Summary
Tsiapali Mariza,
Two unknown preparatory sketches in the Katholikon of the monastery of Hosios Nikanor at Zavorda, Grevena
The monastery of Hosios Nikanor at Zavorda stands on mount Kallistratos in the eastern part of the Prefecture of Grevena. Hosios Nikanor was an anchorite, who built the monastery near the site where he found a port able icon of the Trans figuration of the Saviour, hence the name of its katholikon. The church was built in 1534 according to the dedicatory inscription and belongs to the athonite type of triconch cross-in-square with a dome resting on four piers (Fig. 1). The exonarthex and the ambulatory are later additions.
The initial decoration of the katholikon was painted by the famous painter Frangos Katelanos, probably between 1545-1548. The inscription 1592 in the dome refers possibly to interventions carried out in that year. The second layer of the dome was decorated in 1869 by the painter Manuel of Selitza, according to an inscription in its base, while another inscription in the north wall mention s a new phase in the decoration of the monument executed by the painter Konstantinos Chatzinot as of Naoussa in 1889 or 1899. The painters who depict ed the narthex in 1835 were Georgios of Selitza and his son, Manuel.
Restoration works were carried out in the years 2006-2009 on the external surfaces of the monument by the Greek Ministry of Culture and the painted decoration was carefully restored. The iconographic program is developed in four successive bands. The lowest register is covered with the theme of the podea, while the one immediately above displays individual figures of saints, some full- length and some as busts. The two upper registers are decorated with narrative scenes which include the cycle of the Life, Miracles and Passion of Christ.
The preparatory sketches of two saints were revealed after the conservation of the frescoes in the katholikon, in the north and south side of the western door leading from the narthex to the nave. They belong to the first layer and they are attributed to Frangos Katelanos. The two saints are identified by inscriptions with Aniketos and Photios. They were relatives –uncle and nephew– and were tortured and killed during the time of Diocletian. They are shown facing each other, in order to underline their relationship. They belong to the group of Anargyroi saints, who healed the sick.
In the north side of the western door, saint Photios is depicted. At the level of his neck, an inscription with his name, FOTIOS , misspelled (Fig. 2). He is shown full-length and he is standing in frontal pose. He has short, curly hair and a sparse beard. A halo surrounds his head. He has the left hand in a gesture of supplication, while the right hand is raised but we can discern it up to the elbow. He wears a chiton folded at the waist and ending in a wavy hem. His shoulders are covered by a mantle with flat folds, fastened loosely on the chest. He is not bare-foot since the painter has indicated the shape of a shoe.
In the south side of the western door, saint Aniketos is depicted . At the level of his neck, there is the inscription of his name, ANIKITOS, misspelled (Fig. 3). He is shown full-length and he is standing in a frontal pose except for the head which is turned to the left in a three-quarter position. He has long hair falling on the left shoulder. A halo surrounds his head. He has the right hand raised on the shoulder and holds a cross. His left hand is missing, probably because of the lack of space. He wears a chi ton held at the waist by a girdle tied carefully in a knot. It ends in a wavy bordure. The mantle is fastened loosely on the shoulder and is decorated with a flat, floral motif. He is not bare -foot since the painter has indicated the shoe. The preparatory sketches correspond to the surviving examples of the full -length saints who are depicted in the wa lls of the katholikon. The alterations of the iconographic features have to do with the personal characteristics, the vestments, the age, the hierarchy .
The sketches display details of the face and of the body. The saint, who is identified as Photios , has a serious, rather austere expression befitting his status. This is underlined by the oval face, the small, tight mouth , the moustache , the linear nose , the deep gaze. The saint, who is identified as Aniketos, has a gentle youthful face. He has a calm, steady gaze directed at the empty space. As they are nephew and uncle according to the sources, we have the impression that the inscriptions of their names are reversed.
Both figures wear a chiton and a mantle, draped in schematic folds picked out in brown and yellow color. The spare drawing with the clean, firm lines creates the impression of a more static but robust figure. The vestments are plain and simple and tend to swath the body in a rather naturalistic manner. Of interest are the decorative linear and floral motifs of the mantle. The preparatory sketches reveal an outstanding, skilled artist whose work displays academicism ease and freedom as well as an overt orientation towards naturalism. Aniketos and Photios are depicted mainly in medallions from the Late Byzantine to the post-Byzantine period in different areas in Greece, in Balkan countries and in Cappadocia (Fig. 4). Besides, the martyrdom of the two saints occurs in the same period (Figs 5-8). Although we conducted thorough research in order to trace the archetype of the two full-length saints, no result came out. This specific iconographic type of the two saints is not reproduced in the 16th century. So, we come to the conclusion that it must be a unique occurrence, unless Photios and Aniketos are among the unidentified saints included in several monuments.
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