International congress of byzantine studies belgrade, 22 27 august 2016

Nina Chichinadze
Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia; 
[e-mail] 
Self-Representations of Artists in Medieval Georgia
Works of the religious art could be considered as one of the main markers of identities in 
the Byzantine world. The issues of identities of patrons and artists are widely discussed in recent 
scholarly publications. However the complex, multi-facet social inter-relations developed within 
Orthodox Christian culture still needs further investigation. In this connection it is important to 
consider self-representations of artists in visual arts of medieval Georgia as this material sheds more 
light on dynamics of formation and expression of identities in pre-modern societies. 
The textual and visual material demonstrates various forms and strategies applied by artists for 
declaration of their self-identification. The identities of artists/masters are revealed not only through 
their inscriptions placed on the works of art, but also by various tools involving sophisticated 
interplay of inscriptions and imagery, spatial constructions and liturgical reenactment. I will try to 
reconstruct the environment of artists and to retrace the correlation between their identities and 
works of art created by them. 
The artists’ “autographs” (inscriptions) preserved on their works communicate the information 
about them, which was intended to be viewed by “present” and future beholders. The indication 
of artists’ (masters’) identities facilitated their public recognition and involvement in the religious 
ceremonies (liturgies, commemorational services, etc.) even in their physical absence or after their 
deaths. A special attention will be paid on formation of verbal and visual patterns demonstrating 
the artists’ identities. I will argue that together with religious (redemptive) motivation the tradition 
of placing of the masters’ inscriptions on the works of religious art was determined by their desire 
to demonstrate their status and recognize their place in the strictly hierarchical feudal society. Self-
identities of mentioned individuals are intended both for terrestrial (laymen and clergy) and heavenly 
realms. In other words artists designed and displayed their identities for those who perform church 
services and those, who attend/participate in them. Such investigation provides additional material 
for the study of devotional practices and elucidates new aspects of interactions between officials and 
other members of medieval society.
Comparative study of Byzantine and Georgian inscriptions of artists will allow to retrace 
shared patterns of their self-presentation, as well as to single out local peculiarities conditioned by 
social, historical and cultural developments taking place in both countries.

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