This large single nave church with a southern extension is located on a high hill on the outskirts of the village Svip in the Fari community. It was built in the 10th century, and two phases of murals from different periods have been preserved in its interior: the first phase, dating to the second half of the 10th century, and the second phase, which dates to the end of the 14th century. The eastern facade of the church is adorned with 12th-century painting.
The murals of the first phase represent an important example of early Svaneti wall paintings. They clearly reflect the creative explorations aimed at decorating the entire interior of the church with painted artwork, which can be seen in early Svaneti murals. These explorations indicate a key developmental stage in the evolution of Svaneti's early wall painting, thereby establishing the significance and place of the Svip murals in the context of early Svaneti art.
The second-phase belong to the Paleologos period and are among the notable examples of this artistic style in Svaneti. This phase is particularly interesting for several reasons. The overall iconographic program includes scenes of prayer, figures of the church Fathers, the twelve apostles, and deacons in the altar area, along with scenes of the twelve feasts and depictions of various saints in the main hall. The arrangement of the scenes in the interior (notably, the vaulting decoration, with two main compositions in the center — the Ascension and Christ as the Ancient of Days) is also significant. Additionally, inscriptions of the church Fathers and prophets in the frescoes add further depth to the program.
The iconography of this painting ensemble closely follows the general eschatological theme seen in the murals of the upper church of Laghami, suggesting that these two artworks share the same general ideological foundation. The similarity between the painting of Svip and those in Laghami can be explained by the fact that both were commissioned by the same ktitor — Shalva K'irk'ishliani, whose damaged portrait is preserved on the north wall of the church. Moreover, the wall painting in the Svip church were executed by a second, less skilled artist who worked in Laghami, as evident from the style of the figures and the treatment of their clothing.
The murals in Svip clearly illustrate the gradual flattening and hardening of the artistic style, which marks the development of wall painting in Svaneti during the 14th-15th centuries.
The murals in the southern facade of the church are remarkable for their high level of artistic craftsmanship and are especially noteworthy because, unlike most paintings in Svaneti churches, they include scenes from the Old Testament (such as Abraham’s Hospitality). This is quite rare in Georgian wall painting of the period.
Useful information
| Location | 10 minutes walk from Ipari village Katskhi |
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| Key holder | Iaroslav Chkhetiani lives in Katskhi village |
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