The article examines the problem of the appearance and spread of domed drums in the church archit... more The article examines the problem of the appearance and spread of domed drums in the church architecture of Zakarid Armenia, having bunches of triple columns on the edges of the faces and an umbrella tent with a zigzag cornice. Here is a brief history of the formation of this type in Armenian architecture, which reveals the leading role of the monuments created by the masters of the Ani school of architecture of the Bagratid era, in particular the Church of Surb Sarkis of the Khtskonk monastery. It was the type of drum exterior developed in the 11th century that became the basis for the rib-columnar type of drum, popular in the first third of the 13th century. However, the architects of the Zakarid era do not simply reproduce the chapter of the 11th century, but rework its plastic decoration in accordance with the aesthetic requirements of their era, determined by the reduction in the volume of the domed chapters: elegance and upward direction. The edges of the drum between bunches of semi-columns are filled with relief decoration in the form of a “frieze” of rosettes and with sculptural elements, additional vertical divisions appear. Carved decor is placed in the gables under the zigzag cornice. The cornice itself also receives plastic development. Particularly noted is the role of the drum of the church of Surb Astvatsatsin of Harich monastery, built in 1201 by Zakhare and Ivane Zakarians — the highest Ani ruler’s order. Elements of the decor of the drum of this church appear in other major monuments of the 13th century. The final part of the article presents a short series of examples of the subsequent development of this type of drum, which demonstrates the absence of drums with bunches of triple columns and a zigzag cornice in monuments erected since the Mongol conquest.
The article analyzes the features of the plastic decoration of the exterior of the hexagonal chur... more The article analyzes the features of the plastic decoration of the exterior of the hexagonal church of the convent of the Hripsimian Virgins (Kusanats Vank) in Ani. This small building was decorated in accordance with the elegance of the facades characteristic of church buildings of the early Zakarid era. The architect successfully solved the difficult problem of using rich plastic ornamentation without weighing down the appearance of the miniature building. The effect of a dynamically upward structure, light and solid at the same time, was achieved thanks to the use of rows of elongated double or triple semi-columns in each tier of the building, and the interchange of ornamental plastic elements. The combination of decorative elements used on the facades of the church (an arcature with a frieze, or bunches of built-up semi-columns under a zigzag multi-profile tent cornice) is related to the ornamentation of church drums of the early Zakarid era. In addition, the carved palmette with two lilies, used by the architect of the hexagonal church both in the anthrevolts of the arcature of the main volume and in the gables of the drum, literally reproduces the filling of the anthrevolts in the arcature of the drum of the church of the Inner Fortress of Ani. The author of the article sees the desire of the architect of the convent church to make Hripsimian Virgins the plastic decoration of its exterior similar to the ornamentation of two drums standing on top of each other. Perhaps, the very diminutive size of the church, barely exceeding the diameter of a drum in most churches of the 12th to 13th centuries, prompted the architect to such an original solution.
IZVESTIA Ural Federal University Journal Series 2 Humanities and Arts, 2024
This article studies the use of relief ornamental frieze of intertwining polyhedrons in the decor... more This article studies the use of relief ornamental frieze of intertwining polyhedrons in the decoration of dome drums of Armenian churches of the initial period of the Zakarid era. Following the liberation of the country from the Muslim yoke, in the Eastern Armenia regions and Ani, construction activity grew rapidly, especially in church building. New monuments were erected in the spirit of the national tradition, which is especially evident in the plastic decoration of the exterior of drums. The author tries to build a chronological sequence of the use of the ornament in the friezes of the domes of Armenian churches, which leads to the conclusion that ornamental friezes of hexagons and octagons were primarily used in Ani monuments. The author notes the simultaneous popularity of these patterns in the architecture of the neighbouring state of the Anatolian Seljuks, whose cultural activity in its formation is closely connected with the Armenian one. The author sees the possible origins of the ornamental frieze with a polygonal structure in the drums of Armenian churches in the brickwork architecture of the minarets of Iran and Central Asia from the eleventh and twelfth centuries. In summary, the author emphasizes the existence of the tradition of decorating drums with a blind arcade topped with a decorative frieze in Armenian architecture long before the era in question, referring to the Cathedral of Ani which played an important role in the formation of the image of domes of the Armenian churches of the Zakarid era.
Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art: Vol. 13. 2023, 2023
The article is devoted to the analysis of the donor sculptural portraits compo- sition of St. Gre... more The article is devoted to the analysis of the donor sculptural portraits compo- sition of St. Gregory (Bakghtagek’s) and Inner Fortress (Aghjkaberd) churches in Ani. Both of these fragmentary sculptures were discovered during the archaeological campaign in Ani curated by the Imperial Archaeological Commission and were subsequently lost. It turned out the photographs of these fragments have survived, but researchers did not report on these photographs for many years. These images were discovered and attributed by the author of this article. The critical analysis of the obtained images allowed to recreate partially the origi- nal forms of donor sculptural portraits in both of these churches. Finally, an assumption was made about the location of this composition in the church building based on architectural features of the Ani school during the Early Zakarid era and the existing tradition of Armenian donor sculptural portraits.
The ruins of the church of St. Gregory were discovered during excavations in 1892 in Ani, and, th... more The ruins of the church of St. Gregory were discovered during excavations in 1892 in Ani, and, thanks to their excel- lent preservation, were undoubtedly the most important find of the first archaeological campaign. That's why any scholars immediately sought to conduct research on the church's ruins. However, the study of architecture and sculptural decoration was interrupted in the middle of the last century, and later brief mentions of it in scientific literature did not contribute to understanding the church of St. Gregory as one of the most valuable monuments of a new trend in Armenian architecture at the turn of the 12th–13th centuries. The purpose of the article is to reveal the features of the sculptural decor of the blind arcade of the church of St. Gregory. A detailed unified description of the captured fragments of the blind arcade, previously partially published by various researchers, allows to take a fresh look at its decoration as completely as possible. The discovery of two groups of arcade links of different styles raised questions about the simultaneity of its construction and the admissibility of rearrangements in the arched frieze itself. The time limits of the construction of the Bakhtagek’s church are specified and an attempt is made to clarify the issue of its sequence in the group of churches of the "picturesque style". It was possible due to the com- parison of the sculptural decor of the Bakhtagek’s church with the reliefs of the buildings of the late XII — the first half of the XIII centuries, first of all, which have an accurate dating (the Ani churches of Surb Grigor Tigran Honents and Prkchi, the Church of Makaravank, etc.). During the analysis of the facade plastics, the uniqueness of some plots and techniques of carving for the Armenian construction of the 13th century is noted. It is also noted that the architect strives for simplicity of the image and the use of simple ornaments, which in most churches of the 13th century receive a more complex design.
Это вторая наша статья, освещающая итоги исследования церкви в Нижней крепости (Ахчкаберд) столиц... more Это вторая наша статья, освещающая итоги исследования церкви в Нижней крепости (Ахчкаберд) столицы средневековой Армении Ани, до сих пор должным образом не изучавшейся. В ней подробнее раскрываются особенности пространственной композиции и пластического декора фасадов храма, впервые обращено внимание на богатство пластики барабана, уточняется место этой постройки в развитии архитектуры и орнаментального искусства средневековой Армении. Обозначены истоки архитектурного типа крестообразных церквей с помещениями в четырех углах, легшего в основу композиции храма, и круг построек XII-XIII вв., в которых очевидна вариативность воплощений этого типа. При анализе пластики фасадов особое внимание уделено аркатуре на спаренных колонках на западном и южном фасадах церкви и оформлению окон. Замечено, что мастер Ахчкабердской церкви моделирует формы орнаментов с определенной живостью. В исполнении некоторых растительных мотивов он свободен от плоской поверхности, и резьба местами напоминает ску...
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 324 (International Conference on Architecture: Heritage, Traditions and Innovations (AHTI 2019), 2019
The church in the Inner Castle of the Armenian capital Ani, which until now has not been studied ... more The church in the Inner Castle of the Armenian capital Ani, which until now has not been studied properly, is one of the key monuments of the Armenian architectural tradition revival that began at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries. The purpose of this article is to reveal the features of its plan and plastic decor, as well as the preliminary determination of the place of this building in the development of architecture and ornamental art of medieval Armenia. The article determines the origins of the architectural type of cruciform churches with rooms in the four corners, which formed the basis of the composition of the church and the circle of buildings of the 12th-13th centuries, in which the variability of embodiments of this type is apparent. In the analysis of the facades plastic, particular attention is paid to the blind-arcade on paired columns on the Western and Southern facades of the church as well as the design of the windows. It is noticed that the master builder of Aghjkaberd Church models the shapes of patterns with a certain degree of liveliness. He creates some plant motifs free from flat surfaces and models carvings in some places in a manner of the sculpture. In subsequent studies of this monument, the authors will clarify some forms of the composition, perform a more detailed reconstruction of the facade decor and identify the genesis of the unusual style of ornamental carving.
QUESTIONS OF THE HISTORY OF WORLD ARCHITECTURE 12, 2019
This is the authors' second article highlighted the results of the study on the architectural mon... more This is the authors' second article highlighted the results of the study on the architectural monument that has not been properly studied so far — the church in the Inner Fortress of the capital of the Medieval Armenia, Ani. The article discusses the features of the plan and plastic decor of the church's facades in more detail; for the first time attention is paid to the richness of the drum's plasticity. The essay also seeks to specify the place of this building in the development of architecture and ornamental art of the Medieval Armenia while tracing back the origins of the architectural type of cruciform churches with rooms in the four corners, which formed the basis of the composition of the Ani church; the spectrum of buildings of the 12th–13th centuries, in which the variations of this type are evident, are spoken about in the text as well. In the analysis of the church's exterior special attention is paid to the blind arcade on the paired columns on the western and southern façades and window decoration of the building. It has been noticed that the master of the Aghjkaberd church designed the ornament from vegetative motives artistically, and the carving in some places resembles sculpture. For the first time the relief crosses and decorative forms in the interior of the church are thoroughly analyzed, as are some carved elements in the rubble; they allow us to evaluate the variety of forms on this small monument of the medieval architecture. The authors have come to the conclusion that the architect who worked on the newly minted city ruler's orders was an outstanding master who denied a mechanistic approach to work. This is primarily manifested in his decision to "spare" the blind arcade on the northern and eastern facades, because they can be properly seen only from afar.
The article examines the problem of the appearance and spread of domed drums in the church archit... more The article examines the problem of the appearance and spread of domed drums in the church architecture of Zakarid Armenia, having bunches of triple columns on the edges of the faces and an umbrella tent with a zigzag cornice. Here is a brief history of the formation of this type in Armenian architecture, which reveals the leading role of the monuments created by the masters of the Ani school of architecture of the Bagratid era, in particular the Church of Surb Sarkis of the Khtskonk monastery. It was the type of drum exterior developed in the 11th century that became the basis for the rib-columnar type of drum, popular in the first third of the 13th century. However, the architects of the Zakarid era do not simply reproduce the chapter of the 11th century, but rework its plastic decoration in accordance with the aesthetic requirements of their era, determined by the reduction in the volume of the domed chapters: elegance and upward direction. The edges of the drum between bunches of semi-columns are filled with relief decoration in the form of a “frieze” of rosettes and with sculptural elements, additional vertical divisions appear. Carved decor is placed in the gables under the zigzag cornice. The cornice itself also receives plastic development. Particularly noted is the role of the drum of the church of Surb Astvatsatsin of Harich monastery, built in 1201 by Zakhare and Ivane Zakarians — the highest Ani ruler’s order. Elements of the decor of the drum of this church appear in other major monuments of the 13th century. The final part of the article presents a short series of examples of the subsequent development of this type of drum, which demonstrates the absence of drums with bunches of triple columns and a zigzag cornice in monuments erected since the Mongol conquest.
The article analyzes the features of the plastic decoration of the exterior of the hexagonal chur... more The article analyzes the features of the plastic decoration of the exterior of the hexagonal church of the convent of the Hripsimian Virgins (Kusanats Vank) in Ani. This small building was decorated in accordance with the elegance of the facades characteristic of church buildings of the early Zakarid era. The architect successfully solved the difficult problem of using rich plastic ornamentation without weighing down the appearance of the miniature building. The effect of a dynamically upward structure, light and solid at the same time, was achieved thanks to the use of rows of elongated double or triple semi-columns in each tier of the building, and the interchange of ornamental plastic elements. The combination of decorative elements used on the facades of the church (an arcature with a frieze, or bunches of built-up semi-columns under a zigzag multi-profile tent cornice) is related to the ornamentation of church drums of the early Zakarid era. In addition, the carved palmette with two lilies, used by the architect of the hexagonal church both in the anthrevolts of the arcature of the main volume and in the gables of the drum, literally reproduces the filling of the anthrevolts in the arcature of the drum of the church of the Inner Fortress of Ani. The author of the article sees the desire of the architect of the convent church to make Hripsimian Virgins the plastic decoration of its exterior similar to the ornamentation of two drums standing on top of each other. Perhaps, the very diminutive size of the church, barely exceeding the diameter of a drum in most churches of the 12th to 13th centuries, prompted the architect to such an original solution.
IZVESTIA Ural Federal University Journal Series 2 Humanities and Arts, 2024
This article studies the use of relief ornamental frieze of intertwining polyhedrons in the decor... more This article studies the use of relief ornamental frieze of intertwining polyhedrons in the decoration of dome drums of Armenian churches of the initial period of the Zakarid era. Following the liberation of the country from the Muslim yoke, in the Eastern Armenia regions and Ani, construction activity grew rapidly, especially in church building. New monuments were erected in the spirit of the national tradition, which is especially evident in the plastic decoration of the exterior of drums. The author tries to build a chronological sequence of the use of the ornament in the friezes of the domes of Armenian churches, which leads to the conclusion that ornamental friezes of hexagons and octagons were primarily used in Ani monuments. The author notes the simultaneous popularity of these patterns in the architecture of the neighbouring state of the Anatolian Seljuks, whose cultural activity in its formation is closely connected with the Armenian one. The author sees the possible origins of the ornamental frieze with a polygonal structure in the drums of Armenian churches in the brickwork architecture of the minarets of Iran and Central Asia from the eleventh and twelfth centuries. In summary, the author emphasizes the existence of the tradition of decorating drums with a blind arcade topped with a decorative frieze in Armenian architecture long before the era in question, referring to the Cathedral of Ani which played an important role in the formation of the image of domes of the Armenian churches of the Zakarid era.
Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art: Vol. 13. 2023, 2023
The article is devoted to the analysis of the donor sculptural portraits compo- sition of St. Gre... more The article is devoted to the analysis of the donor sculptural portraits compo- sition of St. Gregory (Bakghtagek’s) and Inner Fortress (Aghjkaberd) churches in Ani. Both of these fragmentary sculptures were discovered during the archaeological campaign in Ani curated by the Imperial Archaeological Commission and were subsequently lost. It turned out the photographs of these fragments have survived, but researchers did not report on these photographs for many years. These images were discovered and attributed by the author of this article. The critical analysis of the obtained images allowed to recreate partially the origi- nal forms of donor sculptural portraits in both of these churches. Finally, an assumption was made about the location of this composition in the church building based on architectural features of the Ani school during the Early Zakarid era and the existing tradition of Armenian donor sculptural portraits.
The ruins of the church of St. Gregory were discovered during excavations in 1892 in Ani, and, th... more The ruins of the church of St. Gregory were discovered during excavations in 1892 in Ani, and, thanks to their excel- lent preservation, were undoubtedly the most important find of the first archaeological campaign. That's why any scholars immediately sought to conduct research on the church's ruins. However, the study of architecture and sculptural decoration was interrupted in the middle of the last century, and later brief mentions of it in scientific literature did not contribute to understanding the church of St. Gregory as one of the most valuable monuments of a new trend in Armenian architecture at the turn of the 12th–13th centuries. The purpose of the article is to reveal the features of the sculptural decor of the blind arcade of the church of St. Gregory. A detailed unified description of the captured fragments of the blind arcade, previously partially published by various researchers, allows to take a fresh look at its decoration as completely as possible. The discovery of two groups of arcade links of different styles raised questions about the simultaneity of its construction and the admissibility of rearrangements in the arched frieze itself. The time limits of the construction of the Bakhtagek’s church are specified and an attempt is made to clarify the issue of its sequence in the group of churches of the "picturesque style". It was possible due to the com- parison of the sculptural decor of the Bakhtagek’s church with the reliefs of the buildings of the late XII — the first half of the XIII centuries, first of all, which have an accurate dating (the Ani churches of Surb Grigor Tigran Honents and Prkchi, the Church of Makaravank, etc.). During the analysis of the facade plastics, the uniqueness of some plots and techniques of carving for the Armenian construction of the 13th century is noted. It is also noted that the architect strives for simplicity of the image and the use of simple ornaments, which in most churches of the 13th century receive a more complex design.
Это вторая наша статья, освещающая итоги исследования церкви в Нижней крепости (Ахчкаберд) столиц... more Это вторая наша статья, освещающая итоги исследования церкви в Нижней крепости (Ахчкаберд) столицы средневековой Армении Ани, до сих пор должным образом не изучавшейся. В ней подробнее раскрываются особенности пространственной композиции и пластического декора фасадов храма, впервые обращено внимание на богатство пластики барабана, уточняется место этой постройки в развитии архитектуры и орнаментального искусства средневековой Армении. Обозначены истоки архитектурного типа крестообразных церквей с помещениями в четырех углах, легшего в основу композиции храма, и круг построек XII-XIII вв., в которых очевидна вариативность воплощений этого типа. При анализе пластики фасадов особое внимание уделено аркатуре на спаренных колонках на западном и южном фасадах церкви и оформлению окон. Замечено, что мастер Ахчкабердской церкви моделирует формы орнаментов с определенной живостью. В исполнении некоторых растительных мотивов он свободен от плоской поверхности, и резьба местами напоминает ску...
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 324 (International Conference on Architecture: Heritage, Traditions and Innovations (AHTI 2019), 2019
The church in the Inner Castle of the Armenian capital Ani, which until now has not been studied ... more The church in the Inner Castle of the Armenian capital Ani, which until now has not been studied properly, is one of the key monuments of the Armenian architectural tradition revival that began at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries. The purpose of this article is to reveal the features of its plan and plastic decor, as well as the preliminary determination of the place of this building in the development of architecture and ornamental art of medieval Armenia. The article determines the origins of the architectural type of cruciform churches with rooms in the four corners, which formed the basis of the composition of the church and the circle of buildings of the 12th-13th centuries, in which the variability of embodiments of this type is apparent. In the analysis of the facades plastic, particular attention is paid to the blind-arcade on paired columns on the Western and Southern facades of the church as well as the design of the windows. It is noticed that the master builder of Aghjkaberd Church models the shapes of patterns with a certain degree of liveliness. He creates some plant motifs free from flat surfaces and models carvings in some places in a manner of the sculpture. In subsequent studies of this monument, the authors will clarify some forms of the composition, perform a more detailed reconstruction of the facade decor and identify the genesis of the unusual style of ornamental carving.
QUESTIONS OF THE HISTORY OF WORLD ARCHITECTURE 12, 2019
This is the authors' second article highlighted the results of the study on the architectural mon... more This is the authors' second article highlighted the results of the study on the architectural monument that has not been properly studied so far — the church in the Inner Fortress of the capital of the Medieval Armenia, Ani. The article discusses the features of the plan and plastic decor of the church's facades in more detail; for the first time attention is paid to the richness of the drum's plasticity. The essay also seeks to specify the place of this building in the development of architecture and ornamental art of the Medieval Armenia while tracing back the origins of the architectural type of cruciform churches with rooms in the four corners, which formed the basis of the composition of the Ani church; the spectrum of buildings of the 12th–13th centuries, in which the variations of this type are evident, are spoken about in the text as well. In the analysis of the church's exterior special attention is paid to the blind arcade on the paired columns on the western and southern façades and window decoration of the building. It has been noticed that the master of the Aghjkaberd church designed the ornament from vegetative motives artistically, and the carving in some places resembles sculpture. For the first time the relief crosses and decorative forms in the interior of the church are thoroughly analyzed, as are some carved elements in the rubble; they allow us to evaluate the variety of forms on this small monument of the medieval architecture. The authors have come to the conclusion that the architect who worked on the newly minted city ruler's orders was an outstanding master who denied a mechanistic approach to work. This is primarily manifested in his decision to "spare" the blind arcade on the northern and eastern facades, because they can be properly seen only from afar.
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Papers by Ekaterina Loshkareva (Brusenko)
The authors have come to the conclusion that the architect who worked on the newly minted city ruler's orders was an outstanding master who denied a mechanistic approach to work. This is primarily manifested in his decision to "spare" the blind arcade on the northern and eastern facades, because they can be properly seen only from afar.
The authors have come to the conclusion that the architect who worked on the newly minted city ruler's orders was an outstanding master who denied a mechanistic approach to work. This is primarily manifested in his decision to "spare" the blind arcade on the northern and eastern facades, because they can be properly seen only from afar.