BIBLICAL TEXTS IN THE BAROQUE ARTISTIC CULTURE OF KYIV

Abstract

An investigation was carried out into the biblical texts that are part of the 18th-century icons of the Saint Sophia Cathedral iconostasis in Kyiv. The specificity and originality of Kyiv Baroque sacred culture, which was based on the characteristic interaction and intertwining of the Word (liturgical texts) and the Image (icons), manifested itself most vividly in the creation of the iconostases. A comparative analysis of the icons in situ of the basement row and the seat row of the iconostasis was conducted: “Christ Pantocrator”, “Mother of God with the Child”, “Saint Sophia – Wisdom of God”, “Hierarchs of Faith”, “St. John the Theologian”, “The Most Holy Theotokos – Simeon's Prophecy”, “Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews”, “Archangel Michael Defeats the Devil”, “Sermon of St. Peter in Caesarea (Baptism of the Centurion Cornelius and His Household)”, “Seven Angels with Trumpets”. The deciphering of the partially faded texts was carried out with special infrared (IR) imaging; lost texts were reconstructed based on the research of relevant literature sources. It has been established that the visual context of the iconostasis incorporates texts from the Gospels, the Epistles, the Letter of James, the Revelation of St. John the Theologian, the Book of Joshua, the prophetic books of Isaiah and Zechariah, the Book of Genesis, the Psalms, the Proverbs of Solomon, and the Akathist to the Theotokos. By examining the relationship between the visual imagery and the biblical texts, researchers have been able to reconstruct the main idea behind the iconostasis's iconographic program: to bring together the image of Sophia, the Wisdom of God, and the image of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. This research also demonstrates that the texts incorporated into the icons serve not only to preach and educate but also to provide biblical interpretation. A comprehensive examination of the biblical texts present in the iconostasis, with a focus on the cohesive artistic vision, is crucial for enhancing our comprehension of Slavic/ Eastern Christian sacred art and its theological significance.