For the Armenian-Russian mathematician, theologian and art-theoretician Pavel Florensky (1882–1937), the so-called reverse perspective of the Byzantine cult-image (in Greek: eikon) functioned not only as a phenomenon within painting, but also as an expression of a world-view that should ultimately define a cultural distinction between Russia and Europe. Florensky argued in various ways that the Russian-Orthodox reverse perspective represents ethical and aesthetical values that are superior to the Western linear perspective. He saw the lack of an exact definition of depth in the icon as an expression of true religious orientation towards a spiritual realm, which cannot be described within frames of our earthly – or Euclidean – categories of space and time. In other words, the reverse perspective became regarded as a real reversal of Western painting, requesting a different space, a different observer, and a different concept of reality. This dissertation is an “archeological excavation” in the 20th century Russian-Orthodox icon theology. By analyzing theories of Florensky in the first line, and also a number of his contemporaries and predecessors, I identify a complex of different layers similar to a palimpsest. In this palimpsest, archaism, paganism, patristic theology, and romanticism interact with a modern re-conceptualization of the medieval Orthodox icon. However, in a usual palimpsest the old letters shine through the new ones; Florensky, on the contrary, seems to project paradigms of his contemporary culture and science into his description of the medieval icon. In this case, would the reverse perspective not instead be a reverse palimpsest, where new texts become visible in the old texts? With this question, my dissertation introduces an approach to Florensky and the icon that is more complex than what has been the case in earlier research. A usual explanation of the formal aesthetics of the icon is that the icon painter directs his/her spirit towards Heaven and, consequently – and in contrast to the Renaissance painter – does not try to make a mimesis of the earthly things. However, I argue that this dichotomy between a profane and spiritual mentality should be regarded both as a condition for Florensky’s world view and, at the same time, as a construction produced by his thinking.

99 SummarySummarySummarySummary 12. kapitola Zjevení a její působení v dějinách umění Revelation Chapter 12 and its Incidence in the History of Art Martina V. Kopecká This diploma thesis is divided into 2 basic parts. The first part is concentrated to exegesis of Book of Revelation, especially to 12th chapter. This first part contains 4 chapters - Elementary information about Book of Revelation, whis provide us the fundamental information about genre, its origin, literal background and historical influence of the text, in chapter called Language of the Book of Revelation we devote to translation and analysis of language, that author have had used. The structure of Book of Revelation is discussed too, chapter called The Theology of Book of Revelation gives us the information about several theological topics, for example hope and redemption or radical monotheism, the chapter called The Book of Revelation - chapter 12th we devoted to analysis of 12th chapter "verse a verse". The second part is concetrated to art and it contains 2 extensive chapters. The fifth chapter is called Art and 12th chapter of Book of Revelation and we are concentrated to Albrecht Dürer and his Apocalyptic Serie. We also devoted to his life, work and influences that affected him. In chapter no. six, called The Methodology of...

Lo studio intende rileggere criticamente le fonti contemporanee e appena successive alla stesura dell'Apocalypsis Nova, attribuita al beato Amedeo Menez de Sylva, inserendole nel più ampio dibattito sulla profezia e sulle attese apocalittiche della fine del XV secolo. / This study is a critically re-read of the contemporary sources of the Apocalypsis Nova, attributed to Blessed Amedeo Menez de Sylva. The sources are inserting in the broader debate on prophecy and apocalyptic expectations of the late 15th century.