Prékopa Ágnes (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 30. (Budapest, 2016)

Szilveszter TERDIK: “Athonite” Miniature Carvings at the Museum of Applied Arts

8. Encolpion with scenes from the Gospel, Mount Athos, eighteenth century. Boxwood. Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest, inv. no: 11156

Gospel but without a metal frame, was probably also made on Mount Athos in the eighteenth century.36 (Fig. 8) The individual scenes are linked together by ornamentation familiar from compositions of the Tree of Jesse, and each of the irregular fields features a depiction of a prophet. In the top row are scenes of the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Baptism of Christ and the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. In the next row down, between medallion images of prophets at either extremity, contained in triangular fields, are the Transfiguration and the Entry into Jerusalem, while in the tip of the leaf is the reclining figure of Jesse.

Similar leaf-shaped encolpia, encased in metal frames, can be found in many Balkan

monastery collections. The monasteries of Studenica37 and Decani have such pieces, also probably from the eighteenth century.38 The Hungarian National Museum also has a leaf-shaped exemplar in a silver casing, depicting Saint Nicholas of Myra.39 Small items such as these could be worn not only by monks, but also by lay believers and pilgrims.

The larger encolpia may be regarded as panagias that form part of the regalia of Byzantine bishops. The rectangular pana- gia depicting the Annunciation encircled by the Tree of Jesse is, by virtue of its shape and size, the most impressive in the collection.40 (Fig. 9) The fine openwork boxwood

9. Panagia with the Annunciation, surrounded by prophets, Mount Athos, Balkans, eighteenth century. Boxwood, silver, glass, textile. Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest, inv. no: 55.658.1

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