RETABLES OF ST.THOMAS CHRISTIAN CHURCHES |

Arrest of Jesus, Mural, Mar Sapor and Proth Church, Akaparambu

Retable, Mar Sleeva Church, Pazhavangady (Alappuzha)

Detail of Retable (Mother Mary), Mar Sleeva Church, Pazhavangady (Alappuzha)

Detail of Retable (Coronation of Blessed Virgin Mary) Mar Sleeva Church, Pazhavangady (Alappuzha)

Curator: Bilashh Sardar
Group: Antony Joseph Nangelimalil and Shreya Harsole

Topic: Retables of Churches Churches in Kerala, Artistic and Architectural Tradition of St. Thomas Christians

Idea: Discussion on different denominations of St. Thomas Christians, Evolution of Church architecture after the arrival of Portuguese

Process:
Their first work was to find about the historical timeline of Christianity in Kerala; The different waves through which Christianity got established in Kerala. 
Second attempt was to find out how they adopted the Indigenous elements in art and how "Christian Art" as we see today migrated to Kerala. 
They also examined the significance of art and architecture in selected churches in in relation to style, decoration and their particular ritualistic context 
Some questions arouse in the course of their research were like:
  • Why is there distinct styles seen in Retables of St. Thomas Christian Churches in Kerala from those seen in Portuguese Churches of Goa, Daman and Diu?
  • The changes in form in paintings, reliefs and sculptures in/on Retables; an organic development that happened in Kerala or a copy of developments in the West?
  • Why do we see two kinds of style of Western and Eastern Iconography in St. Thomas Christian Churches
  • Western Naturalism introduced in Kerala was confined to the walls of the church; why? and how?
  • Is there some indigenous elements seen in St. Thomas Christian Retables?  and if so,  how do they come in?
    Certain questions were solved while searching about the Historical Timeline, the different routes and waves through which St. Thomas Christian Tradition originated and developed in Kerala they figured out the issues to be addressed in the context of the dissertation proposal. They also examined the visuals of St. Thomas Christian Churches with focus to the retables and the Iconography represented in it and compared it with visuals from Indian as well as western art tradition. While working for this they found some interesting connections with the retable with facades especially in thematic content. They also found some motifs decorative or symbolic which is scene in retable repeating on other architectural elements of the church. They examined the distinction of St. Thomas Christian Retables with that of Daman Churches. Went roughly through the literature collected from various sites and the images in it. While doing this they also tried make rough maps of commercial/trade routes which made possible the travel of Christian as well as their artistic and architectural tradition to Kerala.





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