Περίληψη : Karanlık Kilise belongs to the Column group of three churches and is located in the valley of Korama (Göreme), Cappadocia. In terms of architecture the monument belongs to the type of the cross-in-square church. It presents an elaborate iconographic programme with scenes of the life of Christ and portraits of saints along with the six donors of the church. The widely accepted date of construction suggested for Karanlık Kilise is around the mid-11 th century. Χρονολόγηση around the mid-11 th century Γεωγραφικός εντοπισμός Göreme, Cappadocia 1. Introduction Karanlık Kilise (Göreme No 23, Church of the Ascension, the Dark Church), 1 is the katholikon of the namesake monastery, which dominates the valley of Korama (Göreme) thanks to its key geographical position. 2 It is one of the most important rock-cut monuments of Cappadocia preserved from the Middle Byzantine period. Karanlık Kilise belongs to the group of the three column churches (églises à colonnes) along with Elmalı Kilise and Çarıklı Kilise. Such desigantion of these churches, which belong to the cross-in-square architectural type, is due to the four columns defining the central part of the nave, which is covered by a hemispherical dome. As regards their architectural type, the column churches present typological similarities, while as regards their wall paintings, they form a homogenous group in harmony with the contemporary iconographic and stylistic standards of Constantinople. All three churches must have been decorated in approximately the same period by the same workshop of painters, who were probably invited to the area by an important neighbouring city. 2. Iconographic Programme The interior of the church is fully covered with particularly interesting wall paintings, which were luckily preserved in the 1980s. Unlike the 10 th century Cappadocian churches, where the narrative iconographic cycles covered the surfaces of the walls and the semicylindrical vaults in successive zones, the iconography of Karanlık Kilise is in harmony with the contemporary artistic trends of Constantinople and includes separate dogmatic representations of the christological cycle. 3 Quite striking is the number of the seven or eight donors depicted, who must have played an active role in the formation of the icongraphic programme of the church and therefore they have been included in it. 4 The wall paintings of Karanlık Kilise rank among the most important iconographic programmes of Byzantine Cappadocia. Of particular interest are the relations established in this church between architecture, liturgy and iconography, which form a coherent and homogenous entity, while allowing various combinations and different interpretations. It is for example obvious that the location of the arcosolium affected the arrangement of the iconographic programme resulting in its being quite original, while associated with the Divine Liturgy and the funeral ceremonies and memorial prayers for the donors. 5 2.1. The Bema On the semi-dome of the central apse, the Deesis is represented, a theme particularly common in Cappadocian churches, in constrast with the rest of the Byzantine churches where the Virgin Mary is usually depicted at this point. Christ enthroned, the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist are accompanied by two kneeling and praying donators, priest Nikephoros (left) and Basil or Bassianos (right). The Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 1/6
wall beneath the Deesis is covered by the full-length figures of Gregory of Nazianzos, Basil the Great, John the Chrysostom and saints Nicholas and Hypatios. Virgin Mary holding the Child Christ is depicted on the north apse, while Abraham s bust, the Holy Mandylion and portraits of saints are depicted on the south apse. 2.2. The nave The wall paintings of the main church of Karanlık Kilise may be grouped in three horizontal zones. The upper parts depict the Pantokrator, archangels, prophets and martyrs. The middle zone includes scenes from Christ' s life, while the lower parts of the walls are covered mainly with full-length frontal figures of saints. The Pantokrator of the central dome is accompanied by the busts of Christ-Emmanuel and six archangels. The eastern dome features the Pantokrator once again, as well as the busts of John the Baptist, Joachim, Anna and four archangels. In the domes of the corner bays the archangels Gabriel, Michael, Uriel and Raphael are depicted. The intrados of the big arches were covered with full-length figures of twelve prophets of the Old Testament holding open scrolls with their prophecies. The intrados of the small arches bear portraits of martyrs holding the characteristic cross in their right hand. In the middle zone, that is, on the semi-cylindrical vaults and the respective tympana of the walls, there are scenes of Christ' s life corresponding to the major religious feasts (the Dodekaorton cycle). These scenes form three groups, on the three sides of the church, though without following a strict chronological order. The northern side includes scenes assosiated with the mystery of Incarnation: the journey to Bethlehem and, at the centre, the Nativity with the Adoration of the Magi and the shepherds. The western side includes scenes of the miracles and Chrsit' s public life: the Baptism, the Raising of Lazarus and the Entry into Jerusalem on the Palm Sunday around the central scene of the Transfiguration. Finally, the southern side includes scenes of the Passion and the Resurrection: the central scene is the Crucifixion surrounded by the Last Supper, the Betrayal, the Holy Women mourning Christ's Body and the Resurrection. The lower parts of the walls show full-length frontal figures of saints, the Three Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace and the archangels Michael of Chonai and Gabriel surrounded by three or four more benefactors. 2.3. The narthex The narthex, which also includes the arcosolium, combines scenes of the Old with the New Testament. The walls are covered with representations of the hospitality of Abraham (west), the Annunciation (east, on either side of the entrance to the main church) as well as figures of saints and martyrs. The semi-cylindrical vault includes the neighbouring scenes of the Ascension (east) and the Mission of the Apostles (west), where the central figure of Jesus is surrounded by another two kneeling and praying donors. They are Genethlios (right) and John Entalmatikos (left), who must have been the most important donor of this church, judging by his title and expensive clothes. The title entalmatikos was unknown in Byzantine period; however, it is believed that in this case John was a delegate of the Patriarch, assigned with a special task in the area. 6 3. Stylistic Remarks The paintings of Karanlık Kilise are disengaged from the local oriental tradition, which caracterized the 10 th -century Cappadocian monuments, and express the strong influence of artistic trends prevailing in Constantinople in the 11 th century. The compositions are more structured and balanced, the facial expression, the movement and the size of the human figures are more successfully rendered, therefore reminding of the important monumental paintings and mosaics of the 11 th century, such as Nea Mone on Chios, Panagia Chalkeon in Thessaloniki and Hosios Loukas in Phokis. At the same time, the painter of Karanlık Kilise is a little clumsy when rendering the proportions of the human body and the muscles of the uncovered parts of the body, whereas the agitated, almost manneristic rendering of the folds and the unnaturally forced movements of the bodies are sometimes surprising. 4. Chronology Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 2/6
The church of Karanlık Kilise has been extensively studied and first published in the early 20 th century by Guillaume de Jerphanion, who believed that it was built around the mid-11 th century, 7 according to its architecture and mainly the iconographic and stylistic analysis of its wall paintings, as well as according to other dated monuments of Cappadocia. This has been the most prevalent date so far, 8 while some researchers suggest a late 12 th - or the early 13 th century chronology, 9 mainly based on stylistic analyses of the paintings. 1. Jerphanion, G. de, Les églises rupestres de Cappadoce. Une nouvelle province de l art byzantin, Ι (Paris 1925-42), pp. 393-430; Restle, M., Byzantine Wall-Painting in Asia Minor, I (Greenwich-Conn 1967), pp. 63-64 (no. ΧΧΙΙ), ΙΙ, fig. 218-244; Rodley, L., Cave Monasteries of Byzantine Cappadocia (Cambridge 1985), pp. 48-56; Jolivet-Levy, C., Les églises byzantines de Cappadoce. Le programme iconographique de l abside et de ses abords (Paris 1991), pp. 132-135; Giovannini, L. (ed.), Arts de Cappadoce (Geneve 1971), pl. 4, no. 23. 2. Rodley, L., Cave Monasteries of Byzantine Cappadocia (Cambridge 1985), p. 161, fig. 30. 3. For a detailed description of the iconographic programme, see Jerphanion, G. de, Les églises rupestres de Cappadoce. Une nouvelle province de l art byzantin, I (Paris 1925-42), pp. 393-430. In addition, Tsakalos, A., Le monastère rupestre de Karanlık kilise à Göreme (Cappadoce). Mémoire de DEA, Université de Paris I, (Panthéon-Sorbonne 1996), pp. 66-91. 4. Τσάκαλος, Α., Παρεμβάσεις χορηγών στην εικονογράφηση των ναών. Η περίπτωση του Karanlık kilise στην Καππαδοκία, in Χριστιανική Αρχαιολογική Εταιρεία, 20ό Συμπόσιο Βυζαντινής και Μεταβυζαντινής Αρχαιολογίας και Τέχνης (12-14 Μαΐου 2000) (Athens 2000), pp. 83-84. 5. Τσάκαλος, Α., Έκφραση δογματικών εννοιών και κτητορικές παρεμβάσεις στο εικονογραφικό πρόγραμμα της Karanlık kilise, in Η Καππαδοκία των ζώντων μνημείων, Πρακτικά 1ου Παγκοσμίου συνεδρίου (26-31 Αυγούστου 2000) (Nea Karvali, in press). 6. Thierry, N., L art monumental byzantin en Asie Mineure du XIe au XIIIe s., Dumbarton Oaks Papers 29 (1975), p. 89. 7. Jerphanion, G. de, Les églises rupestres de Cappadoce. Une nouvelle province de l art byzantin, II (Paris 192-542), pp. 421-422. 8. Thierry, Ν., Notes critiques à propos des peintures rupestres de Cappadoce, Revue des Études Byzantines 26 (1968), pp. 337-366; Wharton Epstein, A., The Fresco decoration of the Column churches, Goreme valley, Cappadocia. A consideration of their chronology and their models, Cahiers Archéologiques 29 (1980-81), pp. 27-45; Rodley, L., Cave Monasteries of Byzantine Cappadocia (Cambridge 1985), pp. 56, 182; Jolivet-Levy, C., Les églises byzantines de Cappadoce. Le programme iconographique de l abside et de ses abords (Paris 1991), p. 135. 9. Lafontaine-Dosogne, J., Histoire de l art byzantin et chretien d Orient (Louvain-la-Neuve, 1987), pp. 165-166; Restle, M., Byzantine Wall-Painting in Asia Minor, I (Greenwich-Conn 1967), pp. 56-64. Βιβλιογραφία : Giovannini L., Arts de Cappadoce, Genève 1971 de Jerphanion G., Les églises rupestres de Cappadoce. Une nouvelle province de l art byzantin, 2 vols., Paris 1925-1942 Jolivet-Lévy C., Les églises byzantines de Cappadoce. Le programme iconographique de l abside et de ses abords, Paris 1991 Restle M., Byzantine Wall-Painting in Asia Minor, Greenwich, Conn 1967 Lafontaine-Dosogne J., Histoire de l art byzantin et chrétien d Orient, Louvain-la-Neuve 1987 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 3/6
Rodley L., Cave Monasteries of Byzantine Cappadocia, Cambridge New York Melbourne 1985 Wharton-Epstein A., "The Fresco Decoration of the Column Churches, Göreme Valley, Cappadocia. A Consideration of their Chronology and their Models", Cahiers Archeologiques, 29, 1980-1981, 27-45 Thierry N., "Notes critiques à propos des peintures rupestres de Cappadoce", Revue des Études Byzantines, 26, 1968, 337-366 Thierry N., "L art monumental byzantin en Asie Mineure du XIe siècle au XIIIe", Dumbarton Oaks Papers, 29, 1975, 75-111 Τσάκαλος Α., "Παρεμβάσεις χορηγών στην εικονογράφηση των ναών. Η περίπτωση του Karanlık kilise στην Καππαδοκία", Χριστιανική Αρχαιολογική Εταιρεία, 20ό Συμπόσιο Βυζαντινής και Μεταβυζαντινής Αρχαιολογίας και Τέχνης (12-14 Μαΐου 2000), Αθήνα 2000, 83-84 Δικτυογραφία : CAPPADOCIA http://www.utopiaturk.com/cappadocia.htm Goreme Open air museum frescoes Photo Gallery http://www.pbase.com/andrys/goreme Γλωσσάριo : apse An arched srtucture or a semi circular end of a wall. In byzantine architecture it means the semicircular, usually barrel vaulted, niche at the east end of a basilica. The side aisles of a basilica may also end in an apse, but it is always in the central apse where the altar is placed. It was separated from the main church by a barrier, the templon, or the iconostasis. Its ground plan on the external side could be semicircular, rectangular or polygonal. arch, the A curved structure, as a masonry, that covers openings in the stonework and is capable to supports the weight of material over an open space, as in a bridge, doorway, etc. It is often used as a decorative element. arcosolium (lat.) A tomb carved out of a wall (solium) with an arched niche (arcus) above it. Christ Emmanuel (iconogr.) An iconographic type of Christ, which shows him young and beardless, with a cross-halo. The youthful Christ is an image of the preexistent Logos who cannot be touched by time. This iconographic type, which recalls Early Christian portraits of Christ, appears in the 11th c. and becomes frequent under Manuel I Komnenos (1118-1180), who used it for his coinage. christological cycle In the iconographic programme of a church, the scenes inspired from the life of Christ, starting with the Annunciation and concluding with the Ascension. column churches, the (eglises à colonnes): the term has been established in bibliography and refers to the group of the three churches Göreme 19 (Elmalı Kilise), Göreme 22 (Çarıklı Kilise) and Göreme 23 (Karanlık Kilise), in Göreme of Cappadocia, which date from the second or the third quarter of the 11th century. These churches belong to the type of cross-in-square church, with either two or four columns (hence the origin of the term), while, apart from the architectural type, they also share common iconographical and stylistic features in their painting decorations. corner bays In a cross-in-square church, they are the four compartements between the arms of the cross, that make inscribe the central cross into a square. They were usually covered with cross-or domical vaults. cross-in-square church Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 4/6
Type of church in which four barrel-vaulted bays form a greek cross; the central square of their intersection is domed. The cross is inscribed into the square ground plan by means of four corner bays. Deesis Iconographic theme, an image of intercession for the salvation of the human race, which represents Jesus as the central figure, between the Virgin and St. John the Baptist Dodekaorton The twelve important Great Feasts of the liturgical year: the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, the Baptism of Christ, the Transfiguration, the Entry into Jerusalem, Raising of Lazarus, Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Dormition of the Virgin and Pentecost. During the middle and late Byzantine period, the Dodekaorton was represented in a series of scenes that were included in the typical iconographic programme of a byzantine church. dome A characteristic element of Byzantine architecture. The dome is a hemispherical vault on a circular wall (drum) usually pierced by windows. The domed church emerges in the Early Byzantine years and its various types gradually prevail, while they are expanded in the Balkans and in Russia. intrados, soffit The internal surface of an arch or barrel-vault. katholikon The main church in a monastic complex, heart of the monastic activity. naos (nave) The main part of the temple, between the narthex and the bema. It was the place where the congregation took part in the liturgy. Nativity The representation of the Nativity included initially the depiction of the Holy Child framed by the animals. Later on it was enriched by the representations of Joseph, Virgin Mary, the sheperds, the Adoration of the Magi etc. Pantokrator One of the earliest iconographic types of Christ, which alludes to the text of the Revelation. Christ is represented in bust, usually on abstract background, blessing with his right hand, while he holds a Gospel codex on the left. This image of the Pantokrator inside a medallion was the most common decoration of the interior of the central dome in Byzantine churches. scroll A long and narrow parchment rolled around a wooden pole. semi-dome The vaulted crown of an apsed niche. The semi-dome of the apse of the Bema may be also called a conch. Transfiguration One of the twelve Feasts representing the appearance of Christ in glory on mount Thabor. Η σκηνή εκτυλίσσεται σε δύο μέρη: στο ανώτερο, στην κορυφή του όρους, στο κέντρο παριστάνεται ο Χριστός περιβαλλόμενος από δόξα και πλαισιωμένος από τους προφήτες Μωυσή και Ηλία γυρισμένους προς το κέντρο και σε στάση δέησης, ενώ στο κατώτερο, στους πρόποδες του βουνού, βρίσκονται οι τρεις μαθητές του Χριστού Πέτρος, Ιάκωβος και Ιωάννης, σε στάσεις που δηλώνουν την έκπληξη και το ξάφνιασμά τους από το γεγονός. tympanum (lunette) (Rom., Byz.) The arched panel (lunette) inside an arch or an arcosolium. Παραθέματα Donor inscriptions in the narthex (above the left figure, to the right of Christ) Δέησις τοῦ δούλου τοῦ Θ(εο)ῦ Ιὠάννου Ἐνταλματικοῦ (above the right figure) Δέ[ησι]ς Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 5/6
Γε[νεθ]λήου Rodley, L., Cave Monasteries of Byzantine Cappadocia (Cambridge 1985), p. 54; after G. de Jerphanion, Les églises rupestres de Cappadoce. Une nouvelle province de l art byzantin I (Paris 1925 42), p. 396, inscr. 37 38. Donor inscriptions in the nave a) in the scene of Deesis: (above the left figure, to the right of Christ) Δέησης τοῦ δούλου τοῦ Θεοῦ Νηκη φόρου πρεσ(βυτέρου) (above the right figure) Δέησης τοῦ δούλου τοῦ Θ(εο)ῦ Βασ[ηα]νοῦ Rodley, L., Cave Monasteries of Byzantine Cappadocia (Cambridge 1985), p. 54; after G. de Jerphanion, Les églises rupestres de Cappadoce. Une nouvelle province de l art byzantin I (Paris 1925 42), p. 398, inscr. 39 40. b) in the representation of archangel Michael (above the right figure the inscription of the other benefactor has not been preserved) Ἀρχ(άγγελε) βοή[θ]ι τ/ο [σο] δο[υ]λο... Rodley, L., Cave Monasteries of Byzantine Cappadocia (Cambridge 1985), p. 55; after G. de Jerphanion, Les églises rupestres de Cappadoce. Une nouvelle province de l art byzantin I (Paris 1925 42), p. 400, inscr. 41. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 18/1/2017 Σελίδα 6/6