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Document Details :

Title: The Mysterious Mountain of Kurbinovo
Author(s): GORGIEVSKI, Dejan
Journal: Byzantion
Volume: 85    Date: 2015   
Pages: 67-76
DOI: 10.2143/BYZ.85.0.3117798

Abstract :
On the background of the beautiful composition of the Descent into Hell in the church of St George at Kurbinovo (1191), an unusual detail can be noticed: the mountain that is flanking Christ seems to have a human face, with long hair and beard, closed eyes and an open mouth. This paper offers a short analysis of some unconventional Byzantine representations of the scene of the Descent into Hell, to arrive at the conclusion that the painter of Kurbinovo most likely painted a unique depiction of Hades, influenced by classical art and created on the basis of both apocryphal and liturgical texts.

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