Female Representations in Byzantine Art of Kosova

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of female appearance in the fresco painting from the Byzantine era on the territory of Kosova and aims at disclosure of the methodological approach towards construction of appropriate means for depiction of feminine attributes such are: facial expression, corporal energy, fashion, charm, elegance, grace and physical attractiveness. In that regard, the iconographic configuration of female representation in several churches from the 14th century have been analyzed Shën Premte --Virgin Ljeviška in Prizren, Patrikana e Pejës -Patriarchate of Peja, the Church of the Annunciation in Graçanicë and the Deçan monastery where we encounter a great number of depicted female characters belonging to different categories (female saints -- martyrs, female commissioners, images of Virgin Mary etc.) The main aim of the paper is to disclose the manners in which the characters were visualized according to their role in religious history, i.e. describe the iconographic methods applied to each category in order to discover the principles of aestheticism particularly designed for expression of femininity. In that regard, the spiritual tenderness of the images of Virgin Mary, the elegant sophistication of aristocratic female martyrs, the modest and calm beauty of the represented nuns, as well as the dignified portraits of the historic personalities represented as lady commissioners point to different means of iconographic and stylistic expression that were created to live different types of emotional impression by the beholders of the frescoes.