Μερικές παρατηρήσεις στις προοπτικές συμβάσεις μιας εικόνας του Ανδρέα Ρίτζου (πίν. 99-102)
Part of : Δελτίον της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας ; Vol.27, 1979, pages 249-260
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249-260
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Some observations on the perspective in an icon of Andreas Ritzos (pl. 99 - 102)
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This article is a comparative analysis of the treatment of perspective in three depictions of the Dormition: an icon by Andreas Ritzos, and two frescoes, one in the church of the Peribleptos at Mystras, and one in that of Aghios Nikolaos Anapausas at Meteora, by Theophanes. The analysis springs from an assessment of the perspective techniques used by Andreas Ritzos, whose work falls in the second half of the 15th century and is of considerable importance in the formation of the Cretan school. The icon by Ritzos (PI. 100) may be divided into seven units for the purpose of the analysis : a) Christ in the glory with the angels ; b) the Virgin on the bed, with the footstool and the candlesticks; c) the apostles and the archbishops ; d) 1 : the group of angels wearing military uniform, 2 : the women at the left edge of the icon ; e) the apostles in the clouds; f) the buildings; g) the scene of the Assumption and the gate of heaven. The predominant perspective convention deployed is that of «superimposition»: in the case of the human figures, this involves figures in the background being placed on a higher level, and in the case of objects, the use of the formulae ω1<ω2 ω3. PI. 99a) and col ~ co2 ~ ω3 (PI. 99β). The ornaments and the circles in the icon are rendered frontally. There are also, however, some elements of practical perspective which are more pronounced in some of the units than in others; the result is to give the icon a certain three-dimensional effect. The most important of these elements are as follows: the perspective treatment of the angels in the fourth unit has the effect of projecting the Virgin on the bed into the foreground ; the figure of Christ also stands out as a result of the monochrome rendering of the angels in the outer elliptical glory. Finally, the lines of the buildings deviate from the vertical and lead the eye into the background, while the gate of heaven leads it upwards. The fresco in the Peribleptos (PI. 101) is divided into eight units: a) Christ with the angels in an elliptical glory; b) the Virgin on the bed with the candlesticks ; c) the episode of Hiephonias ; d) the apostles, the archbishops and the friends of Mary; e) the group of angels wearing military uniform; f) the apostles in the clouds; g) the buildings; h) the scene of the Assumption. The perspective convention used is again that of «superimposition» which, in the case of the objects is normally expressed by the formula ωΐ ~ ω2 ~ co3 and more rarely ω1<ω2<ω3. The main motif stands out by virtue of its central position, the scale on which it is executed, and the fact that all the details appear to be designed to emphasize the central scene. The decorations and circles are rendered frontally, and the slight feeling of perspective evoked by the painting of the angels is foreign to the rest of the composition. Finally, the fresco of the church of Aghios Nikolaos Anapausas at Meteora (PI. 102a) is divided into four units: a) Christ with the angels in the elliptical glory; b) the Virgin on the bed with the pedestal and the candlesticks (PI. 102β); c) the apostles, the archbishops and the women; d) the buildings. Again the predominant perspective convention is that of «superimposition», with the formulae ω1<ω2<ω3 and col ~ ω2 ~ ω3 applied to the objects. The decorations and circles are again rendered frontally. A number of details are rendered in perspective, however, so that the structure of the composition has a certain three-dimensional effect. Mary, for example, is portrayed in the foreground, and Christ stands out because of the monochrome treatment of the angels in the outer elliptical glory. The sides of the buildings incline and lead the eye into the background. The composition as a whole has a visual unity, despite the fact that it is not conceived from a single centre of vision. The analysis of the three paintings thus indicates that the structure of the composition in the icon by Ritzos is closer to the fresco of the church of Aghios Nikolaos Anapausas at Meteora; consequently, we may conclude that, at least in terms of its perspective treatment, the Cretan school was already formed in the work of Andreas Ritzos, in the second half of the 15th century.
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