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The Church of Saint Thekle at Bolimes Zakynthos and the Earliest Phase of its Wall-Paintings

Articles

• Στουφή - Πουλημένου, Ιωάννα
• ΣΤΟΥΦΗ-ΠΟΥΛΗΜΕΝΟΥ, Ιωάννα

The church of Saint Thekle is located at 'Shoinari' inAno Bolima on the island of Zakynthos. According tocertain Venetian documents, it belonged to the Anaphonitria Monastery in 1491, which year can be taken as a terminus ante quern for its construction.The monument is a small, one-aisle, timber-roofed basilica (9.80 χ 5.55 m) with a semicircular apse. The only window is a rectangular one in the apse. The earlier churchon this site was longer.The church interior is decorated with wall-paintings belonging to at least two phases. Those of the earlier phaseare particularly interesting. Depicted in the apse is theVirgin in the type of the 'Blachernitissa', holding ChristEmmanuel in front of her breast. On the south wall arefull-bodied figures of saints. The first, at the east end, isSaint Marina holding a small cross. Next to her is a soldiersaint holding a spear in his right hand a palm frond in hisleft. His armour is chased with rich floral ornaments andan angel-head is depicted in the abdominal area. Thedecoration of the armour resembles that on soldier saintsportrayed in 16th- and 17th-century Cretan icons. Thesaint's face is young and beardless, with features reminiscent of 15th- and 16th-century depictions of SaintDemetrios. The inscription on the right is very badlyeffaced but perhaps identifies the figure as Theodore(ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΣ). Traces of the feet of another soldiersaint are all that remain in the adjacent panel. TheDormition of the Virgin, on the north wall, is unimpressive on account of its small dimensions, those of anicon.The figures in the wall-paintings are meticulously drawnand imbued with a strong sense of idealism, nobility andsobriety, with no hint of dramatic expression. The idealistic character recalls 16th-century Cretan painting andbearing in mind their close affinity to 16th- and 17th-century Cretan icons and the fact that they reproduce the iconographie and stylistic traits of wall-paintings, the workscan be dated to the second half of the 17th century.The high quality of the wall-paintings in Saint Theklepoints not only to an accomplished painter but also to apatron of refined taste. Noteworthy in this respect is thelocal tradition that the area surrounding the church wasthe property of a member of the Melissinos family. Thiswell-known Byzantine family came to Zakynthos (Zante)from the Péloponnèse in the late 15th century and itsscions include a Theodoros Melissinos who lived on theisland from 1509 to 1527. If we are correct in reading thename Theodoros in the damaged inscription, then themural decoration of the church may well have beendonated by a descendant of Theodoros Melissinos.

• Arts
• History and Archaeology

• Arts and religion

• http://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/deltion/article/view/4759
• http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/dchae.1171