Περίληψη : The Church of St. Anne, the earliest Christian church of Trebizond, was internally decorated with paintings made between the 12 th and the 15 th century. The 12 th century paintings are the earliest traced in a church of Trebizond. The wall paintings of the church, which are not in good condition, do not have a common iconographical theme, but include individual devotional paintings. Χρονολόγηση 12 th - 15 th century Γεωγραφικός εντοπισμός Trebizond, Pontos 1. The Church The small church of St. Anne is situated in the eastern quarter of Trebizond, near the church of St. Basil. It is a vaulted, three-aisled basilica of the Middle Byzantine period. According to the inscription above the southern entrance of the church, the structure was completely rebuilt in 884/885, 1 in the years of Basil I. The scholars attest that it was built on the site of an earlier church, and that it was in use until 1923. 2 Then it was used as a residence for a short period, 3 while from 1999 onwards, the prefecture of Trebizond has undertaken the restoration of the wall paintings. 2. Wall Paintings The church is adorned with wall paintings and devotional inscriptions dating to the period between the 12 th and the 15 th century. 4 The first detailed record of the wall paintings inside the church was made by G. Millet in 1893. 5 When D.T. Rice visited the region of Trebizond in 1929, a large number of the wall paintings had already been destroyed. 6 However, there were still some traces of the paintings on the external face of the church; 7 in any case, external decoration was quite common among the churches of this region. Already from the late 1950s, according to S. Ballance, there were very few visible fragments of those wall paintings. 8 Today, a general picture of the painted decoration is provided by the photographs which have been compiled in the Collection de Hauts Études and published in 1936 by G. Millet and D. Talbot Rice in the outstanding study Byzantine Painting at Trebizond. The wall paintings of the church are in poor condition. The first research carried out by Millet in the late 19 th century showed that three successive layers of paintings had survived. The first layer, dating to the 12 th century, is the earliest example of wall paintings in Trebizond. 9 This layer includes the scenes of the Deposition and the Lamentation (the Mourning of Christ). 10 The second layer dates to the second half of the 14 th century. 11 The third and latest dates to the 15 th century. 12 The church does not have a single iconographic programme, as most of the preserved frescoes are devotional paintings dedicated by the faithful, and they are only preserved in fragments. 13 Only on the apse of the church is the existence of an iconographic programme indicated. 14 Some scenes come from the life of Joachim and Anne. 15 Most of the devotional representations were also inscribed, while the people buried along the walls were often depicted, 16 since the church was also used as a burial place. The largest part of the wall paintings was still visible when Rice visited the place in 1929. 17 More specifically, on the eastern side of the church the decoration was preserved, espesially in the area of the apse and the bema. The most noteworthy representations are the ones of Virgin Mary holding the Child and of the Dormition of Joachim and Anne. The latter was dedicated to the church by a certain priest Nikephoros. 18 Along the western side of the church there were portraits that, according to inscriptions, dated to the Δημιουργήθηκε στις 25/1/2017 Σελίδα 1/6
second half of the 14 th and the early 15 th century. The figure of St. Leontios, which probably dates to the second half of the 14 th century, 19 along with the portrait of the prophet Daniel are worth mentioning for their style. 20 The representation of St. Leontios was still visible in 1929, unlike the extensively damaged neighbouring portraits, such as that of Daniel. The most important wall paintings that Millet observed in 1893, were those along the southern side of the church, in the side aisle. Their significance lies in the fact that they are the earliest examples of the internal wall paintings of the church, as they date to the 12 th century. 21 They represent the Lamentation and the Deposition of Christ, the latter preserved in a better condition in 1893. Nevertheless, the Lamentation demonstrates a remarcable expressiveness as regards the expression of pain, which is characteristic for the painting of this period. 22 By 1929, the scene of the Deposition was destroyed. 23 Apart from those two frescoes, the scene of the Kiss of Joachim and Anne and the figure of St. George were also preserved on the same side of the church. 24 On the northern side of the church, Millet recorded in 1893 the figures of the Archangel Michael and of the Virgin Eleousa (dating to the early 14 th century), the scene of the Nativity and various figures of saints, as well as the representations of St. John the Baptist and of the Virgin holding the infant Jesus. 25 By 1929, only a few fragments of these frescoes were preserved, while the figures of the Archangel Michael, John the Baptist and the Virgin holding the Child were already destroyed. 26 3. Evaluation Although the wall paintings of the church of St. Anne were severely damaged already by the early 20 th century, they provide valuable information about the religious art in the region of Trebizond in the 12 th century and help completing our knowledge on the 14 th and 15 th century painting, as provided by other monuments. The devotional wall paintings of the church are very helpful for the evaluation of the art of that period. 1. Bryer, A. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos, vol. I (Dumbarton Oaks Studies XX, Washington D.C. 1985), pp. 182, 246; Chrysanthos, metropolitan of Trebizond, Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος, Αρχείον Πόντου 4 5 (1933), p. 376; Ballance, S., The Byzantine Churches of Trebizond, Anatolian Studies X (1960), pp. 142, 145; Janssens, E., Trébizonde en Colchide (Travaux de la Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres XL, Bruxelles 1969), p. 225; Janin, R., Les églises et les monastères des grands centres byzantins (Bithynie, Hellespont, Latros, Galésios, Trébizonde,Athènes, Thessalonique) (Paris 1975), p. 257. 2. Ballance, S., The Byzantine Churches of Trebizond, Anatolian Studies 10 (1960), p. 154. However, according to C. Papamichalopoulos, the church was not in good condition already by the early 20 th century (Παπαμιχαλόπουλος, Κ.Ν., Περιήγησις εις τον Πόντον (Athens 1903), pp. 200 201. 3. Rice, D. Talbot, Religious Buildings of Trebizond, Byzantion 5 (1929 1930), p. 58; Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 107; Chrysanthos, metropolitan of Trebizond, Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος, Αρχείον Πόντου 4 5 (1933), p. 378; Janssens, E., Trébizonde en Colchide (Travaux de la Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres XL, Bruxelles 1969), p. 225. 4. Μillet, G., Les monasteres et les eglises de Trebizonde, BCH 19 (1895), p. 437; Millet, G., Mission a Trebizonde en 1893. Etude detaillee de quelques eglises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 23 39; Chrysanthos, metropolitan of Trebizond, Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος, Αρχείον Πόντου 4 5 (1933), p. 377; Ξυγγόπουλος, Α., G. Millet D. Talbot Rice, Byzantine Painting at Trebizond, London 1936. George Allen and Unwin Ltd. (Courtauld Institute publication on Near Eastern Art, edited by W.G. Constable and D. Talbot Rice, I), [Review], Επετηρίς Εταιρείας Βυζαντινών Σπουδών 12 (1936), p. 463; Janin, R., Les eglises et les monasteres des grands centres byzantins (Bithynie, Hellespont, Latros, Galesios, Trebizonde, Athenes, Thessalonique) (Paris 1975), p. 257; Bryer, A. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos, vol. I. Dumbarton Oaks Studies 20 (Washington D.C. 1985), p. 219. 5. Millet, G., Les monastères et les églises de Trébizonde, BCH 19 (1895), pp. 434 437; Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude Δημιουργήθηκε στις 25/1/2017 Σελίδα 2/6
détaillée de quelques églises in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 23 39. 6. Rice, D. Talbot, Religious Buildings of Trebizond, Byzantion 5 (1929 1930), p. 58; Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 107. 7. Millet, G., Les monastères et les églises de Trébizonde, Bulletin de Correspondance Héllenique 19 (1895), p. 458; Rice, D. Talbot, Religious Buildings of Trebizond, Byzantion 5 (1929 1930), p. 58; Chrysanthos, metropolitan of Trebizond, Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος, Αρχείον Πόντου 4 5 (1933), p. 377; Janin, R., Les églises et les monastères des grands centres byzantins (Bithynie, Hellespont, Latros, Galésios, Trébizonde, Athènes, Thessalonique) (Paris 1975), p. 257. See also Bryer, A., Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos, vol. I. Dumbarton Oaks Studies 20 (Washington D.C. 1985), p. 219. 8. Ballance, S., The Byzantine Churches of Trebizond, Anatolian Studies 20 (1960), p. 155. 9. Millet, G., Mission a Trebizonde en 1893. Etude detaillee de quelques eglises in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 38 39; Ξυγγόπουλος, Α., G. Millet D. Talbot Rice, Byzantine Painting at Trebizond, London 1936. George Allen and Unwin Ltd. (Courtauld Institute publication on Near Eastern Art, edited by W.G. Constable and D. Talbot Rice, I), [Review],Επετηρίς Εταιρείας Βυζαντινών Σπουδών 12 (1936), pp. 463 464; Σωτηρίου, Γ.Α., G. Millet, D. Talbot Rice, Byzantine Painting at Trebizond, London 1936 [Review] Αρχείον Πόντου 7 (1937), p. 126. 10. Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 27 33, 38 39; Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 108 109; Ξυγγόπουλος, Α., G. Millet D. Talbot Rice, Byzantine Painting at Trebizond, London 1936. George Allen and Unwin Ltd. (Courtauld Institute publication on Near Eastern Art, edited by W.G. Constable and D. Talbot Rice, I) [Review], Επετηρίς Εταιρείας Βυζαντινών Σπουδών 12 (1936), p. 464. 11. Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 24, 38 39; Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 107. 12. Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 107. 13. Millet, G., Les monastères et les églises de Trébizonde, Bulletin de Correspondance Héllenique 19 (1895), p. 437; Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 107. 14. Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 23. 15. Bryer, A. Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos, vol. I. Dumbarton Oaks Studies 20 (Washington D.C. 1985), p. 219. 16. Millet, G., Les monastères et les églises de Trébizonde, Bulletin de Correspondance Héllenique 19 (1895), pp. 434 437; Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 107. 17. Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 109. 18. Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 24 27. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 25/1/2017 Σελίδα 3/6
19. See: Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 33 36, 38; Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 107 108. 20. Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 34 35; Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 108. 21. Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 27 33. 22. Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 32. 23. Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 109. See also: Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 38; Σωτηρίου, Γ.Α., G. Millet, D. Talbot Rice, Byzantine Painting at Trebizond, London 1936 [Review]» Αρχείον Πόντου 7 (1937), p. 126. 24. Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 30 33. 25. Millet, G., Mission à Trebizonde en 1893. Étude détaillée de quelques églises, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), pp. 36 38. 26. Rice, D. Talbot, The Messel Expedition, 1929. A Survey of the Monuments, in Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), p. 109. Βιβλιογραφία : Janin R., Les églises et les monastères des Grands Centres Byzantins. Bithynie, Hellespont, Latros, Galésios, Trébizonde, Athènes, Thessalonique, Paris 1975 Bryer A.A.M., Winfield D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos, 1 (With Maps and Plans by R. Anderson and Drawings by J. Winfield), Washington D.C. 1985, Dumbarton Oaks Studies 20 Bryer A.A.M., Winfield D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos, 2 (With Maps and Plans by R. Anderson and Drawings by J. Winfield), Washington D.C. 1985, Dumbarton Oaks Studies 20 Παπαμιχαλόπουλος Κ.Ν., Περιήγησις εις τον Πόντον, Αθήνα 1903 Χρύσανθος Φιλιππίδης, μητροπολίτης Τραπεζούντος, "Η Εκκλησία Τραπεζούντος", Αρχείον Πόντου, 4/5, 1933, 1-1070 Janssens E., Trébizonde en Colchide, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles 1969, Travaux de la Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres XL Δημιουργήθηκε στις 25/1/2017 Σελίδα 4/6
Miller W., Trebizond. The Last Greek Empire of the Byzantine Era, 1204-1461, London 1926 Rice D.T., Millet G., Byzantine Painting at Trebizond, London 1936 Ballance S., "The Byzantine Churches of Trebizond", Anatolian Studies, 10, 1960, 141 176 Millet G., "Les monastères et les églises de Trébizonde", Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique, 19, 1895, 419-459 Millet G., "Inscriptions Byzantines de Trébizonde", Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique, 20, 1896, 496-501 Μηλιόπουλος Ι.Π., "Το Ναΐδιον της Αγίας Άννης", Οι Κομνηνοί, 1, 17, 1916, 309 313 Δικτυογραφία : Küçük Ayvasıl Kilisesi (St. Anna Kilisesi) http://www.kultur.gov.tr/tr/belgegoster.aspx?f6e10f8892433cffa79d6f5e6c1b43ffa18e78e0af5b93b4 Ο ναός της Αγίας Άννας http://www.ime.gr/choros/trapezounda/gr/webpages/602.html 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. bema The area at east end of the naos in Byzantine churches, containing the altar, also referred to as the presbetery or hierateion (sanctuary). In these area take place the Holy Eucharist. Eleousa An icon type of Virgin Mary. She is depicted holding the Child, bending her head so as to touch his cheek with hers, while Jesus puts his arm around her neck. three-aisled basilica An oblong type of church internally divided into three aisles: the middle and the two side aisles. The middle aisle is often lighted by an elevated clerestory. In the Early Byzantine years this type of church had huge dimensions. Παραθέματα From the inscriptions among the wall paintings Devotional inscription before the feet of John the Baptist Δέησις τοῦ δούλου τοῦ Θ(εο)ῦ Ἰωάννου τοῦ Μακρί Millet, G., Les Monastères et les Églises de Trébizonde, Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique 19 (1895), p. 436. and Δημιουργήθηκε στις 25/1/2017 Σελίδα 5/6
Millet, G. Rice, D. Talbot (ed.), Byzantine Painting at Trebizond (London 1936), tab. XII Δημιουργήθηκε στις 25/1/2017 Σελίδα 6/6