“Adoration of the Magi”, Diego Velazquez - description of the painting. Picturesque warehouse monpansie

Adoration of the Magi - Diego Velazquez. 1619. Oil on canvas. 204 x 126.5 cm

As for the plot, everything here is exactly like in the Bible: the baby Christ, the Virgin Mary, Joseph and the three wise men who came to worship the future Savior. But the image differs sharply from the canonical image: all the characters are dressed not in the style of the 1st century AD, characteristic of Judea at that time, but in the style typical of Spain in the 17th century.

This painting dates back to the early period of the artist’s work. There are still very deep dark shadows on it, many figures literally drown in darkness, but the perfectly selected harmonious colors shine all the brighter. Even in the work of a still young artist of the Seville period, mastery is already felt. It manifested itself especially clearly in the depiction of draperies and folds in the fabric. You can literally feel the smoothness and silkiness of the satin, the density of the woolen fabric on the clothes of St. Joseph and the weight of the draperies thrown over the kneeling sorcerer.

The clothing of the characters and their location sets a certain rhythm for the composition of the picture. The diagonal arrangement of the three main figures - the sorcerer on his knees and the seated Virgin Mary with the infant Christ on her lap - visually expands the space limited by the dense darkness in the background. Only the landscape visible in the distance in dark colors with low thunderclouds, most likely depicting the hill of Golgotha, adds a little airiness to this intensely filled and saturated composition.

The image of the infant Christ is also interesting here. Most artists did their work in classic style, leaving the child as a newborn. The old masters often depicted the Savior as a miniature copy of an adult man, but Velazquez took a different path. In his interpretation, Christ is a real little child, tightly swaddled according to the habits of that time. But the expression of his childish face is very serious, without a hint of infantile gaiety or abstraction - this child is not of this world.

The painting has a rich and rich coloring, excellent image quality and is the real pride of the Prado Museum, which houses most of the paintings of the great artist.

The first images of the Magi appear very early, in the 3rd century, in the painting of the catacombs, in the reliefs of early Christian sarcophagi, where the theme of the Incarnation of the Savior was often revealed through the plot of “The Adoration of the Magi.” Widespread in fine arts this plot received after the Edict of Milan. The theme of the Magi was very popular in the Western part of the empire, partly because in the sages who came to the Lord from the unknown eastern pagan lands, the recently converted pagans saw a certain prototype of themselves, their ancient culture, which had now turned to the Light.

The composition “Adoration of the Magi” arose under the influence of the traditional ancient art depiction of the worship of defeated barbarians to the emperor. On the reliefs of the sarcophagi, the Mother of God with the Child in her arms is presented in profile. Behind Her throne-like chair is often depicted the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. The Magi are depicted as marching and walking. The first of them usually points with his hand to the star standing above the head of the Infant Christ.

The Gospel reports that the wise men came from the East, so the most common view among Christian interpreters was that the Magi came from Persia, although there were opinions that they came from Arabia, Mesopotamia or even Ethiopia. The ancient artist believed that beyond the borders of the empire, somewhere beyond the Euphrates, there lived semi-barbarian peoples, the Persians, who did not dress like a Roman citizen. And the Magi are dressed in accordance with these ideas: they always wear trousers (and not the classic long tunics), short shirts and cloaks, and their heads are covered with peculiar forward-curved caps.

Sarcophagus of “Two Testaments” or “dogmatic”. 325-350 Vatican Museums, Rome. Fragment

Gospel cover. 2nd half of the 6th century. Treasury of the Duomo, Milan. Fragment

In the Mediterranean, all the inhabitants of the distant eastern lands were imagined this way: the three youths in the fiery furnace, who lived as captives in Babylon, are always depicted in exactly the same clothes.

The presentation of gifts itself is depicted in accordance with the text: the first magician gives gold, but not in coins, as we might expect, and not in bullion. The gift is a golden crown, on which sometimes even details resembling leaves are visible. Such golden wreaths could be awarded to triumphants and generals; The weight of the wreath was calculated in talents. If the first gift is gold, then it is easy to guess that the second is incense, the third is myrrh, which are depicted on small trays, in caskets or jugs.

Sometimes the sculptor depicts the Infant God receiving a crown from a sorcerer in His hands.

As a rule, images of camels are very expressive. Some artists manage to make them surprisingly charming and touching, so much so that you can imagine them as characters in a good cartoon for the little ones.

It is obvious that the first Christian artists very freely and widely used creative process heritage of ancient art. Sometimes they even borrowed pagan images and individual characters who were rethought received a new interpretation. Compositional schemes developed over centuries were used, individual parts, decorative motifs. For example, next to the Gospel story a decorative mask or figurines of winged geniuses and cupids could be placed.

Sometimes the composition was built not according to the procession pattern, but symmetrically around the central axis. For example, this option can be seen on an ampoule from Monza: frontal image The Virgin and Child are flanked by groups of wise men and shepherds.

The mosaicists who worked in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore also chose a symmetrical solution. The Magi in bright, luxuriously decorated clothes are depicted on either side of the throne on which the Child sits.

The mysterious, unknown world of the East, rich in gold, gems, incense and spices, has always excited the imagination of the inhabitants of the western part of the Roman Empire. And when depicting the costumes of oriental sages, so much color, decor, such coloristic combinations and fantastic ornamental motifs are sometimes used that one can only envy such unbridled imagination of the artists.

Quite early, already in the monuments of the 6th century, the Magi begin to be depicted not as beardless youths, but as men of three ages: an old man, a middle-aged man and a young man. The age gradation emphasized the idea that, in the person of the Eastern sages, the entire human race, from young to old, worships the Incarnate God.

Most often, three wise men are depicted, according to the number of gifts brought. However, for some time the exact number was not indicated in Tradition. Gradually, the opinion was established that there were three of them, although some works speak of 2, 4, 6, 8 Magi. And in the Syrian Church there was a legend about twelve wise men who came to Judea, accompanied by servants. In some works one can notice echoes of various versions about the number of Magi. Yes, on Byzantine fresco from the Cappadocian cave temple depicts six wise men.

In the same work there is another interesting detail: not shown above Star of Bethlehem, and an angel pointing to the Infant God. Throwing his head back strongly, one of the Magi looks at the angel just as in other monuments the Magi looks at a star. It can be assumed that such an artistic decision arose under the influence of the opinion of St. John Chrysostom, who believed that the star was not an astronomical phenomenon, but “an invisible force that took the form of a star.” We see a similar solution in one of the most beautiful works Byzantine art- mosaic of the Church of the Assumption in Daphne.

In the Middle Ages, the opinion arose that the Magi were kings. This view is based on the psalmist's prediction: “The kings of Tarshish and the isles will bring him tribute; the kings of Arabia and Sheba will bring gifts. And all kings will worship him; all nations will serve him” (Ps. 71: 10-11), as well as on the prophecy of Isaiah (Is.: 60: 6). IN Western European art The Magi were often depicted as kings.

There was an interpretation according to which the Magi were the descendants of Shem, Japheth and Ham, as if representatives of all nations and prefigured the Universal Church. In the West, one of the Magi was first depicted as dark-skinned, and later as black.

In the 18th century, when metropolitan Russian artists were entirely focused on european art, the image of a dark-skinned sorcerer also appears in Russia.

In Byzantine easel painting (icon painting), the scene “Adoration of the Magi” is included in the composition “The Nativity of Christ” as one of the depicted episodes. Chronologically, the worship of the Magi took place somewhat later than the worship of the shepherds, when holy family has already been located in one of the houses in Bethlehem. But in Christian art it is allowed to combine events from different times in one composition. To clearly express the theological meaning of what is happening, some formal details may not be emphasized or even ignored.

Icon. VII – IX centuries Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai

In addition to the scene of the worship of the Virgin and Child, the Magi are depicted in the scenes: “Journey beyond the Star”, “The Magi before Herod”, “Return to Their Countries”.

Icon. End of the 11th – beginning of the 12th century. Constantinople. Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai

During the Renaissance, complex multi-figure compositions were created, the protagonists of which were often the artist’s contemporaries. The painting by Sandro Botticelli in the retinue of the Magi depicts the Medici family, their court, and the artist himself. This desire to portray oneself in a biblical story is initially rooted not in some kind of pride of narcissism or political interests, but in a sincere desire to participate in what is happening, to become involved in a miracle. The customers of the paintings wanted their prayer and worship to be offered and accepted by God in such a visible way. Although it happened that the artist was so ruthlessly accurate that, perhaps, he conveyed something that the customer did not plan to make explicit.

Painters often intuitively, and sometimes quite consciously, place biblical scenes in the “scenery” of their era. Italians depict the nativity scene as they are accustomed to seeing it in their homeland - a canopy covered with straw or tiles, or an ancient ruin. Northern masters place the caravan of the Magi on the snowy street of a quiet burgher town, as Pieter Bruegel the Elder does.

WORSHIP OF THE MAGI

The worship of the Magi is one of the most common themes in the art of the ancient Christian period. The miraculous event, in which ancient writers, exponents of church consciousness, saw one of the brilliant proofs of the divine, royal and redemptive significance of Christ, could not pass without a trace in the history of Christian iconography, reflecting the main features of the same church consciousness. Monuments of this plot have come down to us in ancient Christian painting and sculpture, as well as in all types of medieval and modern art. Between the monuments of the ancient Christian period and the Middle Ages, a close relationship is noticed in the iconographic forms of this plot; but their differences must not be overlooked, as Rogo de Fleury admitted in his Gospel, recognizing their identity in relation to the shape of the star, costume, gestures and number of the Magi. This conclusion is based on a comparison of predominantly Western monuments, even if they are quite numerous. But already ancient Christian mosaics, and even more so Byzantine monuments, exhibit many features of costume, gestures and position characters, which are not found either in the painting of the catacombs or in the sculpture of sarcophagi. It would be more accurate to say that the general composition of the plot did not receive a strong expansion in the Middle Ages: this is true both in relation to Western and especially Eastern monuments. Western artists of modern times developed the idea of ​​the plot and gave it pomp and royal splendor. In the East, this could not happen not only due to the hieratic nature of Orthodox iconography, but also because the worship of the Magi, in the absence of a special celebration specifically in honor of this event, rarely had a place in the iconography independent production: it was usually connected with the Nativity of Christ or was included as an integral part in the composition of the akathist and “What will we bring.” A review of the monuments will confirm this general position.

IN catacomb painting, related to the most ancient period Christianity, this image is repeated about ten times: in the catacombs of Domitilla of the 3rd century, in the catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter of the 3rd century, Phrazon of the 3rd century, Callistus, Cyriacus of the 4th century, Balbina of the 4th century, Callista (two damaged), Priscilla and Domitilla. These monuments have been published and described, and therefore we will limit ourselves to clarifying the general type of image (Fig. 55). Our Lady usually sits on a chair; she is dressed in a long tunic with wide or narrow sleeves; on her head is a veil; sometimes (cubicula of Cecilia in the catac. Callista; ka-so. Marcellina and Peter) her head is open: de Rossi believes that with this last sign the artists wanted to express the idea of ​​​​the virgin purity of the Mother of God (Roman maidens did not cover their heads before marriage); but since, according to Tertullian, it was more fitting for virgins dedicated to God to cover their heads, the Mother of God should also be depicted with a covered head, especially since covering her head, as R. de Fleury correctly noted, was also befitting her position as the chaste wife of Joseph. In the arms of the Mother of God is the Child, dressed in a long tunic, sometimes with claves; he is one or two years old; He sometimes stretches out his right hand to the gifts of the Magi. The Magi appear in numbers of two, three or four: they stand in a bowed position before Christ and the Mother of God all together (Fig. 55) or two on each side (Fig. 56); in their hands are dishes or boxes with gifts. Their clothes: a short belted tunic and anaxirides; a wide sleeveless cloak with a clasp on the right or left shoulder will be thrown over the shoulders; on their heads are Phrygian caps. Setting images that would indicate the place where the action takes place, whether in a house, in a cave or on outdoors, No. We consider the tree standing next to the Mother of God in the catacombs of Callistus not as an indicator of the scene of action, but as a conventional decorative motif. IN sculpture of sarcophagi There is significant diversity in the depiction of the worship of the Magi. Sometimes it is depicted separately from the Nativity of Christ, sometimes both of these images merge and form one whole. The first ones have a relatively simple composition, and some of them are no different from the composition of the catacomb frescoes. On Lateran sarcophagus, found in the foundation of an ancient Vatican basilica, three wise men, with vessels in their hands, in short tunics, cloaks and Phrygian caps, stand in front of the Mother of God, sitting on an armchair and holding in her arms a Child dressed in a tunic. The baby accepts gifts from the hands of the front sorcerer.

55 Fresco from the catacombs of Callista

All these features are also known from monuments fresco painting. The same basic composition in another Lateran sarcophagus from the Church of St. Paul(s. Paolo fuori le mura; Fig. 57); but in the group of wise men, dressed in cloaks with fastenings in the front, some animation was introduced: the front magician, pointing his hand at the star, turns his head back to his companions. There are gifts in the hands of the Magi: at the front Golden ring(monetary unit), the rest have vessels. Behind the Mother of God stands a man with a beard, in a tunic and pallium: de Rossi sees in this figure an image of the Holy Spirit, but not Joseph, since, firstly, Joseph in the era of sarcophagi was depicted without a beard, and secondly, he was not depicted in the scene of the worship of the Magi; and meanwhile, on the same sarcophagus in the scene of the creation of man, the Holy Spirit is represented in this form. But this means proving one unknown to other unknowns. What was said above about the image of Joseph in the scene of the Nativity of Christ allows us to see here in the figure of a husband, dressed in a pallium and occupying a place behind the Mother of God, her patron, precisely Joseph. The same patron position and similar forms are given to Joseph in the scene of the adoration of the Magi in the Maria in Cosmedin mosaics. On miniatures Vatican sarcophagus, published by Bosio and Bottari, in the beard of the front sorcerer there is a hint of the difference in their ages, clearly defined in later iconography. They don't represent important differences in the composition of the worship of the Magi there are also sarcophagi in Ravello and Toletan. On some sarcophagi, the composition is complemented by the image of camels belonging to the Magi. These are the sarcophagi: in the Church of Marcellus in Rome, in Osimo and several sarcophagi in the Lateran Museum. In the first of them, the worship of the Magi is placed next to the fall of the ancestors to express the idea of ​​​​the redemption of fallen man by the born Messiah; the same on the sarcophagus in the Church of Ambrose in Milan: but this combination of subjects is not one of the usual ones; much more often the worship of the Magi is combined with the image of the Nativity of Christ.

56 Fresco from the catacombs of Domitilla

57 Great Lateran Sarcophagus

Leaving aside those sarcophagi where the Baby appears swaddled, but there is no manger, no ox and donkey - signs of the composition of the Nativity of Christ, let us turn our attention to monuments of a different kind. On the stairs of the Lateran Museum there is, by the way, the following bas-relief of the 4th century: three wise men, behind whom a camel is visible, follow the star, with gifts in their hands; the front sorcerer points his hand at the star and makes a speech to his companions. In front, under a canopy, is a manger in the form of a basket, in which lies a swaddled Baby; at the manger there is an ox and a donkey, a shepherd and the Mother of God. Garrucci and Rogo de Fleury see here directly the worship of the Magi, but this is not entirely accurate; the moment of worship has not yet arrived here: the Magi see that the star has stopped, leave the camels and approach the canopy; The Mother of God, who according to all monuments takes a close part in the scene of the adoration of the Magi, sits here on the sidelines and does not even look at the Magi. Therefore, the first moment of the Magi's arrival for worship is depicted here, but not the worship itself. The images on the other two Lateran sarcophagi, on the sarcophagus in the Maximin Crypt in France, on the two Arles sarcophagi have the same character: on the latter, the Magi are below under the image of the Nativity of Christ, they are not yet worshiping, but are reasoning about the miraculously stopped star. On the Milanese sarcophagus of San Celso, the Magi stand with their backs to the manger in which the Child lies, and look at the star: the moment of worship is also not expressed here. We also see the moment preceding worship on sarcophagi: Vatican, Gallic and Syracuse. But on some sarcophagi, together with the Nativity of Christ, it is precisely the worship of the Magi that is depicted. This is one of the Lateran sarcophagi: the Mother of God sits on a chair in a rather ceremonial position, with a swaddled Child in her arms; in front of her are three wise men in tunics and cloaks, in Phrygian caps, with vessels in their hands; they respectfully bend down and offer the vessels to the Child; near them are camels. Next to this scene there is a manger, an ox and a donkey under a canopy, i.e., the usual elements of the image of the Nativity of Christ. But both of these scenes are connected not only by the unity of place, but also by time. The manger is empty; The swaddled baby is now taken from here by the Mother of God to meet the Magi. Obviously, the sculptor was sure that the worship of the Magi followed shortly after the birth of the Savior, when St. the family had not yet had time to move from the barn to more comfortable premises. The same must be said about sarcophagus in the Church of St. Trophime in Arles, where in the scene of the worship of the Magi, the manger is omitted, but the ox and donkey are preserved. An interesting feature here is that the Child is depicted already at the age of 2–3 years; thus, the sculptor, on the one hand, by introducing elements of the Nativity of Christ into the plot, gave a hint of the close connection of these events in time, on the other hand, he separated them 2- 3 year old baby. But this disagreement is not irreconcilable. Perhaps the sculptor, by increasing the size of the Infant, thereby wanted to highlight in Him the power of higher understanding, just as Byzantine and Russian artists did when, for example, they depicted the Newborn Christ at the age of 2-3, standing in the font of ablution, with a blessing hand; the same tendency is often reflected in the increased size of the head of the Infant Christ on Byzantine and Russian monuments. The Adoration of the Magi together with the Nativity of Christ is also presented on two Lateran sarcophagi. The Mother of God sits on a chair with the Baby, who receives gifts from the visiting wise men, to the right is the Baby in a manger, near which stand an ox and a donkey and shepherds (Fig. 39 on p. 140). That both of these scenes were inextricably linked in the mind of the artist and seemed to him to follow in the same place where the Savior was born, we conclude from the fact that the sculptor depicts the Mother of God only once in the scene of the adoration of the Magi and omits it in the scene of the Nativity of Christ. In depicting events separated from one another by a significant period of time, it is difficult to allow such an omission of one of the main elements of the composition of the Nativity of Christ.

So, in the sculpture of sarcophagi, the worship of the Magi is sometimes depicted separately from the Nativity of Christ, sometimes together with it; sometimes the arrival of the Magi is depicted, but not the worship. The Mother of God, as in the painting of the catacombs, sits on a chair with the Baby in her arms, who accepts the gifts of the Magi; He is dressed in a tunic; occasionally swaddled; his age is not always the same. The number of wise men is three; they are young; their clothes are the same as in the painting of the catacombs; there are no halos. The nature of the gifts is not the same.

These details, as will be seen, correspond to the views on this subject expressed in the monuments ancient writing. To understand this type, it would be useful to compare it with monuments of secular sculpture and painting of the ancient Christian period - namely, with the Egyptian obelisk in Constantinople (Fig. 58) with a miniature of the Vatican Codex of Virgil of the 5th century. In the first, the peoples of Asia and Europe bring a gift to Emperor Theodosius I. The emperor sits on the throne and accepts the gifts; it corresponds to the Virgin and Child in the scene of the adoration of the Magi. Those who bring gifts are in the same clothes as the wise men in the sculpture; like the Magi, they hold vessels with gifts in their hands and fall to their knees: last detail, as being completely consistent with the Eastern ceremonial, brings the scene closer to the worship of the Magi in Byzantine monuments. The imperial guards with spears are reminiscent of the angels in the mosaics of Mary the Great. In the Vatican Codex Virgil, King Latinus, sitting on his throne, receives gifts from the ambassadors of Aeneas. Ambassadors with vessels in their hands, wearing the same tunics, cloaks and Phrygian caps as the Magi in ancient Christian monuments. The scene on one ancient sarcophagus, depicting Priam at the feet of Achilles, has a similar character. This similarity serves as a sign that the composition of the worship of the Magi was influenced by the observation of living reality and that just as the entire scene conveys a living scene of a court ceremony, so, in particular, the costumes of the Magi were taken directly from life. These are oriental costumes, as another monument of secular sculpture convinces - the Solunsk arch, built in honor of the victory of Constantine the Great over Licinius, where the eastern peoples who were part of the army of Licinius are depicted in the usual costume of the Magi. These costumes are partly similar to the costumes of the ancient Persians, but they are much more reminiscent of the costumes of the Phrygians - tunic, mantle, cap and anaxyrides: the richness and nature of the decorations are the same as in the mosaics of Mary the Great.

This type of image on sarcophagi passes in many other monuments of ancient sculpture. This is how it is on the golden tablet (5th–6th centuries) of the Ottoman museum in Constantinople, and on the Etchmiadzin binding there is the same composition, the same costumes of the Magi. On the door of the Church of Sabina in Rome, the Mother of God sits on a raised platform, like a solea, with six steps, with the Child in her arms. Before Him are the Magi in tunics and Phrygian caps.

58 Obelisk sculpture in Constantinople

The author of a special discussion about this monument calls it an iconographic addition to the sarcophagi, closely related to them by the nature of the style and composition. The traditions of ancient and ancient Christian art go further in sculpture in general than in mosaics and miniatures; in particular, the same phenomenon is noticed in the images of the worship of the Magi on sculpture monuments, such as: Thessaloniki pulpit, plaque Vatican Library(Christ and the Mother of God without halos; the Child naked, as in one fresco from the catacombs of Callistus), a Florentine casket (in the left hand of Christ there is a four-pointed cross), a casket that was at the Paris Exhibition of 1867, a casket from the Soltykov collection, a frame for the Milanese Gospel (see . Fig. 27 on page 109), bronze medals - Vatican (a four-pointed cross above the head of Christ) and Pasqualini, plate of the Lateran Museum, Venetian casket of the 11th century. (from Constantinople). In similar terms, the worship of the Magi was represented on the pulpit of Maximian (the Magi kneeling), as can be seen from the description of Trombelli, on the throne of Ratkis in Cividale (three young wise men, three stars, a flying angel - the guide of the Magi, behind the Mother of God - a female servant, in sculpture Venetian Cathedral of St. Mark; on flasks for Jerusalem oil in Monza (+??????? ?????? ??? ????? ??????? ?????): in the center is the Mother of God with the Eternal Child - Emmanuel (????????? ???' ????); on the left side - the Magi with an angel, on the right - shepherds with an angel; above the Mother of God there is a radiant star, below flock. The general arrangement of parts of the image, the halos of Emmanuel (cruciform) and the Mother of God, the presence of angels distinguish this image from the catacomb and place it among the Byzantine monuments. Let us move on to the monuments of painting, among which the first place belongs to mosaics March of the Great(Fig. 59).

59 Mosaic of Mary the Great in Rome

The worship of the Magi is distinguished here by unique features in comparison with the monuments of ancient Christian painting and sculpture in terms of forms and ideas of plot; the artist's strong desire to build historical fact to the extent of the magnificent ceremonial scene, which has an ideal meaning, marks the firm beginning of a new direction in the history of the plot. It is located on the triumphal arch on the left side. On a large crimson throne, decorated precious stones, with a blue seat, the Savior sits; His right hand blesses: the head is surrounded by a golden halo with a four-pointed cross - the embryo of a cruciform Byzantine halo. His clothes: a gray tunic and imatius. Behind the throne stand four angels in gray tunics, and among them there is a star above the Savior’s head. On either side of the throne are two women. On the right are two young wise men, with vessels in their hands, in tunics and anaxirides, richly decorated; one has a kind of turban on his head, the other a Phrygian cap; behind them is the city. Ideal character the composition is clear the first time. The Savior is no longer the same Child who sits in the arms of the Mother of God in the monuments examined; He is on the royal throne, in the halo assigned to God alone; He is the King of Heaven, and He is served by the heavenly powers; earthly rulers come to worship Him in the form of Magi. Rogo de Fleury believes that the mosaicist looked at the Magi as newcomers from Persia and depicted them in Persian costumes. The cosmopolitan city of Rome, with its mixed population, which also included representatives of the East, could provide the artist with samples of a variety of costumes globe, including Persian. The author finds one of the proofs of the historical fidelity of the Persian clothes of the Magi in a mosaic discovered in 1831, now stored in the Neapolitan Museum and depicting the Battle of Arbel. The costumes of the fighting Persians are similar to the costumes of the Magi in the mosaics of Mary the Great, especially their caps, sleeves, anaxyrides and the nature of the decorations: but we have already noted above that these costumes are more similar to the Phrygian ones. Consequently, the mosaicist either did not know at all, or did not consider it probable, the legend widespread in writing and art of the Middle Ages about the three wise men who came from different countries. It is more difficult to explain the significance of the two women on either side of the throne, especially since existing photographs of them differ from each other. The woman on the left is dressed in shiny clothes decorated with pearls; in her left hand, apparently, there is a tablet, her right is applied to her chest; the head is open. The Mother of God is depicted in a similar form in the same mosaics at the Annunciation and Presentation. The second woman on the right side is wearing a tunic; her head, shoulders and right hand are covered; This is how the Mother of God is depicted in Byzantine monuments. Poro de Fleury, recognizing the first of the women as the Mother of God, believes that the Church of Christ is represented under her image; He explains the second woman in the sense of personifying the synagogue. Prof. Kondakov sees here the pagan church (i.e. ecclesia ex gentibus) in a rich maiden dress, like a young maiden, and the Jewish church (i.e. ecclesia ex circumcisione?), like an old matron in a penule. Baye recognizes the second woman as the Mother of God, but does not give any explanation to the first; Garrucci, on the contrary, sees the first, and in the second he sees a nurse or governess, without giving either one or the other any special symbolic meaning. He believes that the artist, depicting a ceremonial scene in the Roman style and presenting the Mother of God in the form of a noble matron, could, according to his own consideration, supplement the Gospel picture with the figure of a nurse or governess, in the spirit of that time, since the Mother of God came from a royal family. With this explanation, the scroll in the hands of the female nurse is out of place, and indeed it is not in Garrucci's drawing. The strength of this explanation lies in the resemblance of the Mother of God to other images of her in the same mosaics; but for its second half there is no basis, except for one general consideration. In general, it is narrower than the explanation of R. de Fleury and prof. Kondakova. In support of his opinion, R. de Fleury refers to ancient authors who compare the Mother of God with the church; as well as on the mosaics of the Roman church of Sabina, where under the images of two women the churches of Jews and pagans are represented; but, firstly, this is not the same thing as a church and a synagogue; secondly, none of the personifications in Sabina’s mosaics can be identified with the personality of the Mother of God; thirdly, there is not enough similarity in the external forms of personifications in the churches of Sabina and Mary the Great; in the first, women are represented standing and near them were the apostles Peter and Paul, representatives of the Christian communities of Jews and pagans. The author’s reference to the authority of Garrucci, who personally assured him that monuments of ancient art have not only a direct meaning, but also a symbolic one, turns out to be unsuccessful: the Jesuit scientist, in a special explanation of this subject, as we have seen, did not support the symbolism of the French scientist. The question thus remains open; It is necessary first of all to publish this mosaic in an exact copy.

60 Miniature of the Codex of Gregory the Theologian No. 510

A further step in the sense of the Byzantine development of the plot of the worship of the Magi is represented by mosaics in Church of Apollinaris New in Ravenna (504). In the famous procession of virgins of the middle nave, on a luxurious blue Byzantine throne, decorated with pearls, with a red seat, sits the Mother of God with the Child in her arms; purple clothes her with two gold stripes and a head cover with a cross, as in Byzantine monuments; a halo adorns her head; her right hand that blesses. The Savior in a white tunic, in a cruciform halo. On the sides of the throne are four angels with bandages in their hair, halos, and wands. As in the mosaics of Mary the Great, so here the artist gives an ideal setting of the Gospel story. The Savior and Mother of God are the king and queen of heaven and earth. The Three Magi approaching the throne were damaged by an earthquake and were recently repaired by a Venetian mosaicist, who used fragments of the previous mosaic during the restoration. The front sorcerer is Gaspar (scs. Gaspar) - with a gray beard and hair; his red cap resembles a medieval crown; a purple cloak trimmed with gold fastened at the right shoulder; red patterned tunic with gold trim; variegated anaxyrids with gold stripes and red boots. He holds in his hands, wrapped in a cloak, a vessel of gold. The second sorcerer - Melchior (scs. Melchior) - young without a beard, in a hat like Gaspard's, in a greenish cloak with red borders, in a gray selected tunic, in anaxyrides with stripes in the front and in gray boots; holding a vase with bare hands. Third - Balthassar (scs. Balthassar) - a man in mature age, with a dark beard, wearing a blue crown decorated with precious stones, a white cloak with black specks and red borders, a dark matched tunic, dark striped anaxyrids and yellow boots. This restoration is carried out in the spirit of antiquity and partly restores the features of the original image, as can be seen from its comparison with the description of the original mosaic before restoration; but the colors of the clothes and the order of the Magi are changed. IN Codex of Gregory the Theologian national library No. 510 (l. 137; see Fig. 60) The Mother of God in scarlet robes sits on a golden throne with a golden foot. In her arms is a 2-3 year old Baby in a golden tunic, in a cruciform halo; He extends his right hand to the gifts of the front sorcerer. All three wise men wear short, fitted tunics, round caps like Turkish fezzes, with horizontal stripes; in their hands are large golden vessels with gifts, namely: the first has gold money, the second has incense, the third has myrrh in the form of pieces of white and gray mass. The front sorcerer - the old man - kneels; the other two - middle-aged and young - are standing. In the background is an angel with a staff. Behind the Mother of God is an astonished Joseph. To the right - the Magi stand in the open air; An angel leans towards them with a well-known instruction regarding their return. IN Vatican minology(25 Dec. ?? ???? ????? ? ??? ??? ???????????) miniature of Simeon of Blachernae: the action takes place in a cave. The Mother of God in a blue tunic and dark cape sits in a cave on a stone; her feet, shod in red boots, rest on another stone below. In her arms is a Child in a golden tunic, with a scroll in a shuyts and with a blessing right hand. Three Magi (??????? ??? ?????? ????? ?????) different ages- an old man, a middle-aged man and a young man - fall to his knees. Everyone has vessels in their hands and caps on their heads. The clothes of the first sorcerer: a blue cloak with an agraph, a short green tunic and red anaxyrides with gold spangles, as in the mosaics of Mary the Great; second: a bluish cloak and a light blue tunic; third: a greenish cloak and a red tunic. In general, there is a noticeable abundance of gold in the clothes; cloaks flutter luxuriously. An angel with a bandage in his hair, in a brown tunic and gray imathiya, with a rod in his hands, as in the Code of Gregory the Theologian, points the Magi to Christ. This angel is already making a commentary on the text of the minology, which says that the Magi walked according to the instructions of the star (??????????? ?? ??????), but not the angel. IN Barberine Psalter the arrival and worship of the Magi is depicted in the explanation of Psalm LXXI, 10-11. The Magi ride on horses; behind them is a pack donkey with gifts... The Mother of God on the throne with the Child in her arms; in front of Him are three wise men in golden Persian caps in the form of a truncated cone and in short tunics. The middle sorcerer, apparently, is a black Arab, in accordance with the words of the psalm “the kings of Arabia and Saba will bring gifts.” Above is the prophet Isaiah, who prophesied about the worship of the Magi: “And herds of kings will come to you, and the kings of Midianstia and Gepharstia will cover you: all from Sheba will come bearing gold, and they will bring frankincense, and an honorable stone, and they will proclaim the salvation of the Lord” (Isa. LX, 6). IN full face gospels The Magi are part of the image of the Nativity of Christ, which has already been discussed above. However, the same codes convey some important details from the history of the Magi. IN No. 74 (fol. 3 vol.) there is a miniature of the arrival of the Magi in Jerusalem: a city in the form of a tower with buildings; A crowd of Jews stands at the city gates and talks with the arriving wise men. One of the Magi is an old man, another is middle-aged, the third is young. They are all wearing short, belted tunics, richly decorated, and luxurious cloaks thrown at the back, with clasps under the chin. The Magi are gesturing and pointing to the star standing over the city. In the same costumes, but with badges on their heads?, the Magi stand in front of Herod, sitting on the throne, in a short tunic and cloak, in a dark pink halo (l. 10). IN Laurentian Gospel No. plut. VI code. 23 (fol. 6 and 6 vol.) three wise men of different ages, wearing caps with badges, approach Jerusalem on beautiful horses, from the gates of which a woman, personifying the city, comes out to meet them. Further, the same wise men in a respectful position, without hats, stand before Herod; They travel in the direction of the star to the cave, and finally move away. IN Vatican Gospel No. 1156 (25–26 Dec.) the Magi in three moments: a) in front of Herod, who is sitting on a chair, wearing a diadem, a gray tunic, a blue cloak and red boots; the front sorcerer is an old man in a blue tunic and a red cloak, the second is middle-aged in the same tunic and a pinkish cloak, the third is young in a red tunic and a blue cloak; everyone is wearing red boots; with badges on their heads; behind the magi there are chambers and a horse; b) adoration of the Magi: the Mother of God and the Child, dressed in a tunic, sits on a throne; in front of Them are the Magi in a bowed position with vessels in their hands; c) the wise men on horseback ride away from the city. IN Gelati Gospel The Magi first stand before Herod, then worship the Savior (fol. 1 vol.). The adoration of the Magi is combined here in one miniature with the Nativity of Christ, but has the appearance of an independent image, as on some Russian icons: the Mother of God sits with the Child in her arms, no longer swaddled, but dressed in a tunic; He extends his arms to the Magi, who bow respectfully. The guiding angel points the Magi to the Baby. IN National Library Gospels suppi. No. 27 (l. 172) the Magi in the picture of worship are represented in pointed hats, and in the picture of the appearance of an angel to them - in Byzantine diadems, as in the Spasonereditsky frescoes. IN friend of the Gospel of the same library No. 115 (l. 25) the wise men in front of Herod are wearing red caps, and Herod himself is wearing a Byzantine diadem. IN Greek Gospel Imperial public library No. 105 (fol. 12 vol.) the miniaturist depicted the worship of the Magi in a cave: the Mother of God lies on a bed near a manger in which the Baby is swaddled; Three wise men with gifts stand near the cave. There is no Joseph here, no ox and donkey, no washing of the Child; by removing them, the miniaturist wanted to focus the observer’s attention on the worship of the Magi and distinguish it from the Nativity of Christ; but he nevertheless copied the elements that were present directly from the image of the Nativity of Christ. The special idea of ​​the plot is more clearly defined by the signature below, referring to the content of the Gospel “???? ?????”. IN Coptic Gospel National Library (l. 6): The Mother of God enthroned with the Child; in front of Them are three wise men in bowed poses, with vessels in their hands. In these general outline the Coptic image is consistent with the Byzantine ones; its differences: Coptic types of Magi; colorful clothes; tall colored hats with fur and gilded bands, like Tatar hats; Coptic types of Our Lady and Savior; Our Lady without shoes. IN Akathists of the Synodal and Museum of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy three moments from the history of the Magi: a) the Magi on horses ride up a high mountain and look at a star; their clothes are tunics and wind-blown cloaks (academic, l. 6 vol.; synod., l. 12). This miniature illustrates the 5th kontakion “the godly star who saw Volsvi” (????????? ?????? ??????????? ?????); b) The Mother of God is sitting on the pulpit with the Child: the right hand of the Child is blessing, there is a scroll in the chest. Before Them are three wise men of different ages, with gifts (synod., l. 13; academician, l. 7). In the synodal akathist, the action takes place in a cave where the rays of a star fall from above; in the academic - in chambers with selected draperies; in the first the icons on the heads of the Magi are different, in the second they are the same; The miniature belongs to the 5th ikos “videsha youths of Chaldeystia” (? ??? ?????? ????????'?? ????? ??? ????????) ; c) return of the Magi (synod., l. 15; academician, l. 8): the Magi enter the gate big building, meaning city. In the academic akathist at the gates of the city, a personification in the form of a woman was added. The idea of ​​this miniature is expressed in the 6th kontakion “??????? ???????. In later Greek, as well as Russian, monuments, the worship of the Magi is included in the image of the Nativity of Christ (Fig. 45 on p. 149, also 48 on p. 154), or “What shall we bring” (Fig. 49 on p. 180); occasionally appears separately, for example, in the murals of the Athonolaurus paraklis of the Goalkeeper (on the northern wall), in the Russian facial Gospels (Ipat. No. 1–2 and print. 1681), on the Capponian icon in the Vatican Museum (Dec. 26) and on icons with akathists; but it does not present any original features in comparison with the described monuments. Miniaturist Siysk Gospel(Fig. 61) puts the worship of the Magi in connection with the story of Joseph (the high priest in the Russian church with poppies hands Joseph a flourishing rod) and the Annunciation; turns the manger into a box, changes the position of the ox and donkey, depicts the Mother of God with an open head and deprives the Magi of ancient typical features from their clothes. Let's point out a few more examples. On icon of the Annunciation of the 16th century. in the Rostov Boris and Gleb Monastery The procession of the Magi at the direction of the star and the flying angel is especially depicted (kontakion 5: “The Magi saw the God-bearing star”) and their worship.

61 Miniature of the Siysk Gospel

On icon in the department of iconology in Moscow at the Society of Lovers of Spiritual Enlightenment the wise men on richly decorated horses ride at the direction of an angel holding a star in his hand, a motif inspired by the words of the 5th kontakion “like one holding a lamp”; then they, dismounting from their horses and taking off their hats, worship the Lord, held “on the hand of the virgins and chu” (ikos 5), and finally depart for Babylon (cond. 6). The same three points Icon of Our Lady of Vladimir in the Moscow Danilov Monastery. The description says that on the back of the icon three men are depicted in front of the Mother of God, one of whom looks like Ivan the Terrible, and the other like his son, in oprichnina robes, cassocks and robes; I. the Terrible has a box in his hands. By all indications this is the worship of the Magi; but it is possible to assume that the icon painter depicted the Magi as types of the royal family. On icons from the collection of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy from St. Synod No. 120 (folding) and Moscow Ascension Monastery No. 5 worship of the Magi in a cave setting: A baby swaddled in a manger; The Mother of God sits next to Him; three wise men with gifts are kneeling; Joseph sits thoughtfully to the side, not paying any attention to the solemn scene. There, on icons from the 18th century Chudov Monastery. No. 242 and St. Synod No. 16 depicts the arrival of the Magi, the adoration of the Child sitting with the Mother of God on the throne, in the chambers, and the return home; Moreover, on the first of these icons, the Magi (two) appear one more time before the Mother of God in the cave. The Magi are dressed in tunics, cloaks, anaxirides and caps, which received a conventional iconographic form. On the new icon from Chudov Monastery No. 11, the adoration of the Magi is combined with the adoration of the shepherds; Magi in royal crowns; they fold their hands in prayer, like Catholics. These examples indicate a joint and separate depiction of the worship of the Magi on Russian monuments from the Nativity of Christ.

Greek script in the description of the plot of the worship of the Magi represents some deviations from antiquity. Chambers (OTko?). Preev. Virgo sits on a chair ( ? ?? ??????), holding the Christ Child blessing. In front of her are three wise men, bringing gifts in golden vessels (???????). One of them (???? ??’??????) , an old man with a large beard, kneels and looks at Christ; with one hand he offers Him a gift, with the other he holds his crown (????????? ???). The second sorcerer has a small beard, the third without a beard: they look at each other and point to Christ. Behind the Mother of God stands an astonished Joseph. Outside the room (?????????) a young man holds three horses by the bridle. In the distance on the mountain three wise men on horses are visible: they are returning to their country; in front of them is an angel showing the way. Russian originals of the 16th century. do not describe separately the worship of the Magi, but only add brief remarks about the color of their clothes in the description of the Nativity of Christ. In the originals of the 17th–19th centuries. they are called by name and their origin is indicated, as will be seen below. As an example, we give a detailed description of the original critical edition: “volsvi, i.e. kings eastern countries: one from Persia, another from Arabia, and the third from Ethiopia. Their names are this: the first Melchior, old and gray-haired, head-haired and overbearing in duty, bring gold to the King and Mistress. The second Gaspar, young and without a brad, with scarlet face, brought Lebanon to God who became man. Third Belshazzar, dark-skinned, very bearded, bring this myrrh to the mortal Son of Man (Nicephorus, book 1, chapter 12 and at even minutes 1 January). In the rank of saints after death there is veneration; Over many years, their bodies were brought first to Constantinople, also to Mediolan, then to Colonia. The people of Persia came to worship Christ at Christmas: Abimelech bring gold as to a king, Elisur bring Lebanon as to God, Aeliab bring myrrh as to a dead man; and bowed to him and decided: I brought you yours heavenly powers Jesus." This description contains mixed different tales, irreconcilable with each other. There is no exact expression of this awkward description in material monuments. Offering historical information about the Magi, the critical original provides little iconographic material. The theological side of his description is also weak. Artistic practice of modern times was ahead of the original in this regard: forgetting the ancient tradition and borrowing some materials from Western engravings, she gave us a very interesting example of the theological and symbolic interpretation of the worship of the Magi in one ancient engraving from the Museum of the St. Petersburg Archaeological Society(without no.). At the top of the picture is the sky, in which God the Father is visible in a triangle and the Holy Spirit in the center of an octagonal star, to which the inscription refers: “and the star that was seen in the east is one hundred above, where the boy was.” Below, two angels on the clouds hold an unrolled scroll, in which it is written: “Today the angels of the Child praise God: glory in the highest to God and peace on earth.” In the middle of the picture costs The Mother of God supports the standing Baby, dressed in a tunic and swaddled from the waist to the bottom. Behind the Mother of God is Joseph; an ox and a donkey lie at their feet. Before the Baby there are three wise men on their knees: all of them are in halos, in full Russian attire - in colored fur coats with mantles; their hats, like Monomakh's hat, are placed on a platter. In the halo of the old sorcerer it is written mind; in the halo of a young man - word·, in the halo of the third sorcerer-youth - soul; in two scrolls next to them it is written: see the star in the east and bow down to its predecessors, And: and she opened her treasures and brought them gifts. These spiritual gifts, like the Magi themselves, have a spiritual meaning: they are represented in the form of a trestle tree; each rod of it is entwined with a special scroll with unclear inscriptions, with a crown at the bottom; on the middle one it is written: “Whoever overcomes the world, only believes that Jesus is the Son of God”; on the right: “God loved the world as He loved His only begotten Son”; on the left: “from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people.” At the upper end of the middle rod there is a cross with a burning heart and the inscription faith; on the second rod there is a heart with the inscription hope, and at the lower end there is an anchor; on the third - a heart with wings and an inscription Love Above the hearts it is written: Where your treasure is, there is your heart. Behind the Magi is a crowd of people in Russian fur coats. In the corners of the picture: John the Baptist, apostle. Peter with keys (damaged), St. Alexey, Metropolitan of Moscow, and Alexey the man of God. Below are verses, composed rather poorly, but important for explaining the composition. They mention the autocracy of the kings, whom the compiler of the drawing had in mind. The four saints in the corners hint at John and Peter Alekseevich, the father of their Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and Alexei Petrovich. It seems to us that in the image of the three wise men, in the costumes of Russian tsars, with a Russian retinue, the engraver depicted Russian tsars, perhaps John and Peter Alekseevich and the young Alexei Petrovich. If this is correct, then the engraving appeared between 1690, when the last one was born, and 1696, when Ivan Alekseevich died. But why the engraver distributed the inscriptions in the halos in such a way that he determined the mind of John, the word of Peter, and the soul of Alexei, is difficult to explain. Apparently, when introducing the reigning house into the engraving, he did not lose sight of the abstract thought of glorifying God with soul, heart and lips and was unable to maintain the unity of thought in the picture.

The worship of the Magi in Byzantine and Russian monuments is a direct continuation of the ancient Christian type of this image. Both there and here it is depicted, sometimes together with the Nativity of Christ, sometimes separately. In some images (from the birth of Christ) the cave setting sometimes disappears, sometimes remains unchanged; The baby appears in this case at the age of 2–3 years; sometimes He blesses, sometimes He holds a scroll in His hands. The Mother of God sits on a throne; dressed in a tunic and penula, the Child - in one tunic. If, on the basis of this iconographic material, we decide the question of time of worship of the Magi, then it is impossible to get an exact answer. Combining the adoration of the Magi and the Nativity of Christ into one whole, the artists had to think that the first followed shortly after the event of the Nativity of Christ, when St. the family was still in the cave; and in dividing the plots, they, in all likelihood, mentally separated the events themselves by a more or less significant period of time. But they seem to have completely ignored the question of the time when the worship of the Magi as a separate act - with the adult Child - was placed in a cave. This lack of certainty in iconography corresponds to the uncertainty of ancient legends about the time of the event. There is no news in the Gospel about the time of the worship of the Magi (Matthew II, 1-12); but since the story about this event follows immediately after the story about the Nativity of Christ, this subposition primarily gave rise to the idea of ​​​​depicting the events together. Guided by this consideration, the ancient authors directly say that the worship of the Magi took place in the cave. This is the opinion of Justin Martyr, John Chrysostom, Gregory of Nyssa, the author of the proto-gospel, Nicephorus Callistus and many Western writers.

St. also relies on the authority of Eastern writers and Jerome in resolving this issue. Demetrius of Rostov, believing that the worship of the Magi took place in a cave, in squalid surroundings, and not in luxurious chambers. In the monuments of our liturgical writing there is also the idea that the worship of the Magi followed at a time when the Child was still in the manger, in the den: “the Magi strive to see him in the manger (canon of the 8th canon on Sunday of the Holy Father; in irmos) ... Star showing Him at the top of the nativity scene(verse, praise. Dec. 20)… We were led from the bright star to Bethlehem and fell and bowed down; I saw in a den a Child lying lifeless (verse, on the litany of December 25) ... Showing a star before the sun, the word that came to clear away the sins of the Magi was revealed in a wretched den, who was merciful to you in swaddling clothes" (trop. 1st song of the 2nd canon for the birth of Christ ). Justification for this encounters difficulties, on the one hand, in the text of the Gospel of Matthew, where it is said that the Magi worshiped the Savior in the house (???????? el? ??? ??????. II, 11); on the other hand, in the placement of gospel events. The holy family had no need to stay in the cave for a long time, and the legend about their stay in it for two whole years cannot be justified in any way. Therefore, if we assume that the worship of the Magi followed in the cave, that is, shortly after the birth of Christ, before circumcision and the meeting, then there will be no place for the last two events, since the worship of the Magi was immediately followed by the flight to Egypt and the massacre of infants. Some of the ancient writers, like Epiphanius of Cyprus and Eusebius, based on the fact that Herod ordered the beating of infants from two years old and below, believed that the worship of the Magi followed about two years after the birth of Christ. The same opinion is expressed in the Gospel of pseudo-Matthew and some monuments Old Russian writing: “in the second summer after Christmas Chr. You came from the Persian country and worshiped Christ. As a boy he sat down on the earth, as if it were his second summer... And as a boy he laughed and splashed...” The disagreement of legends and opinions was reflected, even intensified, in iconographic monuments. If modern criticism If it is difficult to determine the exact place that should be given to the worship of the Magi among other gospel events, then it is impossible to expect a solution to this issue from iconography. Iconography in general is closer to the popular view than to the special, critically verified, historical and theological one; resolving delicate issues and reconciling differences did not belong to the essence of its tasks.