The monastery of The Presentation of Jesus in the temple on a copperplate engraving of 1845

Abstract

A copperplate engraving depicting the Monastersy of The Presentation of Christ on Ovčar was made in Vienna in 1845. after the model provided by Živko Pavlović in early December of the preceding year, after the church had been decorated with wall paintings. A topographical analysis has shown a markedly narrative structure of the engraving recording the architectural transformation of the church after the building of a bell tower in 1842 and the renovation of the monastery (1818-1847). Following the wish of the commissioner, bishop Nikifor Maksimović, besides the existing structures there were also depicted those which were yet to be built. The names of two trained painters are also associated with the engraving: Jovan Isajlović the Younger, keen on making the engraving on his own, and Uroš Knežević entrusted by the metropolitan with the execution of the engraving in Vienna. The former's wish never came true, the metropolitan having been suspicious about the new printing technique. Uroš Knežević enriched the model with the medallions containing the coat-of-arms of the Principality of Serbia and the depicition of the Presentation of Jesus.

Bakrorez Sretenja nastao je u Beču 1845. na osnovu predloška, koji je Živko Pavlović uradio u manastiru početkom decembra prethodne godine. Topografska analiza pokazala je njegovu izrazito narativnu strukturu, koja govori o izgledu crkve posle dogradnje zvonika u proleće 1842. i graditeljskim poduhvatima na obnovi manastirskog kompleksa od 1818. do 1847. Po želji naručioca bakroreza, vladike Nikifora Maksimovića, prikazani su pored postojećih i objekti čija gradnja je bila u planu. Medaljone sa grbom Kneževine Srbije i predstavom Sretenja docrtao je u Beču slikar Uroš Knežević.