Volume 1-2' 2000: Contacts and Dialogues [ Go to the A Belarus Miscellany Topic List   |   Contacts & Dialogues   |   International Association for Belarusian Studies (IAB) ] Search the A Belarus Miscellany Web site

Contents of First English-Language Issue (1-2 2000)

Dear Reader - Editor’s Message

Reports, Articles

Development of Belarusian Studies in the West   (by Jan Zaprudnik (USA))

Slavic Solidarity as a Political Concept in Belarus in 1905-1921   (by Zakhar Shybeka (Mensk))

Release of CDs on Traditional Belarusian Religious Art is Expected

Special features of the Belarusian Medieval Artistic Heritage   (by Vasil Putsko (Russia))

Moniuszko in Belarus   (by Marian Fuks (Warsaw))

Our Dialogues

Without culture, no statehood will be possible   (by Alena Hapava and Canadian Slavist David Marples)




Belarusian Education and Culture Abroad

The collections of the Francishak Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum in London   (by Anatol Hrvckevich (Mensk))

Actors of the Cultural Interaction

At the head of the Belarusian Catholic Revival   (by Uladzimir Konan (Mensk))

The written word lives on in Belarus - and so does the spoken word   (by Vahantsina Maroz (Hungary))

Reviews

Rvgor Pivtorak. Biloruska Mova. Kyiv. 1997

Belarusian Studies. Bibliographical Monitor

In Memory of Adam Suprun (1928 - 1999)

Release of CDs on Traditional Belarusian Religious Art is Expected

The Belarusian school of icon painting was formed by the 16th century. Wars, social and political tempests led to extermination of the major part of Belarusian icons.

Only one icon of the late 15th century, very close in style to Byzantine artistic tradition, has been preserved - "The Virgin Hodigitria." There are still few more icons of the 16th century. For example, "The Virgin Hodigitria of Smalensk" icon, in which Byzantine and East Slavonic techniques of icon painting were combined. The fusion of traditions - Byzantine and Western hieratic painting - is manifest in the 16th century icons.

Among those preserved Belarusian icons there are mostly those of the 17th century, in which influences of the West-European tastes and stylistic features of Renaissance and baroque have been reflected. By the mid-17th century canonical icon-painting plots and compositions were satiated with the folklore motives and ethnographic everyday life details, especially in art of the Uniate (Greek-Catholic) church. The icon-painting style deconsecration process could be observed at that time.

In the 18th century, in the West Palesse region, the original low relief icons were created. Local artists used to adapt both painting and gesso modelling techniques with subsequent gesso engravings and relief shapes gilding and silvering. Tempera was used only for representation of faces and arms, or carnations painting.

The style combining graphic and pictorial was created. Later this style was given the name of naive icon painting. It is manifest in the icons of Latygava painter ("The Nativity of Christ," etc.), as well as in the "Deesis" icon from the Stolin region. The icon primitive style was being developed simultaneously with the traditional language of icon painting, the latter noted by own specific features in every region. It can be seen in such icons as "The Candlemas Day," "SS Abracham and Merkury."

In the Belarusian icons we can see local countryside and architectural landscapes, interiors, furniture, crockery, garments, types of peasants, noblemen, princes, natural human moods (weeping, happiness, sadness), and worldly situations (moments of births, funerals, etc.), which are grasped so exactly. Looking at the icon, one can study the ethnographic signs of rural and urban ways of life. It was in Belarusian icons where such genres as a still life and noblemen portrait as well as a peasant type of saints images, appeared for the first time.

Various types of icon frames add another touch of originality to the Belarusian school of icon painting. Sometimes covers and frames are made of chased and engraved metal plates (copper, silver). There are also frames of wood, made in the technique of low relief engraving with the following silvering and gilding of plastic forms.

The Belarusian Institute of Culture Problems in Mensk plans to issue 3 CDs by the spring 2000:

1. Belarusian School of Icon Painting. Illustrated history of origin and development. 299 illustrations. In Russian and English.

2. Belarusian Icons in Museums and Temples of Belarus. 322 illustrations. In Russian and English.

3. Belarusian Icon Painting of the 15th-19th, centuries. Abundantly illustrated fundamental review of available visual and text information. In Belarusian.

For information and/or purchase, please contact the C&D editorial board at (E-Mail): consul@user.unibel.by

Contact Information (for both the Belarusian and English-language versions):

International Association for Belarusian Studies
35-33 Very Kharushai St.
Mensk, 220002, Belarus

Tel:/fax: 375 (017) 234-56-48

E-Mail: consul@user.unibel.by

WWW (currently Belarusian-language versions, only): Kantakty i dyjalohi   (http://www.lingvo.minsk.by/mab/k&d.html)

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