ART HISTORY

ART HISTORY: EARLY CHRISTIAN FRESCOES AND FIGURATIVE ARTS

Photo: Detail of the front Portico at Guyaneh Church.

Most certainly, a very. meager number of patrons of the arts and art explorers from Great Britain and France did visit old Armenian churches in Armenia and Anatolia to study and learn more about the Armenian frescoes. But, they were few and their efforts were limited. The Armenians determination to fight foreign occupation, to defend and preserve their faith, to protect and secure their traditions stimulated an ardent energy and a Herculean inner power to become artistically, philosophically, ethnically more creative, productive and defying. The character and the spirit of Armenians survived through their art and vice versa. This is one of the pre-dominant reasons that explains the survival of an ethnic Armenian identity in their way of life and the ever burning torch of humanities and arts. We will explore further this subject when we approach the subject of the Diaspora paintings and the effect of the Genocide on the mind, soul and arts of Armenians in the homeland and abroad.

EARLY FRESCOES OF THE EIGHTH AND SEVENTH CENTURIES B.C.

Armenian frescoes appeared throughout the centuries from the beginning of the eighth century B.C. The archaeological excavations of an Urartian fortress in Arin Berd-Erebuni revealed large fragmented parts of extensive frescoes and mural paintings. Walls and underground galleries and chambers ceilings and entrances were covered with frescoes and wall paintings depicting many aspects of the daily and religious lives of ancient Armenians including symbols, designs, patterns and illustrations of mythological figures, dignitaries, birds, various animals heads, musical instruments, dancers and scenes of a festive Armenian life. Another discovery at the pagan temple of Garni uncovered mosaic frescoes circa 3^rd century to 2^nd century A.D. depicting mythological personages, goddesses and pagan pantheon figures. Some of the most impressive frescoes were discovered in Erebuni which was built in 782 B.C. by king Argishti. The excavations uncovered the ruins of spacious temple-royal palace housing several quarters, chambers and housing units with walls painted with large murals and decorated with multi-colored frescoes characterized by vivid blue and yellow tones.

Photo: 17^th century frescoes at Guyaneh Church.

ANCIENT GRECO-ARMENIAN FRESCOES AND MOSAIC

The fall of the kingdom of Urartu did not seal the fate of Armenian frescoes. A renewed artistic vigor was resurrected with Hellenism reign which cherished the arts. In fact, under the reign of Alexander the great, Armenian artists were extremely productive and creative. In addition to their vigor, they developed an interest in Greek sculpture, paintings, frescoes and mosaic. Consequently, they began to incorporate in their work various Greek motifs and patterns. Long before the Greco-Latino frescoes style came to life, Armenian artists and artisans were the first to combine Greek style with a non-Greek art. Consequently, the Greek-Armenian school of frescoes preceded the Greco-Latin counterpart. In many instances, it is quite difficult to distinguish between Greek and ancient Armenian bronze or marble statues. It is the same case when we look at certain Anatolian mosaics and frescoes from Armavir, Artashat and Ervanda-Shat. The mosaics and frescoes of the 1^st century were characterized to a certain degree by an Hellenic style rich in ornamental and decorative motifs and compositions and embellished with exquisite allegorical and mythological scenes. Many of those scenes and pantheon’s cortege of deities pre-dominantly appear in Greek and Armenian frescoes and mosaics. Some of the frescos and large mosaics depicted gods and goddesses which were commonly revered by the Greeks and the Armenians, even thought they had different names and distinctive ethnic characteristics. Greek and Armenian frescoes and mosaics depicted similar goddesses of fertility, fecundity, luck and gods of the sun and war.