Icon Structural Components

[R. M. Cleminson]

I haven't seen the book in question, so can't comment on the specific case, but I can say that it is (apparently apart from this) the universal practice of Russian art historians to use the word kovčeg to refer to the recessed central panel of an icon and to no other part of it.  The surrounding area, whether plain or bearing smaller images (klejma), is called the margins (polja).

----- Pôvodná správa -----
Od: "Kenneth Allan" <kenneth.allan at ULETH.CA>
Komu: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Odoslané: utorok, 8. máj 2012 23:23:07
Predmet: [SEELANGS] Icon Structural Components




I have an icon question for the list. As I understand it, the traditional (pre-Baroque influenced) Orthodox icon had 3 main parts: an inner recessed rectangular area where most of the painted representation was located (kovcheg); the beveled edge of that inner area (luzga); leading to the rectangular surround that looks frame-like, but which is part of the same board (polya). 



In his book “Icon and Devotion” Oleg Tarasov discusses the inner rectangular zone as being the kovcheg or ark. But in his more recent “Framing Russian Art” he writes that the frame-like surround is actually the kovcheg, while not defining the beveled strip or inner zone. 



That’s a fairly significant contradiction in two otherwise excellent books. Which one is correct? 



Best, 

Kenneth Allan 




Kenneth R. Allan 



Assistant Professor of Art History 



Department of Art 

Faculty of Fine Arts 

University of Lethbridge 

4401 University Drive 

Lethbridge, Alberta 

Canada, T1K 3M4 



Tel: (403) 394-3923 

kenneth.allan at uleth.ca 

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