Christian nubian painting

Written documents and archaeological evidence confirm the process of the gradual penetration of Christianity on the land south of the I threshold of the Nile for about III and IV centuries ^[1] . But the kingdom of Mukurra was baptized only in the middle of the VI century from the hands of the Byzantine missionaries . According to Stefan Jacobelsky , the baptism could take place around 570, and the Melkite missionary sent by Justinian the Great did this ^[2] . One hundred years later, Mukurra merged with Nobatia, which borders her in the north. The kings of Alva - a territory located south of Mukurra - were baptized at the end of the VI century ^[3] . The Christianization carried out by Byzantium was described by Procopius of Caesarea and John of Ephesus . In the period from the VI-VII to the XIV centuries (that is, before the Arab conquest ) in this region Christianity and related art forms prevailed.

The art and architecture of Nubia are traditionally divided into three periods:

1. Early (VII — IX centuries),
2. Classical (IX-XII centuries), when there was a departure from the manner of the early period, as well as the heyday of painting and more freedom in it ^[4] . During this period, extensive iconographic programs appeared in painting, Byzantine samples were processed so that the local character of art arose. At the end of the period, a desire for synthesis and simplification of forms appeared, as well as an inspiration for Arab art , mainly in rich ornaments .
3. Late (XIII-XIV centuries) - this period is characterized by the absence of early theological cycles of image processing, simple compositions with a hierarchical system, flat and diffuse texture , the ornament appeared sporadically.

Another type of categorization of Nubian art arose from the study of paintings by the cathedral in Faras . This categorization was created to determine the chronology of archaeological sites based on the dominant colors in the painting. It stands out:

1. Violet style ^[5] (VIII century) - an example is a mural painting of St. Anne ,
2. Yellow-red style (first half of the X century) - the representative is the image of the Archangel Michael ,
3. Colorful style (late X and early XI centuries) - an example is the mural painting of Bishop Marianos under the protection of Christ and the Mother of God and other images of the bishops of Faras ^[2] .

Christian Nubian painting is inseparable from architecture. The mural was found mainly in religious buildings and churches in the Mukurra and Nobatia regions (there are very few monuments from Alva) at the archaeological sites in Faras , Old Dongol , Wadi es Sebua , Tamite , Abdullah Nirka , Abu Oda , Abd al -Gadira , Sonka Tino , Kulubnarti , Banganarti and Qasr Ibrim .

The predominant technique used by the Nubians was the wall polychrome a secco technique. Paint was applied directly to the wall without combining the pigments with the solution. The pigments used were of natural origin, such as iron oxides , which allowed to obtain a warm, yellowish-brown color, copper compounds to acquire dark brown, green and black colors, precious lapis lazuli , from which blue was obtained ^[6] .

The first mural paintings were painted in pagan temples adapted to the needs of Christianity, then in Christian churches and finally in sacred objects built in the 7th century. The form of the basilica , characteristic of new buildings, had a significant impact on the development of iconography, which at the same time was heavily influenced by Byzantine art. The leading type of architecture was already (in the early period) a popular basilica throughout the Christian world with three or five naves , vestibules on the west side and often with a staircase on the southwest side, and a semicircular presbytery on the east side. The apse was surrounded by the sacristy , usually in combination with a narrow passage ^[7] . Chapels dedicated to saints or temple fundus adjoined the naves. The second type of temples, usually found in large centers, are buildings with a cross in plan. The decoration of churches was closely connected with architectural forms and liturgical tradition ^[7] , therefore, specific types of images have a permanent place in different parts of the church.

Christian Nubian painting in the early period was characterized by little interest in theological cycles from the New or Old Testament . Scripture scenes are pretty random. Much more popular were the solitary, frontal representations of Christ , the Virgin Mary , angels and archangels , saints and fundators. A small number of scenes from the Old and New Testaments fall on the classical period, that is, approximately from the X century. Presented at them are the Baptism of Christ , the story of Balaam , the healing of the blind in the pool of Siloam . In addition, narrative cycles were found in Faras and Old Dongol ^[6] . Very popular in the early and more intensively in the classical period, the images of Nubian patrons, laity who give themselves up under the care of a saint.

Dominant iconographic types - dogmatic and liturgical - appear in Nubia under the influence of art from Egypt . In addition, only in Nubia and Egypt in the compositions were there iconographic representations of two types, separated by a decorative belt ( socle ).

On the arch of the apse is an image of the type Christ in Glory ( Maiestas Domini ) ^[7] . This is an icon of deep theological content, based on faith in theophany and the presence of Christ in the Eucharist ^[8] . This iconographic version includes the cross - Christ is represented in the center of the cross (The Greatness of the Cross, Maiestas Crucis ), surrounded on four sides by four living creatures. Often under the face of Christ they placed the image of the Mother of God on the throne or standing surrounded by the apostles, sometimes - like Hodegetria . In the annexes on the south-western side (in the case of a monastery in Dongol) there was an image of a Madonna and child in the type of Hodegetria or Mammal , in the northern part of the temple were Christmas scenes, in the southern sector of the church was a representation of three youths in a red-hot furnace .

On the wall paintings, where Nubian patrons are represented, the laity who give themselves under the care of a saint ^[4] , the depicted are dressed festively and richly and hold signs of their authority. Behind their back is their heavenly patron or angel with hands on the shoulders of the guardian. The tread pattern is usually larger.

Portraits of the kings were placed in the sanctuary and the southwestern or eastern part and the naos . Royal mothers and sisters were portrayed in patronage scenes. Near them there are archangels and often - Virgin Mary of the Mammalian type. This is a local iconographic view associated with dynastic politics: in Nubia, the throne was inherited by the son of the sister of the ruling king, so his sister was called the royal mother.

Mostly portraits of bishops were presented in the sacristy or in the southwestern part of the naos ^[9] . Among the images of saints there are apostles, martyrs , virgins, warriors and hermits . Holy warriors are represented with their attributes , for example, reptiles as a personification of evil, weapons (spears) as a rank in society, the absence of a halo is characteristic, some are shown on horses (Faras, Abd al-Gadir, Abdullah Nirki). Hermits are often represented in paintings with landscape elements and also have their own attributes: a vessel with water, a sakva, and a rope.

A unique view is the mourning scene of the dead - two were discovered in Dongol. In both, the deceased lies on a stretcher (naked or dressed), an angel leans over him. The scenes are inspired by the iconography of the Assumption of the Virgin , popular in Byzantine art from the 11th century ^[4] .

The study of Nubian Christian painting is limited due to the poor condition of the objects. Painting is characterized by a simple, strict, geometric shape ^[10] . The figures are presented in solemn, even, frontal positions. Faces are drawn symmetrically and schematically. Eyes, nose and ears are enlarged unnaturally. As a rule, the background is smooth and simple, there is no horror vacui effect. Sometimes only the background is enhanced by fragments of landscape or architectural elements. The paintings are characterized by the presence of clear contours, the use of flat color spots, the deprivation of the elements of modeling the plane, giving the impression of three-dimensionality. The state of the objects indicates a meager color palette, a little diverse even within the same color. An earthy tone dominates, less often white or violet tones appear and sporadically - shades of green ^[11] . It is problematic to establish whether the color scheme was wider.

The form of painting is timeless in nature, unambiguously conveys religious content, while preserving the modest means of expression. Regardless of the differences between the phases of Christian Nubian painting, there are common formal features, which made it possible to preserve the Byzantine convention in local art.

The names of the artists are unknown. Nubian art, like Byzantine, was collective and anonymous. Probably, at the beginning of the development of painting, these were Egyptian monks, with time, perhaps, local artists who created their own workshops also acquired skills ^[11] .

• Atiya AS, Historia Kościołów Wschodnich , Warszawa 1978.
• Dobrzeniecki T., Maiestas Domini w zabytkach polskich i obcych z Polską związanych , "Rocznik Muzeum Narodowego w Warszawie XVIII", (1974).
• Martens-Czarnecka M., Caractéristiques du style “violet” dans la peinture à Dongola , Études et Travaux XIV, (1990).
• Martens-Czarnecka M., The Wall Paintings from the Monastery on Kom H in Dongola , Warszawa 2012
• Martens-Czarnecka M., Jakobielski S., Polskie wykopaliska w Starej Dongoli. 45 lat współpracy archeologicznej z Sudanem , Warszawa 2006.
• Mierzejewska B., Sulikowska A., Galeria Faras im. profesora Kazimierza Michałowskiego. Przewodnik , Warszawa 2014.
• Plumley JM, Nubian Studies, Proceedings of the Symposium for Nubian Studies, Selwyn College, Cambridge, 1978 , Warminster 1982.
• Wheeler AC, Christianity in Sudan , Dictionary of African Christian Biography.