This study analyzes Maximus the Greek’s Tale about the Image called «Sorrow» (Skazanie ob obraze, nazyvaemom Unynie), addressing unresolved issues regarding its origin and sources. The author hypothesizes that the text was composed during Maximus the Greek’s stay in Tver’ (after 1531, before 1533) and addressed to Bishop Akakij. The analysis suggests that the Tale was inspired by an inaccurate Slavic rendering of the Greek Ákra tapeínosis referred to the Imago pietatis. Furthermore, the study identifies the iconographic source of the text in the Mass of St. Gregory, tracing it in particular to the minor version of Israhel van Meckenem’s print. Ultimately, the article interprets the Tale not only as an exegesis on the Imago pietatis, but as an effort to promote a renovatio of Russian culture, synthesizing Eastern and Western traditions through primitive Christian values.
University of Pisa, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0003-4994-7062
Chapter Title
L’Imago pietatis nell’esegesi di Massimo il Greco: un incontro tra Oriente e Occidente nell’orizzonte della renovatio
Authors
Francesca Romoli
Language
Italian
DOI
10.36253/979-12-215-0893-2.09
Peer Reviewed
Publication Year
2025
Copyright Information
© 2025 Author(s)
Content License
Metadata License
Book Title
In dialogo con l'Occidente: Rinascimento e renovatio nella Russia del Cinquecento / В диалоге с Западом: возрождение и религиозное обновление в России XVI века
Editors
Marcello Garzaniti, Ovanes Akopyan, Iris Karafillidis, Francesca Romoli
Peer Reviewed
Number of Pages
240
Publication Year
2025
Copyright Information
© 2025 Author(s)
Content License
Metadata License
Publisher Name
Firenze University Press
DOI
10.36253/979-12-215-0893-2
ISBN Print
979-12-215-0916-8
eISBN (pdf)
979-12-215-0893-2
eISBN (xml)
979-12-215-0894-9
Series Title
Europe in between. Histories, cultures and languages from Central Europe to the Eurasian Steppes
Series ISSN
2975-0318
Series E-ISSN
2975-0326