Fraternitie

Stone iconostasis

The middle century classical period in Macedonia gave special accent to the exterior desiogn of the churches with magnificant facades made of plastic decoration and emphasised spherical coverings, richly decorated enriched with the interior filled with frescoes. Before the wooden iconostasis appeared decorative plastic Kamena plastika was appreciated of which the marble iconostasis of the churches St. Sophia in Ohrid, St. Panteleimon at orno Nerezi, the Holy Mother of God Peribleptos (St. Clement) of Ohrid, the Holy Mother of God Eleoussa of the village of Veljusa, near Strumica and St. Leontius of the villlage Vodoca, Strumica.

Wooden iconostasis

At the beginning of the 15th century up to the middle of the 18th century the churches were built on a more modest scale with no decorations of their facades and with no spherical coverings. The main focus was on interior decoration particularly carved objects such as: iconostasis, doors in the alter-screens, baldaquins, plaques candelabrums, ceremonial gateways and so on. The oldest decorative plastic known of today made of wood is the sculpture St. Clement of Ohrid at the church St. Clement of Ohrid towards the end of the 13th century, the doors in the alter-screens of the monastery Andras (Holy Virgin and Archbishop Gavril), the hanging lamps of the church St. Nikolas, Varos, near Prilep, the sanctuary doors of the church St. Nikolas Bolnicki in Ohrid. The oldest wooden iconostasis is in the church Mali St. Vraci in Ohrid.

The Prilep - Slepche carving center

Beginning in the 15th century and contiuing almost to the 19th century churches attention was focused on interior decoration particularly carved objects suc as iconostases, doors in the alter-screens, baldaquins, plaques, ceremonial gateways, portals, etc. This is the case with the majority of the churches nad monasteries in Macedonia: Treskavec, Zrze, Slepche, Lesnovo, Slivnichki on Lake Prespa, Poloshki in the Tikvesh region, the Holy Archangel in Kuchevishte situated in the mountainous hinterland of Skopje and many others. The twofold and single doors of the monastery church Slepche (now on display in the Art Gallery in Skopje) best represent the works of the Prilep - Slepche team. Their significance lies in the integrated design which combines plaited patterns, human and animal figures and other stylistic motifs with floral and zoomorphic imaginary animals mingled with Islamic influence. The twofold door in the monastery of Slepche is decorated with motifs of stylistic ornaments, human and animal figures (centaur, snake, griffon, bear, dog, camel, elephant) as well as figures of saints in full length and the Holy Virgin is represented to the bust only. The great cross of 1584, the lamp and the three twofold doors as well as the iconstases are a significant peices of the monastery St. George (Sv. Gjorgjija) at Polog.

Deep incision carving of the 17th and 18th century

During the 17th century iconostases prevail. They have two rows of icons - the principal items, and more elaborate pictorial designs: Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. John and the Apostles with the monastery's saint as well as three-row icons. In this period the craft of woodworking developed amongst the monks on the Holy Mountain. Besides the traditional motifs, late Gothic and Renaissance elements inspired these carvers. This type of creative expression expanded to the southern regions of the Balkans not only in the field of painting but also in that of carving. A very good example of this is the iconostasis in the church of the Archangel Gabriel in Molvin, Vojvodina made by Hristifor Zefarovich, Janko Halkozich and Jovan Chetirich Grabovan. The advent of carved iconostasis in the 18th century coincides with the appearance of the master-woodcarvers Mijac, Samokov and Metsovski. Under the influence of the masters of the Holy Mountain of Macedonia the iconostases of the monastery St Naum on the Lake Ohrid (1711) and the church St. Demetrius in Bitola. The carved shapes assume a three-dimensional aspect and the beginning of a new stage in the art of carving - openwork carving. Both iconostases are crowned with a coping of wooden panels that are devoid of carved decorations decorated with vertible lacework executed in wood. Slender pillars, carved and gilded divide the principal icons. Above the principal icons is a frieze with vines, bunches of grapes and birds.