Об идейной направленности росписи подкупольной зоны церкви Рождества Христова на Красном поле близ Великого Новгорода

T. Yu. Tsarevskaya

T. Yu. Tsarevskaya State Institute for Art Studies https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0774-9474

Keywords: Old Russian art, painting of Veliky Novgorod, medieval monumental painting, fresco, iconography, monasteries, liturgy

Abstract

The article examines the iconographic program of the frescoes located in the transition zone between the dome and the naos of the Church of the Nativity on the Red Field, also known as the Church of the Nativity in the Cemetery. This part of the church decoration was relatively stable in Palaeologan art, so any individual solutions in this area are greatly important for researchers of the fresco ensemble, as they help to understand the nuances of the idea and sometimes its overall direction. Despite the serious damage to the frescoes in the sub-dome area, there is a clear thematic sequence of its components, which is directly related to the church’s dedication to the Nativity of Christ and its specific purpose of serving a large old cemetery. The traditional theme of the Incarnation for the decoration of the sub-dome arches is emphasized in the frescoes by the inclusion of figures of angels worshipping the Holy Face, which may also reflect a local tradition. The replacement of the “Ceramidion” with the image of Emmanuel is likely motivated by the desire to bring the fresco decoration of this symbolically important part of the church closer to the dogmatic context of its dedication to the Nativity. At the same time the image of Incarnated God-Logos becomes one of the key points in this ensemble being included in the system of images related to the theme of Holy Wisdom. The selection of quotes in the evangelists’ texts in the pandatives, the choice of the prophets on the slopes of the sub-dome arches and their prophecies, their sequence, and the connection to the scenes from the Life of Christ painted in close proximity to them, all indicate a well-thought-out message prepared by the author of the decorative program of the Nativity Church to correspond to the cycle of annual liturgical celebrations and, most importantly, to the church patronal feast, a feature that connects the painting of this church with the most significant works of Palaeologan art.

Author Biography

T. Yu. Tsarevskaya , State Institute for Art Studies

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34680/vistheo-2026-8-1-10-33

Tatiana Yu. Tsarevskaya
State Institute for Art Studies, Moscow, Russia
tsarevskaya_t@mail.ru
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0774-9474

Abstract
The article examines the iconographic program of the frescoes located in the transition zone between the dome and the naos of the Church of the Nativity on the Red Field, also known as the Church of the Nativity in the Cemetery. This part of the church decoration was relatively stable in Palaeologan art, so any individual solutions in this area are greatly important for researchers of the fresco ensemble, as they help to understand the nuances of the idea and sometimes its overall direction. Despite the serious damage to the frescoes in the sub-dome area, there is a clear thematic sequence of its components, which is directly related to the church’s dedication to the Nativity of Christ and its specific purpose of serving a large old cemetery. The traditional theme of the Incarnation for the decoration of the sub-dome arches is emphasized in the frescoes by the inclusion of figures of angels worshipping the Holy Face, which may also reflect a local tradition. The replacement of the “Ceramidion” with the image of Emmanuel is likely motivated by the desire to bring the fresco decoration of this symbolically important part of the church closer to the dogmatic context of its dedication to the Nativity. At the same time the image of Incarnated God-Logos becomes one of the key points in this ensemble being included in the system of images related to the theme of Holy Wisdom. The selection of quotes in the evangelists’ texts in the pandatives, the choice of the prophets on the slopes of the sub-dome arches and their prophecies, their sequence, and the connection to the scenes from the Life of Christ painted in close proximity to them, all indicate a well-thought-out message prepared by the author of the decorative program of the Nativity Church to correspond to the cycle of annual liturgical celebrations and, most importantly, to the church patronal feast, a feature that connects the painting of this church with the most significant works of Palaeologan art.

Keywords: Old Russian art, painting of Veliky Novgorod, medieval monumental painting, fresco, iconography, monasteries, liturgy

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About author

Tatiana Yu. Tsarevskaya
Dr. Sci. (Art History),
Leading Research Fellow of Old Russian Art Department
State Institute for Art Studies
5, Kozitsky Lane, Moscow, 125375, Russian Federation
E-mail: tsarevskaya_t@mail.ru

For citation:
Tsarevskaya T. Yu. The ideological focus of the fresco decoration of the underdome zone in the Church of the Nativity on the Red Field near Veliky Novgorod. Journal of Visual Theology. 2026. Vol. 8. 1. Pp. 10–33. https://doi.org/10.34680/vistheo-2026-8-1-10-33