Plot "The punishment of the youths for taunting prophet Elisha" in the wall painting of narthex in st. Trinity church in Chudinovo village of Orlov District in Vyatka Province

The article represents the results of survey monumental painting cycle of narthex in St/Trinity church (1763, 1902) in Chudinovo village in Orlov District of the Vyatka Province (at present - the Kirov Region), which was made at the beginning of the XX century. A rare composition on the biblical plot "The punishment of the youths for taunting prophet Elisha" is particularly highlighted. The relevancy of the article is in high interest of modern art historians to artistic heritage of province. The Vyatka province used to be one of the largest in Russia. The devotional art on the territory of modern Kirov Region refers to the lest studied objects of national art. Monumental clerical painting of the Vyatka diocese mostly refers to the XIX - the beginning of the XX centuries. Original, narrative wall painting was found in narthex in St/Trinity church in Chudi-novo village in Orlov District of the Vyatka Region. The mural painting includes 46 rare didactical plots with long descriptive notes. During the research border scenes and texts were recorded at photos, the plots were matched with the plan of the church. Development drawing of the paintings was made. Preparatory phase included the collection of the feed data, historic and bibliographic information. Chudinovo is known since 1616. The stone church was built instead of the wooden one and consecrated in the name of Saint Trinity, the left aisle was sanctified in honour of the Holy Prophet Elijah/ The church wasn't closed after the Revolution and that preserved it from the intended vandalism. The church porch painting cycle is dedicated to the Seven Sacraments but its intention was enlarged and included didactical purposes. Composition of the biblical plot "The punishment of the youths for taunting prophet Elisha" which is quite rare for wall painting in general and for Vyatka art in particular stands aside. Old Testament Prophet Elisha lived in the IX century, he was an apprentice and heir of Elijah the Prophet. The Bible plot tells the story of Elisha who cursed the youths taunting him and they were savaged by the bears. Controversial deed is rarely shown in monumental art. For example, it is used in church of Elijah the Prophet in Yaroslavl. Graphic analogies are represented in the Bibles of Christoph Weigel and Gustave Dore. All the mentioned examples are different. The depiction of the punishment in the Chudinovo church lacks violent details. Parochial temple is supposed to be painted by local masters, the painting is of stereotyped level. At that the iconographic program of the painting cycle of the church porch is interesting and original. Thus, the original monumental composition "The punishment of the youths for taunting prophet Elisha" in Chudinovo of Vyatka is introduced for scientific use. The further survey, description and analysis of the whole painting and iconographic program is in prospect, customers, performers are to be defined, sources and examples for the painting are to be found.

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