Iprari Murals: Reading of the Scene of the Apparition of the Angel to Joshua

A rare example of Byzantine artistic tradition, where Christian rulers symbolically connected with Old Testament heroes, is found in the Iprari Murals at the Church of the Archangels in Upper Svaneti. The 11th-century fresco, attributed to King's Painter Tevdore (1096), depicts the Apparition of the Archangel to Joshua and serves as a visual representation of political patronage. By analyzing liturgical texts, exegetical sources, and comparable visual examples, researchers reveal that the mural emphasizes the Archangel Michael’s role as protector of kings and nations, reflecting Georgian royal symbolism. This interpretation aligns with Byzantine imperial concepts of a 'chosen people,' offering new insights into medieval Georgian art and its political significance.

Gedevanishvili, E. (2023). Iprari Murals: Reading of the Scene of the Apparition of the Angel to Joshua. Medieval Svaneti: Objects, Images, and Bodies in Dialogue with Built and Natural Spaces, 120–139. https://doi.org/10.1484/m.convisup-eb.5.136734