitted or considered for publication elsewhere; (c) The text, illustration, and any other materials included in the manuscript do not infringe upon any existing copyright or other rights of anyone.
5. I/We hereby indemnify ANGLISTICUM and the respective Editors of the Journal as mentioned in paragraph 3, and hold them harmless from any loss, expense or damage occasioned by a claim or suit by a third party for copyright infringement, or any suit arising out of any breach of the foregoing warranties as a result of publication of the manuscript.