Veles and Christ. Visual models of idoloclasm in Russian iconography
https://doi.org/10.28995/2686-7249-2020-5-39-56
Abstract
The paper focuses on the visual motif of idoloclasm in Russian iconography. Images of a saint who crashes an idol played important roles in Christian art, demonstrating the triumph of Christianity, the powerlessness of false gods, and the demonic nature of non-Christian cults.
Unlike European iconography, Russian icons, frescoes and miniatures rarely used the model of destruction / disintegration into parts, which clearly demonstrated the powerlessness of idols and their material nature. Likewise the demonization of an idol did not become popular either in the scheme, when an idol was endowed with the features of a demon as a true actor who animated the statue and performed actions in its material “body”. In Russian iconography more restrained models were used – above all, the fall of the “idol” and its worshipping.
However, the variability of those images was high: in small scenes of idoloclasm one can find examples where the play of signs and visual parallels creates an original author’s “text”, giving the entire scene unexpected semantic nuances. The author analyses the side-scene of the Rostov icon of the first third of the 18th century with the figure of monk Avraamiy Rostovsky crashing the idol of Russian pagan god Veles. Veles is visually likened to Christ, and the entire scene is paralleled to the Crucifixion. This unusual scheme could serve as an additional indication of the false God role played by the demon-idol.
About the Author
D. I. Antonov
Russian State University for the Humanities
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Dmitriy I. Antonov, Dr. of Sci. (History), associate professor
bld. 6, Miusskaya Sq., Moscow, 125993
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Review
For citations:
Antonov D.I. Veles and Christ. Visual models of idoloclasm in Russian iconography. RSUH/RGGU Bulletin: “Literary Teory. Linguistics. Cultural Studies”, Series. 2020;(5):39-56. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.28995/2686-7249-2020-5-39-56
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