Tyragetia (Dec 2017)
The iconographic message of the Last Supper compositions from the collection of the National Museum of the History of Moldova
Abstract
Resuming the theme of the Holy Eucharist, which we initiated with the presentation of the icons Jesus Christ the Vine from the collection of the National Museum of the History of Moldova, we bring into discussion five other icons that remind us of an event of profound symbolic and spiritual significance – the Last Supper. The purpose of our research is, in particular, to determine the iconographic significance of the museum compositions, to identify in these images the evangelical topics related to the Last Supper. We also wanted highlight the variants of iconographic schemes established by specialists in this field, which can be recognized in the icons in question, establish the area of their origin and the time of their creation. In the Last Supper the spiritual principles of the Christian teaching are expressed, which are actual today. Inspired by the stories of the evangelical apostles, early Christian art will translate into images the major moments of the Last Supper. The topics of the washing the feet, the communion of the apostles, the Last Supper, the Eucharist, being programmed in the church iconography, will be reflected on different areas of the altar and the nave, depending on the functional and semantic aspects, strengthening the spiritual message of the Eucharist or the cycle of the Passion of the Lord. On the five museum’s icons devoted to the subject of the Last Supper similar scenes are presented at first sight. However, a careful study of their compositions reveals some differences regarding the representation of the background architecture, the way the apostles are placed, their poses, the representation of the decoration elements, the accessories, etc. In accordance with the above, it should be noted that these icons depict different episodes of the Last Supper. The Last Supper compositions from the collections of the National Museum of the History of Moldova, first published and deserving attention of specialists, will complete the list of Jesus Christ icons, kept in museum collections of the Republic.
