PALEO-CHRISTIAN REMINISCENCES IN THE ST PAUL CATHEDRAL WALL PAINTINGS IN GATCHINA. TO THE PROBLEM OF AUTHENTICITY IN CONSERVATION

Abstract

The issue treats the iconographic sources of the Gatchina Saint Paul Cathedral built in 1846–1852 by the will of Nicholas I. The Russian emperor had devoted it to his father emperor Paul I emphasizing by this act symbolic relation between apostle Paul, who is recognized as the real founder of the Christianity and Russian emperor Paul I. The name of Paul should send to the clear beginnings of Christianity, to the Apostolic times of Rome where Apostle Paul accepted his martyr death around 67–68 A.D. and had been buried at the Papal Basilica San Paolo fuori Le Mura. Paleo-Christian iconography and Neo-Classical style of the Gatchina`s wall paintings should remind common roots of the Christianity. Very valuable sacred Catholic reliques which confirmed that mystique connection of the emperor Paul I with Apostles were kept at the Gatchina Cathedral. Among them was byzantine miracle making icon of the X–XI century “Filermos Mother of God”, inherited by Nicholas I among the reliques donated by the Maltese Order knights to the emperor Paul I. The whole decoration of the Gatchina Cathedral is still keeps reflects of the emperor`s Catholic passions: for example, ornaments on the walls and in the colored stained-glass window include motifs of the Maltese Cross. Nicholas I entrusted to embody the architectural design and wall decoration to three artists who had learned historical monuments of Ancient and Christian Rome best. There were pensioners of the Russian Imperial Academy of Arts - architect Roman Kuzmin and painters Fedor Zavialov and Petr Shamshin. During their stay in Rome all three became witnesses of the grandiose restoration project of the San Paolo fuori Le Mura Basilica. It was crucially devastated after raging fire happened in 1823. Just image of Christ Legislator giving the book of Law to Apostles Paul and Peter had been saved. Its iconography originates from Paleo-Christian Roman”Traditio Legis”: altar mosaics in the Santa Pudenziana Basilica (390 A.D.) and other Early Christian temples including Constantinople Saint Sophia Cathedral. Reconstruction of the burnt basilica by Italian architect Luigi Poletti (1792–1869) significantly influenced both on the iconography and style of the Gatchina Cathedral. Zavialov depicted instead of traditional Orthodox composition like Deisis or Eucharist his own version of the Paleo-Christian “Traditio Legis”. He had combined both iconographic sources– medieval altar mosaic and the Philippo Agricolo and Nicolo Consoni design for new portal of San Paolo Basilica. He replaced image of Apostle Paul by Apostle Peter according to the Orthodox canon and instead Evangelist Luke and Apostle Andrew depicted two angels kneeling Christ. All figures were depicted against guiled background what emphasized solemnity and made images similar to byzantine or medieval Roman mosaics. Two other images at the side niches of the transept represent most important biblical prophets Moses with Tablets (left) and John the Baptist Blessing (right). Their images had to show eternal significance of the Holy Law in the unity of Old and New Testament. The Gatchina Cathedral architecture and wall decoration reflect early period in the evolution of Nation style in Russian art when revival of the Orthodox art had turned back to the common Paleo-Christian roots. Appealing to the “Traditio Legis” iconography had been motivated not only by the dogmatic reasons, but mainly by ideology of the time – both Russian emperors Paul I and Nicholas I tried to make their power more stable, strong and absolute like Roman Popes did centuries ago.

Keywords

St Paul Cathedral in Gatchina; Russian emperor Paul I; Russian emperor Nicholas I; Paleo-Christian iconography; Traditio Legis; Orthodox revival; restoration of the San Paolo fuori Le Mura Basilica; Russian national style;

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НАУЧНЫЕ ТРУДЫ
Санкт-Петербургской
академии художеств

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PALEO-CHRISTIAN REMINISCENCES IN THE ST PAUL CATHEDRAL WALL PAINTINGS IN GATCHINA. TO THE PROBLEM OF AUTHENTICITY IN CONSERVATION // . СПб. : СПб. акад. художеств, 2026. с. C. . https://doi.org/10.62625/2782-1889.2026.77.77.005

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