Th e Iconography of the Miraculous Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes In Early Christian Art III. – VI. century

Year 2019, Issue: 9, 383 - 418, 01.01.2019

Şebnem Ersin

Abstract

In the miracle narratives considered as ‘Nature Miracles’ or ‘Gift Miracles,’ some food and beverages such as bread, fi sh and wine transform or increase against the nature laws. Christ’s feeding of the fi ve and the four thousand through the multiplication of the loaves and the fi shes belong to this miracle genre. Th e elements of the miracle; bread, fi sh, and the leftover baskets, frequently appear in early Christian iconography in diff erent contexts varyıng from catacombs to liturgical or daily objects. Early commentators explained the representations of the elements of the miracle within the Eucharistic theme, in other words, the reference to Eucharist: the chief Christian sacrament. In the textual interpretation of the miracle, the Christological theme is also very eff ective. On the other hand, due to the absence of the distinguished Christ fi gure in the banquet scenes in the catacombs and on sarcophagi, the Eucharistic theme and the miracle reference are called into question later on. In this regard, in addition to the ‘ambiguous’ meaning of i the ritual meal scenes in the burial art; ii the image-signs will be described as ‘indirect’ in this article. Also, there are some uncertain parts in the narrative about how and where the miraculous event happened. Th e miraculous event is understood from the conclusion: the abundance. In the direct representations of Christ, the uncertainties of the miraculous event seem to have transfered to the media with a range of methods between the 3rd to the 6th centuries. To pull together the Christ’s methods, we would list the following: i blessing with the staff ; ii blessing by the touch; iii blessing with the staff and by the touch; iv blessing with the hand gesture from a distance and v -as the prominence of hospitality- the table serving. Th e methods are sometimes combined. Th e representation of the elements of the miracle can also change in these methods; they can be repeated or removed

Keywords

Early Christian, Miracle, Loaves, Fish

Erken Hıristiyan Sanatında Ekmek ve Balıkların Çoğaltılması Mucizesinin İkonografisi III - VI. yüzyıl

Abstract

‘Doğa Mucizeleri’ ya da ‘Lütuf Mucizeleri’ adıyla değerlendirilen mucize anlatılarında ekmek, balık, şarap gibi yiyecek ve içecekler doğa yasalarına uymayan biçimde dönüştürülür ya da çoğaltılırlar. İsa’nın ekmek ve balıkları çoğaltarak beş bin ve dört bin kişiyi doyurması bu mucize anlatılarındandır. Mucizenin öğeleri olan ekmek, balık ve artan yiyeceklerin konduğu sepetler; Erken Hıristiyan ikonografisinde katakomplardan litürjik veya gündelik nesnelere, farklı bağlamlarda sıkça karşımıza çıkar. Erken yorumcular mucizenin öğelerinin temsilini, temel Hıristiyan âyini olan Eukharistia’ya yapılan gönderme ya da diğer deyişle Eukharistik tema içinde açıklama yoluna gitmiştir. Mucizenin metinsel yorumunda ise, İsa’nın tanrısallığının ele alındığı Hıristolojik tema da oldukça etkilidir. Diğer yandan, katakomp ve lahitlerde mucizenin öğelerinin yer aldığı şölen sahnelerinde kimliği net olarak tanınabilen İsa figürünün olmayışı, Eukharistik tema ve mucize göndermesinin sorgulanmasına neden olmuştur. Bu bakımdan, gömü sanatında i ritüel yemek sahneleri ‘muğlak’ bir anlam taşırken; ii imgeişaretler makalede ‘dolaylı’ olarak nitelendirilecektir. Aynı zamanda, anlatıda mucizevi olayın nasıl ve nerede gerçekleştiğine dair karanlıkta kalan bazı noktalar vardır. Mucizevi olay, bolluğun ifâde edildiği sonucundan kavranır. İsa’nın yer aldığı doğrudan temsillerde mucizevi olayın belirsizlikleri 3. ve 6. yüzyıllar arasında değişen yöntemlerle beraber mecrâlara aktarılmış görünür. Bu makalede İsa’nın yöntemleri: öğeleri i asâyla kutsama; ii dokunarak kutsama iii asâyla ve dokunarak kutsama; iv belli bir mesâfeden el hareketiyle kutsama ve konukseverliğin öne çıktığı v sofra hizmeti olarak ele alınacaktır. Bahsedilen yöntemler bazen birleştirilmiştir.Mucizenin öğelerinin temsili de farklılıklar gösterebilmektedir; öğeler tekrarlanabilmekte ya da çıkartılabilmektedir.

Keywords

Erken Hıristiyan, Mucize, Ekmek, Balık.

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