Icon Structural Components

[Raoul Smith]

We have defined the word kovcheg in the latest version of our online dictionary of icon terms (http://www.museumofrussianicons.org/research/index.php/resesarch-tools/iconography-terms/) as 

" kovcheg (ковчег) The center of an icon panel."

Hope this helps.

--Raoul

Professor Raoul Smith
Center for Icon Studies
Museum of Russian Icons 
203 Union Street
Clinton, MA 01510 USA

Phone: 978-598-5000 ext. 24
Fax: 978-598-5009
E-mail: rsmith at museumofrussianicons.org

The mission of the Museum of Russian Icons is to enhance relations between Russia and the United States through the medium of art, especially Russian icons. Миссия Музея Русских Икон состоит в укреплении отношений между Россией и США через посредство искусства, особенно искусства русских икон.




-----Original Message-----
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [mailto:SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Allan, Kenneth
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 8:13 AM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Icon Structural Components

Thanks for the response. I wondered if perhaps kovcheg might be used variably depending on the circumstance.

Best,
Kenneth Allan
________________________________________
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] on behalf of R. M. Cleminson [rmcleminson at POST.SK]
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 2:29 AM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Icon Structural Components

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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