Mark the Evangelist

The carved frontal figure of the Evangelist Mark is presented in a calm and concentrated pose. His form is covered with a long garment, restrained in its treatment of drapery, the folds of which are rendered in a rather generalised manner, yet convey a sense of volume and movement. The evangelist’s chiton and himation are bordered with a narrow golden line that imparts solemnity to the image. The saint holds a book pressed to his chest with both hands. The ascetic, elongated face with prominent cheekbones is framed by wavy strands of long hair parted in the middle. Distinct small eyes and firmly closed lips, visible beneath the long beard, together create an impression of concentration and spiritual composure. At the evangelist’s feet is represented one of the biblical tetramorphic images surrounding the throne of God – a lion, which became the saint’s symbol, as he proclaimed the royal dignity of Christ. The flat, dark background, devoid of additional details, emphasises the significance of the depiction itself, producing an effect of expressiveness and clarity in the image. In its execution, simplicity is combined with decorativeness, with the main focus placed on the silhouette and the rhythm of the garment’s lines. The carving is not academic in its precise anatomical reproduction, yet it is imbued with spiritual content. Artistically, the relief image of the Evangelist Mark unites the stylistic qualities of composition with a subtle sense of expression, conveyed by the soft, undulating lines of the drapery. The simplicity of the carving suggests its folk origin, which is consistent with its role as part of the furnishing of a sacred interior. The carved image of the Evangelist Mark constitutes an interesting example of wooden art, in which the sincerity of folk execution is combined with the spiritual content of the image.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery