Page 46 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 12(2) (2024)

Nothing is in the intellect that was not first inspire artistic creations. Over the centuries, sa-
in the senses, except the intellect itself. cred art has had the dual purpose of embodying
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz biblical testimonies through visual and applied
[Leibniz 1989, 49] arts and educating observers theologically, there-
by strengthening religious beliefs through visual
Introduction manifestations. In medieval Serbia, particular-
ly from the 12th to the 15th centuries, painting
In the beginning was the Word, and the focused on iconographic representations with-
Word was with God, and the Word was in sacred structures – churches and monaster-
God...Through him all things were made; ies. Icons and frescoes were not merely aesthet-
without him nothing was made that has ic; they functioned as tools to guide the faithful
been made [Jn 1: 1–3] 1 toward a deeper understanding of faith. Unlike
46 Protestant doctrine, which, through the Refor-
uppose we understand the initial verses of mation, clearly emphasized the absence of visual
depictions and an inclination towards asceti-
studia universitatis hereditati, letnik 12 (2024), številka 2 / volume 12 (2024), number 2
the Gospel of John as the fundamental ge-
Sneric aspect of the liturgical message about cism, such as Calvinism, the Orthodox Church
the creation of humanity. We can assert that encouraged the development of artistic tenden-
they embody the paradigm for all material and cies and other exegetical ‘instruments’ that stim-
ulated all senses, fully facilitating the presence
immaterial testimonies manifested through var- and devotion of the faithful (MacCulloch 2003,
ious media modalities. Interpreted through ar- 171). The eschatological dimension of the Ortho-
tistic creation, the Word can invoke a multi- dox Church and liturgical space is highlighted
plicity of interpretations. One of the primary through the aesthetic adornment with frescoes,
functions of art is to stimulate sensory experi- icons, priestly vestments, and sacred vessels, aim-
ences in the observer, inspiring the faithful by ing to emphasize the presence of the Heavenly
conveying a message, in the case of fresco paint- Kingdom. Fresco paintings, icons, and the over-
ing at the Dečani Monastery, exegetical content. all architecture of the church, along with the in-
During the Middle Ages, sensory perception was ternal design, are conceived to evoke a sense of
highly valued. Medieval visual objects, especial- divine presence in every worshipper entering
ly those of a sacred nature, were designed to en- this sacred space. Orthodox liturgy has retained
gage all the senses. The essence and core of these and developed a rich visual tradition. It is indis-
visual representations lay in the richness of sen- putable that these religious elements, manifested
sory experience. The senses of sight, smell, and through art, influenced the senses and undenia-
touch profoundly influence the observer’s body, bly stimulated and reinforced the spiritual mes-
shaping a reality where empirical knowledge is sage. The paradigm of religious and ontological
intertwined with spiritual imagination (Bagnoli interpretations in medieval compositions rep-
2017b, 32). The wall paintings of sacred objects in resents a foundation for further understanding
medieval Serbia, particularly biblical depictions, of biblical content and the mystification of ex-
were significantly influenced by the written periences through the senses, placing us within
word of the Old and New Testaments, liturgical the context of the perceptual reality of a given
content, and the lives of saints. The perceptual time through the analysis of phenomenological
exchange of interpreted religious content plays a archaeology. In this case study, we will examine
causal role: sacred art encourages religious beliefs the perception of the senses in the iconographic
while utilizing Biblical verses to interpret and representations of the Dečani Monastery, char-
acterized by a specific, symbolic, and abstract
1 All Biblical citations according to The Holy Bible: New
International Version (2011). artistic style with rich thematic compositions.