COMPOSITION OF ASCENSION ON THE DECORATED PORTALS OF EARLY MEDIEVAL GEORGIAN CHURCHES

Abstract

The paper is connected with the problem of decoration of the portals in Early Medieval Georgian Churches. It deals also with varieties of this composition.Portal and tympanum decoration always had its special pattern either for content, or for composition. One is supposed to see prominent effigy or read significant information while entering a church (ex. inscription of a ktetor). That is why those compositions are of a great importance.Classification of the Georgian data comes to several principle types of composition. The most popular of tympanum relieves is heraldic composition like as follows: with Christ or cross in the center, and two flying angels on the sides (Ascension of Christ and Ascension of Cross, the latter is the same but Christ is substituted by a symbol). Assumption of Virgin is the next beloved scene, where the main figure of Christ is substituted by the Virgin, but the scheme is the same again.The whole evolution of the composition is researched here, making also some valuable comparisons with the tympanum decoration in the Western Europe (Romanesque churches). Compositon of Ascension on other artefacts (ex. ivory diptychs) is also under strict interest, as well as iconographical prototypes of Late Antiquity (ex. consular diptychs).