Prékopa Ágnes (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 30. (Budapest, 2016)
Szilveszter TERDIK: “Athonite” Miniature Carvings at the Museum of Applied Arts
lects the blood and water pouring from Christ’s side into a chalice, and a second angel points at the Saviour while beholding John, who looks up at the Cross, while the Moon and the human-faced Sun are visible above the crosspiece. The field immediately above the Crucifixion contains the Holy Trinity: the Father sits on the right, crowned with a triangular nimbus, raising his right hand in blessing as he regards his Son, and holding a sceptre in his left. The Son is holding the Cross in his right hand, and the dove of the Holy Spirit hovers in the middle. To the right of the Holy Trinity, from the top to the bottom, are the following scenes: the Transfiguration, Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman, the Baptism of Christ, and the Resurrection of Jesus. The first scene at the top of the column to the left of the Holy Trinity is of the Ascension of Jesus. Interestingly, beneath the figure of Christ, seated in a mandorla held up by two angels, only the Virgin Mary stands, flanked on each side by an angel; the disciples, who were also witnesses to the Ascension, are not depicted here. The next scenes down are the Resurrection of Lazarus, the Nativity and the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. The Slavic names of the three scenes in the top row and the scene on the left in the bottom row are carved into the edge of the wooden panel.62 It is not easy to date the carving. In the Museum of Applied Arts, Belgrade, there are two small openwork panels that are analogous in form. They show the Enthroned Mother of God and Christ the Great High Priest surrounded by scenes from the Gospel and depictions of the saints, framed with vine ornamentation. These carvings, dated to the turn of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, were presumably made in Chelandari Monastery.63 However, in terms of style and iconography, the Budapest small icon bears closer affinities to a carving held in the National Museum in Belgrade. The rectangular openwork carving contains a number of medallions of varying size, divided by vine tendrils, featuring different scenes and saints. In an inscription beneath a view of Krusedol Monastery, the artist even carved his name and the year of execution - Haji Ruvim, 1798.64 The same man also created a two-sided, pierced and carved cross from 1799, decorated with scenes from the Gospel, which is housed in the same museum.63 Haji Ruvim was born Rafailo Nenadovic (PaiJaHAO HeHaAOBnh/HemKOBuh) (1752- 1804), and after he was widowed, he went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land (hence the name Haji), and took holy vows upon his return home. Because of the role he played in the Serbian national movement, he was captured by the Ottomans and executed.66 In addition to carvings of different sizes, including miniatures, he is also known in Serbian art history as a producer of woodcuts.67 Due to similarities in style between the small icon in Budapest and the carvings attributed to Haji Ruvim and his circle, it seems reasonable to date the Budapest piece to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. The person who made it may even have been familiar with the works of Haji Ruvim. Small icon in the form of a diptych A diptych was transferred from the Hungarian National Museum to the Museum of Applied Arts in 1936.68 This item, once believed by scholars to be an “eighteenth- century southern Slavic” work, consists of two small, carved horn panels featuring 70
