The Messages of the Figure of Judas in the Miniatures of Mkrtič῾ Nałaš and in Those of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries
The Messages of the Figure of Judas in the Miniatures of Mkrtič῾ Nałaš and in Those of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries

Summary/Abstract: The article examines the miniatures of an illuminated Bible created by Mkrtič῾ Nałaš, one of the distinguished figures of the fifteenth century. According to the colophons, Nałaš was among the most prominent ecclesiastical figures of his time, ordained as the leader of all Christians of Amida by a Turkmen tribal ruler. The study focuses on the representation of Judas in three scenes: the Raising of Lazarus, the Communion of the Apostles, and the Betrayal. It examines the iconographic changes in these scenes within the framework of established iconographic tradition, considering their representation in earlier periods. Considering the historical and doctrinal issues that characterized the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the iconography of the Raising of Lazarus and Communion scenes is examined in connection with the doctrinal debates of the period. Furthermore, the iconography of the miniatures is discussed in the light of the Armenian exegetical tradition. For the first time, the study presents Armenian medieval exegesis concerning the characters of Judas and Peter, as well as texts relating to the Eucharist, with both the relevant passages and their English translations provided. The analysis shows that the figure of Judas in the miniatures functions as a metaphor.

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