Tsars and Cossacks
A Study in Iconography
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Harvard University Press
Published:30th May '03
Should be back in stock very soon
This insightful study explores the complex interplay between Ukrainian Cossacks, their faith, and political identity through icon painting in Tsars and Cossacks.
In Tsars and Cossacks, Serhii Plokhy delves into the intricate relationship between Ukrainian Cossacks, their faith, and their political landscape. Through the lens of icon painting, he explores how these artworks served as a means for the Cossacks to examine their connections not only to God but also to the Russian tsar. This groundbreaking study reveals the complexities of their identity, as reflected in the vibrant and often contentious imagery of the Cossack era.
Plokhy raises thought-provoking questions about the portrayal of figures like Emperor Peter I and Cossack Hetman Ivan Mazepa in the same icon, as well as the motivations behind commissioning icons that featured tsars yet overlooked Cossack leaders. The book challenges conventional narratives by investigating the absence of Russian tsars and Orthodox hierarchs in some Zaporozhian Cossack icons, prompting readers to consider the implications of these artistic choices on the political and religious culture of the time.
By allowing the iconography to convey its own narrative, Tsars and Cossacks broadens our understanding of Ukrainian iconography and its role within the larger context of Russian imperial politics. Plokhy's analysis not only enriches our appreciation of Cossack-era art but also provides critical insights into the identity and beliefs of the Ukrainian Cossacks during a pivotal period in their history.
The brevity of this work (seventy-five pages) should not blind the reader to the fact that it is a complex and comprehensive summary written for a knowledgeable audience. Plokhy is particularly adept at referring the reader to the important problems and contradictions that make up Ukrainian identity as it developed in the Little Russian context… This study is a pleasure to read and adds in important ways to our awareness of the sources of Cossack and Ukrainian identity. -- Carol B. Stevens * The Russian Review *
Serhii Plokhy’s Tsars and Cossacks: A Study in Iconography explores the complex interaction of the political, religious, and artistic aspects of the iconographic types of the Pokrova, the protective mantle of the Mother of God, as it evolved in the Ukrainian lands during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. This cameo of a book of just seventy-five pages offers the reader a rich view of a society in transition… On the whole, Plokhy’s ideas are as original as is his argument well-substantiated. Above all, one would heartily welcome a work of such fine quality dedicated to the history of a European people that even until now largely remains an ‘unexpected nation’ to the West. -- L. V. Charipova * Slavic and East European Review *
Serhii Plokhy’s study of the ideology and rhetoric of icons of the Pokrova (the Holy Protection of the Mother of God) presents the reader with a most engaging marriage of meticulous historical argument with the intrigue and suspense of the detective novel… Tsars and Cossacks…adds richly to our understanding of the political and cultural force fields that bore on Cossack Ukraine. It also provides a welcome example of the wealth of historical insight that can be gained from serious and detailed engagement with cultural artifacts, and demonstrates that even the most erudite historical writing can be appealing and accessible. -- Marko Pavlyshyn * Australian Slavonic and East European Studies *
ISBN: 9780916458959
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 218g