Compare the Lamentation from Saint Pantaleimon at Nerezi and the Anastasis from the church of Christ in Chora. How are they different? Why? Consider the political climate for each work and why it is relevant
The lamentations from St. Pantaleimon at Nerezi depict the agony after death of Christ. It is a fresco that is full of tension and sadness showing that the people were devastated by his death (Kleiner, 2011). The Anastasias is an art created by the Greek and it represents the resurrection of Christ. It has a halo around Christ’s head and in his hands are Adam and eve. This piece of art shows the resurrection and redemption that Christ has over the world (Van, 1912).
The political environment at this time seems divine since Christ is depicted as the ruler of the universe since even Satan is painted as being below him. Though Satan has the locks and the keys of hell, Christ is depicted to have power to condemn or redeem the souls from Satan (Van, 1912).
The political climate in the fresco on lamentations is full tension since it is at about the same time that it was prepared that Macedonia and Greece were struggling over boundaries. This can be viewed as the reason for the sadness in the fresco (Kleiner, 2011).
Considering the effect of the political climate on the frescos, there is direct relation between the fresco and the political environment. Considering the Anastasias, the political environment is cool and the people including their leaders appear to believe that Christ is all powerful. This makes the political environment also religious. Also, the cool political climate is reflected in the paintings that appear cool, religious and mosaic. This reflects the stability and peaceful state leading to the frescos (Van, 1912). Considering the melancholic fresco of Virgin Mary weeping over her son’s death, the political environment is depicted being unstable and hostile. This is also the case due to the struggles between Macedonia and Greece for boundaries (Kleiner, 2011).
In conclusion, the political environment appears to have direct impact on the paintings made during an era. This is as depicted by the two frescos and approaching it from a practical point, art comes from the minds and if the artist’s mind is not stable politically, he/she will definitely produce work which will depict the instability in the minds.
References
1. Kleiner, F. S. 2011. Gardner’s art through the ages: A global history, Volume I (13thed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
2. Van, M.A. 1912. Byzantine Churches of Constantinople. London: MacMillan & Co
