Page 50 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 12(2) (2024)

scribes the Creation. This depiction of the Gene- point in the world with spiritual or mytholog-
sis cycle in the Dečani Monastery represents not ical significance presents a fascinating point of
only the oldest but also the only thematic rep- convergence. While unconventional for Byzan-
resentation in Serbian medieval painting, and tine painters, this hypothesis is not unimagina-
it stands as the sole preserved monumental ex- ble within the context of cosmological symbols
ample in Eastern Christian tradition (Marković that were not foreign to them (Fig. 2).
and Marković 1995, 323). This scene is located
in the northern chapel of the monastery. In the Annunciation
lower-left corner, we see the naked human body The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings,
(Adam) lying on his back, with his legs stretched you who are highly favored! The Lord is
out on the rocks. Above his body, in the central
zone, we observe Jesus Christ in a mandorla, sur- with you.’ Mary was greatly troubled by his
words and wondered what kind of greeting
50 rounded by rays, blessing Adam. The presenta- this might be. But the angel told her, ‘Do not
tion of Jesus Christ should not surprise us in this be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with
scene considering the following verse: ‘Very tru-
studia universitatis hereditati, letnik 12 (2024), številka 2 / volume 12 (2024), number 2
ly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham God. You will conceive and give birth to a
son, and you are to call him Jesus [Lk 1:28–31].
was born, I am’ (Jn 8:58). Beyond the visual con-
trast of warm and cool tones and the distinctly As the depiction that initiates the cycle of
sculpted drawing, there is a clear distinction in Great Feasts, the interpretation of the Annunci-
the representation of the First Book of Moses. ation is located in the lunette beneath the eastern
Recall the verse: ‘…and breathed into his nostrils pair of pendentives. This scene is rich with senso-
the breath of life.’ The ray, directed by the right ry perceptions, as Mary is brought into a direct
hand of Christ, unmistakably points to Adam’s and immediate relationship with the Archangel
navel. This interesting depiction does not follow Gabriel, who brings her unexpected news. The
the literal text. Still, it offers a unique approach representation has a solemn and celebratory char-
that does not find analogies in other interpreta- acter, fitting for the event’s significance, with an
tions of the sensory experiences emerging from elaborately painted architectural backdrop that
the Dečani Monastery scene. This portrayal of reflects the announcement’s importance. Its com-
the transcendental touch of Christ and Adam positional construction and aesthetic elements
through the ‘breath of life’ symbolized by the underscore the scene’s grandeur. The Archangel
ray introduces us to the ontological tactility be- Gabriel, depicted with pronounced movement
tween God and man. Assuming that the artist and almost mid-stride, appears on the left side
intentionally directed Christ’s ray toward Ad- in festive attire, addressing Mary and proclaim-
am’s navel, an analogy can be found in the term ing that she is blessed among women. Mary, seat-
‘Even Ha’Shtiya,’ which in Jewish tradition de- ed on a chest, seems surprised by the Archangel’s
notes the place in the Jerusalem Temple where presence, her head bowed in contemplation. At
God began the creation of the world. The ‘navel the moment of the announcement, a ray of light
of the world’ represents the central point around from the heavens descends upon the figurative de-
which everything revolves, just as the navel is the piction of Mary, symbolizing the divine interven-
central point of the body. This stone is also as- tion. Although Mary speaks only two sentences
sociated with the myth of the foundation of the in the Gospel of Luke (one question and one af-
world, as it is believed that the world emanated firmation (Lk 1:34, Lk 1:38), the entire composi-
from this stone (Sefaria n.d.). Although the con- tion does not diminish in importance; instead, it
cept of the ‘navel of the world’ appears in Greek emphasizes the miraculous nature of the encoun-
mythology, Hinduism, Buddhism, and even ter and highlights Mary’s free will in her accept-
Native American cultures, the idea of a central ance of the supernatural conception. The Arch-