Arpine Simonyan, The Stylistic and Pictorial Peculiarities of “The Last Supper” and “Washing of the Feet” Engravings in the Vanandetsi Publications

Arpine Simonyan - Matenadaran Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, Yerevan
TOME LVII 2019
p. 259-272
Online publication date: 
02/05/2024
Keywords: 
Armenian printed books, Armenian printing house in Amsterdam, book illustration, iconography, TovmaVanandetsi Nurijanyan, Christofel van Sichem, engraver, The Last Supper, Washing of the Feet, Jerome Nadal
Abstract: 

This paper aims to present the Armenian printing houses in Amsterdam, where starting from 1660 the printing of the Armenian books continued till 1760 for consequent 57 years and finally stopped its activity. In the history of Saint Etchmiadzin and Saint Sargis printing houses Tovma Vanandetsi Nurijanyan the bishop of St. Kach in the area of Goght distinguished for his publishing activities. During twenty-two years (1695–1717), Vanandetsi’s have published 20 books and one map. Vanandetsi’s first publication was the so called “Worldwide View” map printed in 1695. All books are marked by their perfection and usefulness.The most important part of the iconographic system, published by Tovma Vanandetsi, also compiles thematic, page-made images. The author of the thematic images is German Christoffel van Sichem the Younger. In 1702 from the engravings of Hymnarium, published by the Vanadians, their distinctive features and performing skills are characterized by the last two important episodes of Christ’s earthly life with հis disciples “The Last Supper” and “Washing of the Feet”, which also used to be illustrations of some manuscripts