Onufri

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For other people called Onouphrios, see Onouphrios. For the publishing house in Albania, see Onufri Publishing House.

Onufri or Onouphrios of Neokastro (Greek: Ονούφριος) was a 16th-century icon painter active in Central and Southern Albania and South-western Macedonia.[1] His works are characterized by post-Byzantine and Venetian influences. He also painted portraits, landscapes and churches.[2][3]

Life

Little is known with certainty about Onufri's life and his existence only emerged in the early 20th century. Regarding his birthplace only an inscription in the Holy Apostles church, near Kastoria has survived. Onufri is believed to have been born in the early 16th century either in the region of Berat (in today's Albania) or near Kastoria or Grevena (in today's northern Greece),[4] while his ethnic background, whether Albanian, Bulgarian or Greek, is disputed among scholars.[5] The epithet Argitis, which appears in a fresco near Kastoria may point to Argos (southern Greece) as his place of birth, although as he used it only once it is regarded probable that it refers to a location in the area of Kastoria.[4][6] In the climate of the time, the painting of Christian icons can be seen as an act to restore pre-Ottoman culture.[7] He was active in Berat and possibly Venice until 1547. Then he worked in both Berat and Kastoria and in 1555, in Shelcan near Elbasan. He may have also been the painter of various murals in the church of St. Nicholas near Prilep (Republic of Macedonia).[8] After 1554, he lived and painted in the village of Valsh. His works were signed with the title "Protopapas" (Greek: Πρωτόπαππας), demonstrating a senior position in the church hierarchy.

Work

Onufri introduced greater realism and individuality into facial expressions, breaking with the strict conventions of the time. He was the first to introduce the colour pink into icon painting. The secret of this colour was not passed on and died with him. His work is noted for the intense use of colours and the use of natural dyes.[9] According to Georgios Golobias the works of Onufri were significantly influenced by western art, as a result of his possible stay in Venice, being a member of the local Greek fraternity. On the other hand, Manolis Chatzidakis claims that western traces are few and they can be explained due to the contact with the paintings of the Cretan School.[10]

Onufri founded a school of painting in Berat, which was passed on to his son Nikolla, upon his death, and by Onouphrios Cypriotes and Kostandin Shpataraku.

Many of his paintings are stored and displayed at the Onufri Iconographic Museum in a former church in the old town of Berat. A major book publisher in Albania is named after him (Onufri Publishing House).

Gallery

  • "The Resurrection of Lazarus." Byzantine icon painted by Onufri (Onouphrios). 16th century. Museum of Mediaeval Art in Korça.

  • Mary and Child. Icon by Onufri (Onuphrios). 16th century.

  • Icon by Onufri. Cathedral of Berat.

  • Icon of the Apostle Saint Peter, painted by Nikolla, son of Onufri, second half of 16th century. Today Onufri-Museum Berat.

  • The Roman Emperor Constantine I with his mother Helena of Constantinople, who has found the relic of the holy cross in Jerusalem. Icon painted by Nikolla, son of Onufri, in the St. Mary of Blachernae Church, Berat (Albania), second half of 16th century.

References

  1. ↑ Lorsque vers Dieu tu lèveras les bras, sacrificateur de Dieu, souviens-toi d'Onouphrios, peintre, prêtre et protopapas de Néokastro.
  2. ↑ Islam in the Balkans: religion and society between Europe and the Arab world Author H. T. Norris Publisher Univ of South Carolina Press, 1993 ISBN 0-87249-977-4, ISBN 978-0-87249-977-5 p.68
  3. ↑ UNESCO Chronicle, Volume 20 UNESCO Chronicle Published 1974 p.168
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sissiou, Ioannis. "Ο παλαιός των ημερών ως ξεχωριστή εικονογραφική σύλληψη του ζωγράφου Ονούφριου στην Καστοριά". Recueil des travaux de l’Institut d’etudes byzantines. Retrieved 1 December 2011. 
  5. ↑ Golobias, George (1983). "The Founder's Inscription of the Church of Holy Apostles (Aghioi Apostoloi) in Kastoria and the Painter Onuphrios". Makedonika 23: 331–357. Retrieved 27 December 2011. 
  6. ↑ Rasolkoska-Nikolovska, Zagorka (2003), "Tvoreštvoto na slikarot Onufrij Argitis vo Makedonija ['The Painting Activity of Onufri Argitis in Macedonia']", Zbornik Matice srpske za likovne umetnosti (pdf) (in Macedonian), 34-35, Matica Srpska, pp. 143–145, retrieved 6 December 2011, "spored G. Golobijas, slikarot se vikal Onufrios Argitis...Argitis, znači proishodot na Onufrije od Argos ili e prezime na zografot, izvedeno, najverojatno, spored mestoto na proishod na negovite predci...So točnoto čitanje na zborovite „Onufrios Argitis" i „Venecija" od ktitorskiot natpis vo Kostur i pronaođanjeto na arhivskite podatoci za Onufrij vo registrite na matično na grčkoto bratstvo vo Venecija, spored G. Golobijas davaat definitiven odgovor na dolgogodišnite polemiki okolu prašanjeto za nacionalnosta na Onufrij i negovoto studiranje vo Venecija. So ovie novi rezultati na G. Golobijas se složuva i G. Subotić, eden od najdobrite poznavači na postvizantijskoto slikarstvo na Balkanot. Sledejći go slikarstvoto na Onufrij, G. Subotić napolno se soglasuva vo pogled na nacionalnosta na slikarot, koj e Grk od Argos. [According to G. Golobijas, painter's name was Onufri Argitis... meaning that Argitis is derived from Onufri from Argos or the last name of the painter is most probably derived from the place of origin of his ancestors... G. Golobijas believes that correct reading of the text "Onufrios Argitis" and "Venice" in the donators inscription in Kastoria and discovery of archived data of Onufri in the registers of his parent Greek brotherhood in Venice, provide definitive answer to all long-lasting debates about the ethnicity of Onufri and his education in Venice. G. Subotić, one of the best Balkan's experts in the late-Byzantine painting agrees with this new conclusions of G. Golobijas. G. Subotić fully agrees about ethnicity of the painter Onufry who is Greek from Argos.]" 
  7. ↑ Popa, Theofan. Ikona dhe miniatura mesjetare në Shqipëri. Tirana: 8 Nëntori, 1974.
  8. ↑ Nikolovski, Darko. "Carskite dveri od crkvata Sv. Nikola vo s. Zrze - Prilep ['The Royal Doors from the church of St.Nicholas in Zrze-Prilep']". Retrieved 1 December 2011. 
  9. ↑ Masters, Tom (2007). Eastern Europe. Lonely Planet. p. 49. ISBN 1-74104-476-6. 
  10. ↑ [[http://www.uni-marburg.de/fb05/fachgebiete/archaeologie/personal/Kirchhainer/index_html|Kirchhainer, Karin]] (2003). "Das Ossuarium des Petrus- und Paulus- Kloster in Vithkuq (Nordepirus) und seine Freskendekoration (1750)" (PDF). Makedonika (in German) 34 (04): 149–208. Retrieved 2010-07-04. 

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