Συμβολική παράσταση στη δεύτερη χρήση της πλάκας Τ. 175 του Βυζαντινού Μουσείου
Part of : Δελτίον της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας ; Vol.35, 1994, pages 37-44
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37-44
Parallel Title:
A Symbolic Scene on the Reused Plaque T. 175 in the Byzantine Museum, Athens
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Articles
Abstract:
Plaque T. 175 depicts the frontal figure of a youth withan animal, and includes a grapevine with a grape-pickeramongst the branches. The various elements of thegroup, however, are not contemporaneous. The depiction of the youth graced the original plaque, an Atticfunerary stele of the 4th century BC, but additions andinterventions were made in the Byzantine period.The space to the left of the figure, originally empty, wasfilled in with a grapevine/tree and a grape-picker collecting his harvest in a basket. Between the grapevineand the youth of the ancient stele, another addition wasmade in the form of the frontal part of an animal, possibly a deer. Most important amongst the interventions isthe alteration of the youth's right hand to make it appear that he is holding the animal from the lower jawwhile leading it to the grapevine.The grape harvest, for the pagans a motif of death andsymbol of those who die young, was recruited by Christian symbolism to serve as an allegory expressing Christian concepts, such as the symbolic grape harvest andthe Eucharist. Peace in the afterlife was expressed here,one of the subjects which has always concerned manand art. The grape harvest, borrowed from the cult ofDionysos due to the salvational power of that god, wasone of the oldest motifs to be used in Christian funeraryart.The close association of the deer and the grapevine isexpressed by the animal's head turning upwards insearch of the fruit of the vine, an allegorical depiction ofholy Communion.The youth of the ancient stele was included in a newcomposition in which, by leading the animal to thegrapevine and its fruit, he displays his wish to partake ofholy Communion and thus strive after the salvation ofhis soul and a blessed existence in heaven.The variety evident amongst the vine leaves and themanner in which they have been sculpted is a characteristic of the work. One can observe a freedom of rendition and arrangement without that geometric or stylisedrepetition of shoots and leaves typical of 11th centuryart. The type and variety of the leaves, as well as therelief technique employed therein, do not suggest theuse of crystalised models, and from comparisons withanalogous depictions of leaves in tenth-century sculpture, we are led to date the additions and interventionsof plaque T. 175 to the same period.
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