Некоторые размышления об истоках иконографии «Господь во славе» (Maiestas Domini): церковь Евангелистов монастыря Алахан (V век)

А. О. Tatarnikova

А. О. Tatarnikova St. Petersburg Union of Artists https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3822-9335

Keywords: Maiestas Domini, The Lord in Glory, Alahan Monastery, Early Christianity, Early Christian art, iconography, tetramorph, Ezekiel’s vision, Apocalypse, Eastern Christianity

Abstract

Maiestas Domini (The Lord in Glory, the Majesty of the Lord) is an iconographic scheme according to which Christ is depicted sitting on a throne surrounded by symbolic figures of the evangelists, represented in the form of mystical beasts (tetramorph). This subject became widespread in the Middle Ages in monumental paintings, hand-written Gospels and monumental sculpture of church portals. The origins of this unusual iconography can be traced back to the Early Christian period. In the times of Early Christianity there was a wide range of compositional variations of this scene, and its interpretation in art exhibits significant iconographic diversity. The article aims to explore some aspects of the iconography ‘The Lord in Glory’ (Maiestas Domini) in Early Christian art and to analyze the causal reasons for the predominance of certain types of images. The subject of the study is one of the outstanding Early Christian monuments – the relief of the portal of the church at Alahan monastery in Isauria (Asia Minor). On the basis of the research of the theological context and of the comparison with the other preserved Early Christian monuments, the Alahan relief composition is considered as one of the earliest realizations of the iconographic scheme of ‘The Lord in Glory’ in the monumental sculpture of the church portals. Special attention in the article is paid to the analysis of the tetramorph presented in Alahan in the Old Testament interpretation, where the principle of unity of four images is clearly evident. The author states that the Alahan Maiestas Domini composition has some features that are more typical for the Eastern Christian tradition, and suggests that the theological interpretations of prophetic visions by Ephrem the Syrian played a significant role in the formation of the iconography of ‘The Lord in Glory’ in the East of the Christian world. The author concludes that the central gate relief composition of the Alahan monastery main basilica is a visual representation of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Second Coming of Christ in Divine glory and power.

Author Biography

А. О. Tatarnikova , St. Petersburg Union of Artists

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34680/vistheo-2025-7-1-24-48

Anastasya O. Tatarnikova
St. Petersburg Union of Artists, St. Petersburg, Russia
anastasya.tatarnikova@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3822-9335

Abstract
Maiestas Domini (The Lord in Glory, the Majesty of the Lord) is an iconographic scheme according to which Christ is depicted sitting on a throne surrounded by symbolic figures of the evangelists, represented in the form of mystical beasts (tetramorph). This subject became widespread in the Middle Ages in monumental paintings, hand-written Gospels and monumental sculpture of church portals. The origins of this unusual iconography can be traced back to the Early Christian period. In the times of Early Christianity there was a wide range of compositional variations of this scene, and its interpretation in art exhibits significant iconographic diversity. The article aims to explore some aspects of the iconography ‘The Lord in Glory’ (Maiestas Domini) in Early Christian art and to analyze the causal reasons for the predominance of certain types of images. The subject of the study is one of the outstanding Early Christian monuments – the relief of the portal of the church at Alahan monastery in Isauria (Asia Minor). On the basis of the research of the theological context and of the comparison with the other preserved Early Christian monuments, the Alahan relief composition is considered as one of the earliest realizations of the iconographic scheme of ‘The Lord in Glory’ in the monumental sculpture of the church portals. Special attention in the article is paid to the analysis of the tetramorph presented in Alahan in the Old Testament interpretation, where the principle of unity of four images is clearly evident. The author states that the Alahan Maiestas Domini composition has some features that are more typical for the Eastern Christian tradition, and suggests that the theological interpretations of prophetic visions by Ephrem the Syrian played a significant role in the formation of the iconography of ‘The Lord in Glory’ in the East of the Christian world. The author concludes that the central gate relief composition of the Alahan monastery main basilica is a visual representation of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Second Coming of Christ in Divine glory and power.

Keywords: Maiestas Domini, The Lord in Glory, Alahan Monastery, Early Christianity, Early Christian art, iconography, tetramorph, Ezekiel’s vision, Apocalypse, Eastern Christianity

References

Andaloro, Romano 2006 – Andaloro M., Romano S. La Pittura Medievale a Roma 312–1431. Corpus. Vol. 1. L’orizzonte tardoantico e le nuove immagini. 312–468. Milano, 2006.

Augustine 1976 – Augustine. De catechizandis rudibus. Transl. into Russian. Theological Works. 1976. Vol. 15. Pp. 25–55.

Baumstark 1927 – Baumstark A. Die Karolingische-Romanische Maiestas Domini und ihre Orientalischen Parallelen. Oriens Christianus. 1927. Ser. 3. Vol. 1. S. 242–260.

Ciampini 1690 – Ciampini G. G. Vetera Monimenta. Vol. 1. Roma, 1690.

Dobrzeniecki 1973, 1974, 1975 – Dobrzeniecki T. Maiestas Domini w zabytkach Polskich i obcych z Polska zwiazanych. Rocznik Museum Narodowego w Warszawie. 1973. Vol. 17. Pp. 5–86; 1974. Vol. 18. Pp. 215–308; 1975. Vol. 19. Pp. 5–263.

Ephrem the Syrian 1994 – Ephrem the Syrian. Works. Vol. 6. Moscow, 1994. In Russian.

Galavaris 1979 – Galavaris G. The illustrations of the prefaces in Byzantine Gospels. Byzantina Vindobonensia. II. Vienna, 1979.

Garrucci 1873 – Garrucci R. Storia dell’arte cristiana nei primi otto secoli della Chiesa. Vol. 2. Prato, 1873.

Gough 1955 – Gough M. Some recent finds at Alahan (Koja Kalessi). Anatolian Studies. 1955. Vol. 5. Pp. 115–123.

Gough 1962 – Gough M. The Church of the Evangelists at Alahan. A preliminary report. Anatolian Studies. 1962. Vol. 12. Pp. 173–184.

Gough 1963 – Gough M. Excavations at Alahan Monastery: second preliminary report. Anatolian Studies. 1963. Vol. 13. Pp. 105–115.

Gough 1967 – Gough M. Alahan Monastery: fourth preliminary report. Anatolian Studies. 1967. Vol. 17. Pp. 37–47.

Gough 1968 а – Gough M. Alahan Monastery. A masterpiece of Early Christian architecture. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin. New Series. 1968. Vol. 26. 10. Pp. 455–464.

Gough 1968 b – Gough M. Alahan Monastery: fifth preliminary report. Anatolian Studies. 1968. Vol. 18. Pp. 159–167.

Gough 1972 – Gough M. The Emperor Zeno and some Cilician Churches. Anatolian Studies. 1972. Vol. 22. Pp. 199–212.

Gough 1985 – Alahan: an Early Christian monastery in southern Turkey. Based on the work of Michael Gough. Ed. by Mary Gough. Toronto, 1985.

Grabar 1962 – Grabar A. Sur les Sources des peintres byzantines des XIIIe et XlVe siècles (Nouvelles recherches sur l’icône bilatérale de Poganovo). Cahiers archéologiques. 1962. 12. Pp. 359–389.

Grabar 1970 – Grabar A. Deux portails sculptes paleochrètiens d’Egypte et d’Asie Mineure, et les portails romans. Cahiers archeologiques. 1970. 20. Pp. 15–28.

Grafova 2012 – Grafova M. A. Iconography of the heavenly host in the Early Christian and the Early Middle-Ages art. Moscow University Bulletin. Series 8: History. 2012. 2. Pp. 148–167. In Russian.

Grumel 1930 – Grumel V. La mosaique du Dieu Sauveur au Monastère de Latome à Salonique. Échos d’Orient. 1930. XXXIII. Pp. 157–175.

Headlam 1892 – Headlam A. C. Ecclesiastical sites in Isauria (Cilicia Trachea). London, 1892.

Hieronymus of Stridon 1886 – The works of Blessed Hieronymus of Stridon. Vol. 10. Kiev, 1886. In Russian.

Hill 1996 – Hill S. The Early Byzantine churches of Cilicia and Isauria. Aldershot, 1996.

Iacobini 2000 – Iacobini A. Visioni dipinte. Immagini della contemplazione negli affreschi di Bãwĩt. Roma, 2000.

Irenaeus of Lyon 2008 – Irenaeus of Lyon. Against Heresies. Transl. into Russian by P. Preobrazhensky. St. Petersburg, 2008.

Khripkova 2015 – Khripkova E. A. Liturgical aspect of the composition ‘The Christ in Majesty’ (Majestas Domini) in monumental romanesque iconographic programs. RSUH/RGGU Bulletin. Series: Philosophy. Social Studies. Art Studies. 2015. 1. Pp. 95–107. In Russian.

Kochetkov 1994 – Kochetkov I. A. “Savior in Powers”: the development of the iconography and its meaning. Art of Old Rus’. Problems of Iconography. Moscow, 1994. Pp. 45–68. In Russian.

Köroğlu 2019 – Köroğlu G. Alahan Manastiri Bati Kilisesi’nin Tilsimbli Kapisi. Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimber Dergisi. 2019. 3 (19). Pp. 129–141.

Kvlividze 2009 – Kvlividze N. V. Jesus Christ. Orthodox Encyclopedia. Vol. 21. Moscow, 2009. Pp. 674–713. In Russian.

Laborde, Laborde 1838 – Laborde A., Laborde L. Voyage de l’Asie Mineure. Paris, 1838.

Laborde 1847 – Laborde L. Église d’Aladja dans le Taurus. Inscription grecque inédite. Revue archeologique. 1847. 4. Pp. 172–176.

Lopukhin 1904–1913 – The exhaustive Bible, or commentaries on all the books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Ed. by А. P. Lopukhin. Petersburg, 1904–1913. In Russian.

Lupandin, Shishova 2002 – Lupandin I., Shishova T. Eucharistic prayer. Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Moscow, 2002. Pp. 1771–1773. In Russian.

Mango 1966 – Mango C. Isaurian builders. Polychronion. Festschrift Franz Dölger zum 75. Ed. by P. Wirth. Heidelberg, 1966. Pp. 358–365.

Monuments 1860 – Monuments of ancient Christian writing in Russian translation. Vol. 2. Writings of the Apostolic Fathers. Moscow, 1860.

Nelson 1980 – Nelson R. S. The iconography of preface and miniature in the Byzantine Gospel book. New York, 1980.

Papadopoulos 1927 – Papadopoulos J. Une mosaique byzantine de Salonique. Comptesrendus de l’Academie des Inscripyions et Belles-Lettres. Paris, 1927. Pp. 215–218.

Poilpré 2005 – Poilpré A.-O. Maiestas Domini. Une image de l’Église en Occident (Ve – IXe siècles). Paris, 2005.

Popov 2019 – Popov I. N. Osios David. Orthodox Encyclopedia. Vol. 53. Moscow, 2019. Pp. 385–387. In Russian.

Putsko 1995 – Putsko V. G. Byzantine heritage in the art of Moscow Rus’ (“Saviour in Powers” in Russian art of the 14^th – 15^th centuries). ΒΥΖΑΝΤΙΝΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ. 1995. Vol. 56. Pp. 266–282. In Russian.

Rizzardi 2013 – Rizzardi Cl. Il mosaico a Ravenna. Ideologia e Arte. Bologna, 2013.

Semoglou 2011–2012 – Semoglou A. La mosaïque de «Hosios David» à Thessalonique. An interprétation néotestamentaire. Cahiers Archeologiques. 2011–2012. 54. Pp. 5–16.

Sheehan 1985 – Sheehan M. M. Religios life and monastic organization of Alahan. Alahan: An Early Christian Monastery in Southern Turkey. Based on the work of Michael Gough. Ed. by Mary Gough. Toronto, 1985. Pp. 197–220.

Skaballanovich 1909 – Skaballanovich M. N. Commentary on the Book of Ezekiel. St. Petersburg, 1909. In Russian.

Snyder 1967 – Snyder J. The meaning of the “Maiestas Domini” in Hosios David. Byzantion. 1967. Vol. 37. Pp. 143–152.

Thierry 1962 – Thierry N. Notes su l’un des bas-reliefs d’Alahan Manastiri en Isaurie. Cahiers archeologique. 1962. 13. Pp. 43–47.

Tsarevskaia 1999 – Tsarevskaia T. Yu. The frescoes of the church of the Annunciation on Lake Myachino (“in Arkazhi”). Novgorod, 1999. In Russian.

Uspensky 2007 – Uspensky N. D. Prayers of the Eucharist of St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom. Collected Works. Vol. 3. Orthodox Liturgy: Historical and Liturgical Studies. Feasts, Texts, Statutes. Moscow, 2007. Pp. 28–46. In Russian.

Van der Meer 1938 – Van der Meer F. Maiestas Domini. Théophanies de l’Apocalypse dans l’art chrétien. Étude sur les origines d’une iconographie spéciale du Christ. Città del Vaticano, 1938.

Verzone 1985 – Verzone P. Ricordi di un breve soggiorno di studi ad Alahan. Alahan: An Early Christian Monastery in Southern Turkey. Based on the work of Мichael Gough. Ed. by Mary Gough. Toronto, 1985. Pp. 221–224.

Voytenko, Sadovskaya 2002 – Voytenko A. A., Sadovskaya Yu. N. Bawit. Orthodox Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. Moscow, 2002. Pp. 385–387. In Russian.

Werner 1986 – Werner M. On the origin of zooanthropomorphic Evangelist symbols: the Early Christian background. Studies in Iconography. 1986. Vol. 10. Pp. 1–36.

Ξυγγόπουλος 1929 – Ξυγγόπουλος Α. Το καθολικόν της Μονής του Λατόμου εν Θεσσαλονίκη και το εν αυτώ ψηφιδωτόν. Αρχαιολογικόν Δελτίον. 1929. 12. Pp. 142–180.

About author

Anastasya O. Tatarnikova
Art historian, member of the Union of artists of Russia,
member of the Art Critics and Art Historians Association (AIS)
St. Petersburg Union of Artists
38, Bolshaya Morskaya St., St. Petersburg,
190000, Russian Federation
E-mail: anastasya.tatarnikova@gmail.com

For citation:
Tatarnikova A. O. Some reflections on the origins of the iconography ‘The Lord in Glory’ (Maiestas Domini): the church of the Evangelists in the Alahan monastery (5th century). Journal of Visual Theology. 2025. Vol. 7. 1. Pp. 24–48. https://doi.org/10.34680/vistheo-2025-7-1-24-48