414-421

Pre - iconoclastic wall - paintings from Naxos

Σκινδαλαμοί

• Δρανδάκης, Νικόλαος Β.

The restoration work on the wall- paintings in the Church of Panayia Drosiani, near the village Moni on the island of Naxos, began under my supervision in 1965.Under the remains, dilapidated and ready to fall, of a second coating of Byzantine wall - paintings, the figure of a woman saint (fig. 2 ) had attracted my attention because it reminded me of the famous procession of women saints in Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna.In the North conch of the triconch church a bust of the Virgin carrying the Child rather as a « Νικοποιός » came to light between medallions with the Saints Cosmas and Damian. Moreover lower on the vertical wall of the same conch is a Deesis - Christ in the centre, frontal, young, with short hair and beard, with Solomon, «Ayia Maria» (fig. 1 ), a woman saint, and Saint John the Baptist - which came to light as well.On the arch in front of the North conch parts of a pair of saints and a hierarch appeared (fig. 3). The devotional inscription beside the hierarch was not completely cleared.In the bema another inscription mentioning « άγιότατον » ( most sacred ), obviously bishop Sissinnius, a circle enclosing a bird, and on the vertical wall of the apse twelve figures, probably the Apostles, were uncovered after the removal of successive later coatings of Byzantine wall - paintings. This last painting seems to be part of the Ascension scene.In September 1969 the restoration work began again. In the dome two large medallions of Christ’s bust, not completely destroyed, appeared. These medallions cover the North and South halves. In the first, Christ is portrayed with a short beard while in the second he appears with a rather long one. The dome is pierced by two windows, one on the East, the other on the West. On either side of the windows the symbols of the Evangelists had been painted. The dome wall - paintings seem to be of the same style and contemporary with the first paintings of the church.In addition the clearing of the devotional inscription near the hierarch on the arch in front of the North conch was completed.The inscription (figs. 4-5) is: 'Υπέρ/ευχήςI[Στε;]φά/νου κ(ai) / τόν/γω/ véov/aôwôl+ (;)ΗΘ.The last number 99 is isopsephe rather of the word «άμήν».The high quality wall - paintings of Drosiani dating from the pre-iconocla- stic period are well preserved and it is hoped that they will contribute greatly in solving the problems of pre- iconoclastic painting. A full study of the above wall - paintings will be published by the writer after they have been completely cleared.

• History and Archaeology
• Arts

• Αρχαιολογία
• Mural painting and decoration

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