Νικολάου του Λαμπούδη Σπαρτιάτου : Εικόνα της Παναγίας της Ελεούσας
Part of : Δελτίον της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας ; Vol.35, 1994, pages 259-270
Issue:
Pages:
259-270
Parallel Title:
Nikolaos Lamboudes, from Sparta : An Icon of the Virgin Eleousa
Section Title:
Articles
Abstract:
Amongst the few painters known from signed icons of the 15th century is the enigmatic Nikolaos Lampoudes from Sparta, of whom no mention is made in the literary sources. A fine icon of the Virgin and Child in a private Athenian collection — once in a private collection in Rome — bears his signature on the lower band of the border: + ΧΕΙΡ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΥ TOY ΛΑΜΠΟΥΔΗ - CnAPTIATOY. The Virgin, in a variation of the Hodegetria type, bears the inscription of the Eleousa which is associated with the Liturgy and poetic references to her person. She holds Christ, '"Ελέους Θελητήν" with the fulfillment of the sacrifice, within a tender and loving correlation of 36. J. Mossay , Le signe héliaque, Notes sur quelques manuscrits de S. Grégoire de Nazianze, Rayonnement grec, Hommages à Charles Delvoye, Bryxelles 1982, σ. 273 κ.έ. Lazovi c - Frigerio-Zeniou , δ.π. 37. "Ο.π. 38. Είκόνες του Νομοΰ Χανίων (βλ. ύποσημ. 18), αριθ. 12. 39. Felicetti-Liebenfels, δ.π. (ύποσημ. 33), σ. 88, πίν. Ill C. Tatic-Djuric , Eleousa (βλ. ύποσημ. 5), σ. 263, είκ. 12. 40. Πρβλ. D. Mourik i γιά τήν είκόνα τής Φιλοξενίας τοϋ 'Αβραάμ στό Βυζαντινό Μουσείο (Holy Image, Holy Space, αριθ. 64, σ. 221. Art and Culture around 1492, Κατάλογος έκθεσης, Seville 1992, αριθ. 140. "Ας σημειωθεί δτι τό λήμμα τής είκόνας στό δεύτερο κατάλογο (ανατύπωση του) παραποιήθηκε γλωσσικά, δπως καί τά άλλα τών δργων πού δάνεισε τό Βυζαντινό Μουσείο στή μεγάλη Ικθεση τής Σεβίλλης, τά όποια γέμουν εκδοτικών σφαλμάτων τό πιό απαράδεκτο, αυτό δημοσιεύθηκε, άπό ακατανόητο λάθος τοϋ έκδοτη, μέ τό δνομά μου). 'Από ανάλογη άποψη, ή συστηματική μελέτη τών τοιχογραφιών τοϋ Ξένου Διγενή (δ.π., ύποσημ. 33), ό όποιος εργάστηκε στην Κρήτη τό 1470, θά πρέπει νά αποδώσει ενδιαφέροντα στοιχεία γιά τίς καλλιτεχνικές καταβολές ενός άλλου Πελοποννήσιου ζωγράφου τής διασποράς τοϋ 15ου αι., σέ συνάρτηση μέ δσα τοϋ προσπόρισε ή εργασία στή μεγαλόνησο καί, σέ στενή ή ευρύτερη Ιννοια, ή μαθητεία στην τέχνη της. poses. In this icon, the proclaimed dogma of the Incarnation is, within its soteriological content, also associated with foreknowledge of the Passion. The embroidery on the Child's chiton almost suggests signs of the cross, thus constituting a particular allusion to the Passion. The person of the Theotokos is exalted in the inscription on the gold-fringed edge of her maphorion's right sleeve, taken from Psalm 44(45), 13-14: ΠΕΡΙΒΕΒΛΗΜΕΝΗ) EN KPOCOTHC XPICHC ("... her clothing is of wrought gold"). Known from the second half of the 14th century, as a rule in depictions of the Virgin and Child, this inscription is encountered in wall-paintings and icons emanating from workshops in Thessaloniki, Ioannina and Prilep. Indirect indications suggest the possible relationship of symbolic and decorative elements with Constantinople. Furthermore, of especial interest is the probable association with Hesychast theories of the day, in particular with the teachings of St. Gregory Palamas given that his homilies on the Theotokos make frequent reference to, and analyse, passages from Psalm 44(45). Also significant is the 15th-century akolouthia of Markos Eugenikos where use is made of those passages in the Psalm where the Virgin is praised as queen to laud her as Theotokos. The icon by Nikolaos Lampoudes renders the iconographical model which, on the basis of Byzantine examples, was either created or established by Andreas Ritzos, the most distinguished Cretan painter in the second half of the 15th century (mentioned as a painter: 1451-1492). His signed icons in the Teutonico Collection at the Vatican are well known, together with those attributed to him now at Trieste and the Gonia monastery on Crete. Lampoudes' icon is more closely associated with that in the Gonia monastery, where one finds the inscription « Ή Ελεούσα», the unusual Apocalyptic ΟΩΝ on Christ's halo, and the position of the miniature angels at the top. The inscription of the Eleousa is also found on later icons of the same type. In all, however, the symbolic passage from the Psalm is missing. The Spartan painter interprets the Cretan model in a free, personal manner and uses typological and decorative details which betray a sense of independence and a dexterity in drawing on selected elements from a more familiar and chronologically more recent artistic tradition. The Byzantine family name Lampoudios and Lampoudes appears sporadically in the sources from the 11th to the 15th century. It is known in the Péloponnèse from important personages of the 14th and 15th century. A scribe known to us, Matthew sebastos Lampoudes from the Péloponnèse, possible a Spartan, may have been a contemporary and relative of the painter Nikolaos Lampoudes; three of his undated codices were written in Ferrara and Florence. The stay of the titled scribe in these two Italian cities may thus be linked to the two-year Council of Ferrara-Florence of 1438-1439. The migrant branch of the Lampoudes family which went to Crete, possibly from the Péloponnèse, first appears in the sources in the person of Kyriakos Lampoudes, a speciaro established in Candia (Herakleion) in 1562 and 1563. Either a short-term or permanent stay on Crete by the painter Nikolaos Lampoudes is attested by the close relationship of our icon with Cretan examples. Leaving aside distinguishing marks of technique and style in our icon, an important if indirect testimony that helps date Nikolaos Lampoudes to the 15th century is presented by the icon of the Virgin Glykophilousa in the Museum of History and Art in Geneva. In the middle of the Virgin's maphorion, at the bottom to the right, appears the date ANN/O 1457 (the previous reading of 1557 is incorrect). Further down, the number 3 is placed in front of what appears to be a symbol for the Sun, with a dotted triangle or Delta within a circle, perhaps a reference to the Holy Trinity "the tri-solar divinity". The symbol, known with this meaning from Byzantine manuscripts, could — at least hypothetically — also hide a pictorial rendition of the name Lampoudes (the Sun, to shine [Gk. lambein], Lampoudes, with the Delta in the circle) as a prayer for salvation in the name of the Holy Trinity. The Athens Eleousa and the Geneva Glykophilousa clearly render Cretan models of the 15th century in a style which preserves autonomous expressive traits which are common or analogous in both icons. These distinct and brilliant works bear a clear resemblance in their painterly grace, in the peculiar nature of the restrained opulence imparted to the fine decorative details and the rich chrysography, and in the subdued, austere but pleasant colouring which contributes to a certain golden hue apparent in both icons. The lustrous face of the Virgin in both icons, brightly modelled with a gentle expression and tender gaze, also supports the 1457 Geneva icon's attribution to Nikolaos Lampoudes or to his artistic circle, and at the same time points to a date for the signed Athens icon in the middle of the 15th century. Also associated with the Athens Eleousa is another icon of the Glykophilousa from the Likhatschev Collection in St. Petersburg where the Psalm passage inscription and the unusual cross-shaped ornamentation on Christ's chiton likewise appear. The Virgin Eleousa, proudly signed by the Spartan painter Nikolaos Lampoudes, is a work of great value, with all the signs of a splendid Cretan icon from the mid15th century transformed by fertile elements mostly drawn from the Palaeologan tradition. With its rare privilege of a signature, it provides a "good reference" by a well-schooled painter for the radiation of Cretan art at this mature period. But perhaps most significantly, it throws light on the artistic resources Nikolaos Lampoudes must have drawn on from his homeland, so close to Mystras. This is most interesting when it comes to elucidating the latest phase of Byzantine painting in the Mystras area, a subject which tenaciously keeps its secrets.
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