Christopher Walter. The Iconography of the Prophet Habakkuk. Revue des études byzantines, tome 47,...

8/3/2019 Christopher Walter. The Iconography of the Prophet Habakkuk. Revue des tudes byzantines, tome 47, 1989. pp.

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Christopher Walter

The Iconography of the Prophet HabakkukIn: Revue des tudes byzantines, tome 47, 1989. pp. 251-260.

Abstract

REB 47 1989 France p. 251-260, 8 pl.

Ch. Walter, The Iconography of the Prophet Habakkuk. The development of the iconography of Habakkuk is traced from its

beginnings as an adjunct to that of Daniel in the lions' den through the illustration of his Ode in Psalters and of the Easter Homily

of Gregory of Nazianzus to the Palaeologan version of the Latomos Miracle. An explanation is proposed of the prophet's

characteristic twisted position in many of his later portraits.

Citer ce document / Cite this document :

Walter Christopher. The Iconography of the Prophet Habakkuk. In: Revue des tudes byzantines, tome 47, 1989. pp. 251-260.

doi : 10.3406/rebyz.1989.1815

http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rebyz_0766-5598_1989_num_47_1_1815
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/author/auteur_rebyz_98http://dx.doi.org/10.3406/rebyz.1989.1815http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rebyz_0766-5598_1989_num_47_1_1815http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rebyz_0766-5598_1989_num_47_1_1815http://dx.doi.org/10.3406/rebyz.1989.1815http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/author/auteur_rebyz_98


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THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE PROPHETHABAKKUK

Christopher WALTERThe church of the Holy Apostles, Pec, built in the thirteenthcentury, was only decorated by stages. Around 1350, an unknownartist painted the central vault of the nave1. Among the paintings tobe attributed to him are some portraits of prophets. At the top of thevault Christ is represented in bust form in a medallion, blessing withboth hands. To one side of him are David and Solomon, to the otherIsaiah and Habakkuk. For three of the prophets the artist chose aconventional frontal portrait. For the fourth, Habakkuk, he chose acurious pose. Habakkuk's body is twisted, so that, while his bodyfaces the spectator, his head is turned completely backwards as he

looks up at Christ blessing (Figures 1-2).This is perhaps the most striking example of a way of representingHabakkuk, which recurs in many contexts. It is not unique to him.For example, in the church of the Panagia tou Arakou at Lagoudera,Cyprus (1192), several prophets are represented moving in onedirection and looking back in the other2. However this pose is unusualfor other prophets than Habakkuk. A rather damaged example of himin this pose may be also seen in the narthex of the church of thePeribleptos at Ohrid (1294/5)3. Here Christ as an angel is painted in1. The painting is mentioned, but not analysed, by V. Djuric, Vizantijske freske uJugoslaviji, Belgrade 1974, p. 59, 209, and by B. Todic, Patrijarh Joanikije ktitorfresaka u crkvi sv. Apostola u Peci, Zbornik za likovne umetnosti 16 , 1980, p. 89, fig. 6.The text on Habakkuk's roll, kindly read for me by Dr Gojko Subotic, is the beginningof the first verse of his Ode (Habakkuk 3,2). See Anne-Mette Gravgaard, Inscriptionsof Old Testament Prophecies in Byzantine Churches, Copenhagen 1977, no. 72, p. 44-45. Ipresented a first version of this article at the Eighth Symposium of Byzantine andPost-Byzantine Archaeology and Art, Society of Christian Archaeology, Athens, May1988.2. A. and J. Stylianou, The Painted Churches of Cyprus, London 1985, p. 161.3. Sirarpie Der Nersessian, Note sur quelques images se rattachant au thme duChrist-Ange, CA 13 , 1962, p. 209-216; Djurio, op. cit. (note 1), p. 17-18.

Revue des tudes Byzantines 47, 1989, p. 251-260, 8 pi.


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252 CH. WALTERthe dome, surrounded by four prophets in the pendentives. Againonly Habakkuk is represented in this twisted position.The twisted pose recurs in illustration to his Ode in the"aristocratic" Psalters, although normally the artist preferred aconventional prayer position. There are, however, five examples inthese Psalters of Habakkuk in the twisted position. Three belong tothe Family 2400 : Athos Lavra 26 , f. 264V ; London British Library11836, f. 300v; Athens Benaki Museum 34.5, f. 184 (Figure 9)4. Twoothers are particularly striking : Athens National Library 15, f. 121V(ca 1180); Moscow GIM 407, f. 502v (first half of the fourteenthcentury)5.Did this twisted pose for Habakkuk have a special significance,and, if so, where did it originate?

1. Habakkuk and DanielHabakkuk made his dbut in Christian iconography by carryingfood to Daniel in the lions' den in Babylon6. He was carrying food toworkers in the fields in Judaea, when an angel, seizing him by thehair, carried him off to Babylon. When he had given the food toDaniel, he was then transported by the angel back to Judaea7.According to Leclercq, the figure of Habakkuk carrying food wasnot introduced into the traditional representation of Daniel in thelions' den before the fourth century. He attributed a eucharistiemeaning to this addition, since sometimes the loaves carried to Danielare marked with a cross. The presentation varies considerably fromone example to another. Thus on the panel of the doors ofSanta Sabina, Rome (432-440), Habakkuk is portrayed being seizedby the angel in the fields8. It was more usual to represent his arrivalat the lions' den. On the pyxis in the British Museum (5th century)the arrival of Habakkuk, carried by the angel, virtually constitutes aseparate scene beside the representation of Daniel (Figures 3-4) 9. On asarcophagus in Brescia, the angel is not represented a hand emergesfrom a cluster of stars, holding Habakkuk by the hair10. On an ivory4. A. Cutler, The Aristocratic Psalters in Byzantium, Paris 1984, p. 25 , 47, 102.5. Ibidem, p. 17 , 55.6. H. Leclercq, Habacuc, DACL 6, 1929-1937 ; Habakuk, Lexikon der christlichenIkonographie, II, 205.7. Daniel 14,33-38; Septuaginta, edited A. Rahlfs, II, fourth edition, Stuttgart1950, p. 940-941.8. Age of Spirituality, edited K. Weitzmann, New York 1979, p. 486-488.9. Ibidem, p. 485; . . Dalton, Catalogue of Early Christian Antiquities ...,London 1901, p. 55-56 ; W. F. Volbach, Elfenbeinarbeiten der Sptantike und des frhenMittelalters, third edition, Mainz, no. 167.10. DACL 1, 3012, fig. 1042.


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THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE PROPHET HABAKKUK 253comb from Bne, now in the Louvre (fourth-sixth century), Habakkuklies alone11. Since only a part of the comb has survived, it islikely that Habakkuk was balanced symmetrically by an angel flyingon the other side of Daniel.On these objects there is no difference in scale between Habakkukand Daniel. However, on a slab of marble from Thasos, now in theArchaeological Museum in Istanbul (seventh century?), Habakkukand the angel are very much smaller than Daniel. Both the angel andHabakkuk are represented horizontally12. At Aght' Amar (915-921),the two figures beside Daniel are again represented much smaller inscale13. In fact they are in bust form, and both raise their hands in aprayer gesture. This small scale for Habakkuk and the angel wasadopted by the painter of the Serbian Psalter, f. 194 (fourteenthcentury), illustrating Daniel 3,86-8814.

A further variant occurs in the manuscript of Cosmas Indicopleus-tes, Vatican gr. 699, f. 75 (ninth century)15. Here a standing haloedfigure, his hand outstretched, has apparently emerged from heavenand is descending towards Daniel. Again he is smaller in scale, but hedoes not carry food, while the angel is omitted. Daniel is identified bya legend, while this figure is anonymous. It is likely that in the modelfor this miniature the descending figure was intended to beHabakkuk, but in the Vatican copy its sense remains obscure.In all these pictures Habakkuk occupies a subordinate position.Interest is concentrated on Daniel. However, the situation could arisewhere Habakkuk was the centre of interest, notably in illustration tohis Ode. The earliest surviving "aristocratic" Psalters in which this isillustrated date from the eleventh century. However in Paris gr. 510,the ninth-century manuscript of the Homilies of Gregory ofNazianzus, f. 435V, four scenes are grouped together, which must havebeen recopied from Ode illustrations16. If the scene of Habakkukcarrying food to Daniel was taken from an illustration to his Ode, no

11. J. Strzygowski, Der algerische Danielkamm, Oriens christianus, Neue Serie 1,1911-1912, p. 83-87; Volbach, op . cit. (note 9) , no. 203.12. H. Peirce and R. Tyler, The Elephant-Tamer Silk, vmth Century, DOP 2,1941, p. 25, fig. 12.13. J.-M. Thierry, Les arts armniens, Paris 1987, plate 44.14. J. Strzygowski, Die Miniaturen des serbischen Psalters, Vienna 1906, p. 72-73,no. 117; Suzy Dufrenne and R. Stichel, Inhalt und Ikonographie de r Bilder, Derserbische Psalter, edited H. Belting, Wiesbaden 1978, p. 255-256.15. C. Stornajolo, Le miniature dlia Topografia Cristiana di Cosma Indicopleuste.Codice Vaticano Greco 699, Milan 1908; Cosmas Indicopleusts, Topographie chrtienne,I, edited Wanda Wolska-Conus, Paris 1970, p. 262-265.16. H. Omont, Miniatures des plus anciens manuscrits grecs de la BibliothqueNationale, second edition, Paris 1929; K. Weitzmann, Illustrations in Roll and Codex,Princeton 1947, p. 149-151.


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254 CH. WALTERattempt was made to bring Habakkuk into prominence ; he and theangel are both much smaller in scale than Daniel. In the twoeleventh-century "aristocratic" Psalters, Paris suppl. gr. 610, f. 252V(Figure 6), and Washington Dumbarton Oaks cod. 3, f. 76, this ischanged17. In both cases the iconography is virtually identical. Danielhas been entirely omitted. The angel, holding Habakkuk by the hair,flies horizontally above a personification of Babylon. In accordancewith the frequent practice in these two Psalters and in Paris gr. 139,the scene is doubled, within the same miniature, with a portrait of theauthor of the Ode at prayer18.In no other Psalter is Habakkuk's Ode illustrated with this incidentfrom the Life of Daniel. Possibly this was because meanwhileHabakkuk's status had become much higher in Byzantine tradition.He had become one of the leading prophets of the coming of theMessiah.

2. The Portrait of HabakkukAccording to Ulpius the Roman, Habakkuk had a rounded beard,not completely cupshaped ; his beard and head were sprinkled withgrey19. In the ninth-century Sacra parallela, Paris gr. 923, he isrepresented consistently with parted white hair and white beard20. Heis represented similarly at Aght' Amar. However, in what is probablythe earliest surviving portrait, in one of the medallions surroundingthe mosaic of the Transfiguration at Saint Catherine, Mount Sinai

(ca 565), he has curly hair and a rounded beardless chin21. In hisportrait, as opposed to the Daniel scene, in Vatican gr. 699, f. 69V, heis represented with dark hair and a beard22. On the other hand, in theMenologium of Basil II, Vatican gr. 1613, p. 219, he is beardless withdark hair (Figure 10)23. In later pictures there is no more consistency.He may be represented with a dark or grey beard, or he may be youngand beardless. Ultimately the youthful form of his portrait becamethe most usual, but not before the fourteenth century was itstandardized. Yet there is no obvious connection between a portraittype and the characteristic twisted position.17 . Cutler, op. cit. (note 4), p. 72,94-95.18 . Ch. Walter, The Aristocratic Psalters and Ode Illustration in Byzantium,Byzantinoslavica (printing).19 . M. Chatzidakis, , EEBS 14, 1938, . 410.20. . Weitzmann, The Miniatures of the Sacra Parallela, Parisinus graecus 923,Princeton 1979, p. 140-141, fig. 321-323.21. G. Forsyth and K. Weitzmann, The Monastery of Saint Catherine at MountSinai, The Church and Fortress of Justinian, Ann Arbor 1968, plate 136-137.22. Stornajolo, op. cit. (note 15); Topographie chrtienne, ed. cit. (note 15), p. 229.23. // Menologio di Basilio II, edited C. Stornajolo and P. Franchi de' Cavalieri,Milan 1907, p. 219.


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THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE PROPHET HABAKKUK 2553. Typological Pictures in Illuminated Psalters

In the Chludov Psalter, Moscow GIM 129 D, Habakkuk isrepresented twice24. The first miniature, f. 48V, illustrates Psalm49,1 : "The Lord has spoken and called the earth from the rising ofthe sun to its setting." Here the rising sun takes the form of Heliosdriving a chariot, while, for the setting sun, the head of apersonification is disappearing behind a mountain. Between them is aclipeate image of Christ with David standing to one side andHabakkuk to the other. The second miniature illustrates his Ode,f. 154V. Here the rising sun is represented as a full sun with rays,accompanied by a legend : . To the right the sun is settingbehind a mountain. In the centre stands Habakkuk, representedfrontally, but pointing upwards with his right hand towards a clipeateimage of Christ. Above the image is a legend : (sic) XC. The two miniatures are taken up in the London Psalter, BritishLibrary 19352, f. 61v-62r and f. 198, and in the Barberini Psalter,Vatican Barb. gr. 372, f. 84V and f. 257V (Figure 5)25. In neithermanuscript does the artist seem to have properly understood either ofthe miniature subjects. In the Kiev Psalter, Leningrad State PublicLibrary 1252 F. vi, the first miniature is omitted, while, forHabakkuk's Ode, f. 216, the youthful prophet turns back, in thecharacteristic twisted position, looking up at a hand emerging from asegment26.

Habakkuk is cited twice in the New Testament. There is a passingreference in Hebrews 10,38, to the just man who lives by faith(Habakkuk 2,3-4). Secondly in Acts 13,40-41, Saint Paul, addressingthe incredulous Jews, cites Habakkuk 1,5 : "I am doing a deed inyour days, a deed which you will never believe when you are told ofit." Cosmas Indicopleustes, on account of this, designates Habakkukas prophet of the Resurrection27.For a Messianic interpretation of the Ode (Habakkuk 3), it isnecessary to turn to the Patristic commentators. Both Cyril ofAlexandria and Theodoret comment verse 3 : "God shall come fromTheman and the Holy One from the dark shady Mount Pharan."They identified Theman as Bethlehem and Mount Pharan wasreferred to the ancestors of Christ. Bethlehem, being placed to the

24. Marfa Sepkina, Miniatjuri Hludovskoj Psaltyri ..., Moscow 1977.25. Sirarpie Der Nersessian, L'illustration des psautiers grecs du Moyen ge. II.Londres Add. 19.352, Paris 1970, p. 32 , 60.26. G. Vzdornov, Issledovanie Kievskoj Psaltiri, Moscow 1978, no. 288.27. Topographie chrtienne, d. cit. (note 15), p. 228-229.


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256 CH. WALTERsouth of Jerusalem, Christ would come from there28. This would seemto be the source of the miniature and its legend in the ChludovPsalter.The most developed miniature illustrating Habakkuk's Ode is inthe twelfth-century illuminated Psalter, Vatican gr. 1927, f. 274V(Figure 7)29. The painter has combined in the same miniatureillustrations to several verses of the Ode, indicating by a legend towhich verse each detail corresponds. Some details are literalillustrations of the verse in question : "The nations see and areliquidated" (verse 6) ; "The princes beheaded and the poor maneating in secret" (verse 14); "The cattle before an empty manger"(verse 17). However verse 13 : "You went out to the salvation of yourpeople", is illustrated typologically by a portrait of Christ. Moreoriginal is the illustration of verse 3. For this verse, Habakkuk isrepresented kneeling before a mountain, above which are representedin bust form the Virgin and Child Jesus.It was inevitable that at some time a rapprochement should bemade between the phrase of the Ode and the phrase of the account of the Annunciation(Luke 1,35). Yet no commentator of the Ode seems to have done thisearlier than Theophylact of Ohrid (before 1050-ca 1108)30. He refersthe dark shady mountain explicitly to the power of the Most Highovershadowing the Virgin, and thus makes Habakkuk a prophet ofthe Annunciation. The same rapprochement may be found in theMenaia, for example in the office of the Forefathers31. However theonly surviving miniature inspired by it seems to be that in Vatican gr.1927.Verse 11 of the Ode : "The sun was exalted", is referred byTheophylact to the exaltation of Christ on the Cross32. More explicitlyin the Menaia, Habakkuk is said to have prophesied the divine kenosison the Cross33. This same sentiment is expressed in a dodecasyllablewhich serves as title to the Ode in Paris suppl. gr. 610, f. 252V, andWashington Dumbarton Oaks cod. 3, f. 76 : "Habakkuk demonstratinghe abasement of the Logos"34. Yet in both manuscripts the Ode

28. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentarius in Habacuc prophetam : PG 71 , 904 (CPG,III, no. 5204); Theodoret, Interpretatio prophetae Habacuc: PG 81, 1825 (CPG,no. 6208).29. . . De Wald, The Illustrations in the Manuscripts of the Septuagint. III.Psalms and Odes. 1. Vaticanus graecus 1927, Princeton 1941, p. 46-47.30. Theophylact, Expositio in prophetam Habacuc : PG 126, 880.31. Menaia, II, Rome 1889, p. 530.32. Theophylact, op . cit. (note 30), 889.33. Menaia, II, p. 529.34. Ch. Astruc, Un psautier byzantin frontispices : le suppl. grec 610, CA 3, 1948,p. 106-114; Sirarpie Der Nersessian, A Psalter and New Testament Manuscript atDumbarton Oaks, DOP 19, 1965, p. 153-183.


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THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE PROPHET HABAKKUK 257is illustrated by a miniature of Habakkuk being carried to Babylon.In fact this typological interpretation of the Ode does not seem tohave been taken up by Byzantine artists.

The only other typological miniature illustrating Habakkuk's Odeis in the Spencer Psalter, New York Public Library Spencer cod. gr. 1,f. 37835. Here Habakkuk is portrayed in the historiated initial holding the Child Jesus in his hands. However, since both Hannah(f. 376) and Isaiah (f. 38 lv) are represented in the same way, there isno specific allusion to Habakkuk as prophet of the Messiah36. It isimplied rather that this was a common attribute of prophets.Since Habakkuk is not represented in these typological miniaturesin Psalters in the characteristic twisted position, its origin must besought elsewhere.4. The Illuminated Homilies of Gregory of Nazianzus

Gregory of Nazianzus begins his Homily 45 In sanctum Pascha witha quotation from Habakkuk 2,1 : " I will stand upon my watch", saysthe admirable Habakkuk37. The chapter continues : "The Lord said,'Write down these visions'." Gregory then provides a (fictitious)account of a vision, a man placed on the clouds with a face like anangel, who says : "Today is salvation for the world ... Christ has risenfrom the dead." Thus Habakkuk is presented as prophet of theResurrection.In Paris gr. 510, f. 285, to illustrate this Homily, the artist hasplaced a youthful winged figure in a mandorla, with other angels toright and left (Figure II)38. Below to the right stand Gregory andHabakkuk. The prophet looks back at Gregory while extending hisright hand towards the vision. This is the earliest example ofHabakkuk represented in a twisted position. In its context itssignificance is clear. A very similar pose may be seen in the miniatureof the Ascension in the Rabbula Gospels (dated 586)39. Here an angelpoints up towards the ascending Christ, but is turned back towards anapostle with a dark beard, probably Saint Paul.When this same Homily was illustrated in the "liturgical" edition,the subject chosen was again Habakkuk's vision. However theiconography underwent modifications. The figure in the mandorla wasvariously interpreted as an angel or as Christ himself; this is not

35. Cutler, op. cit. (note 4), p. 57.36. Ibidem, p. 57.37. PG 36, 624 (CPG, II, no. 3010).38. Omont, op . cit. (note 16).39. C. Cecchelli, The Rabbula Gospels, Olten 1959.


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258 CH. WALTERrelevant to the present enquiry40. More significant is the fact thatGregory and Habakkuk were usually separated, and that Habakkukwas portrayed not looking at Gregory but at the vision. In Paris gr.550, f. 30, and in Dionysiou 61, f. 4, the two figures are placedrespectively to left and right of the vision, which Habakkuk isfacing41. More frequently, Habakkuk is turned away from the visionbut looks back towards it. This is the case in Sinaiticus 339, f. 9V , andParis gr. 543, f. 27V42. In Jerusalem Taphou 14, f. 6, the two figuresare placed side by side, with Habakkuk in a twisted position43. Hereit seems that Gregory is showing Habakkuk the vision rather than theother way about. In Paris gr. 533, f. 7, Gregory and Habakkuk areplaced to either side of the column of text, and Habakkuk's pose isalmost as exaggerated as in the painting at the Holy Apostles, Pec44.Finally in Paris Coislin 239, f. 6, Habakkuk, in his twisted position isquite separated from the vision and placed in a historiated initialletter, while Gregory is not represented at all (Figure 8)45.Thus it seems that the development of Habakkuk's typical posecan be traced and explained. It began quite logically with him facingGregory but pointing at the vision. Later it was maintained but lostits original purpose, once Habakkuk was represented turned nottowards Gregory but towards the vision. Finally the pose wasaccepted as peculiar to Habakkuk. Its original purpose was entirelyforgotten, and it was used in contexts where his vision was notrepresented.

5. The Latomos MiracleAround the year 1395, the empress Helen, wife of Manuel II,presented a bilateral icon to the monastery of Poganovo46. It is nowin the Nevsky Museum in Sofia. On one side is represented a scenewhich is described in the legend as the miracle in Latomos. Above,Christ Emmanuel is seated in a mandorla. Below, either side of a poolin which fishes swim, are two figures. The one to the left looks uptowards Christ and is standing. The one to the right, who is beardless,is seated ; his head rests on his shoulder and is turned away from

Christ. According to the legends they are Ezekiel and Habakkuk.40. Der Nersessian, art. cit. (note 3) , discusses this question.41. G. Galavaris, The Illustrations of the Liturgical Homilies of Gregory Nazianze-nus, Princeton 1969, fig. 402, 357.42. Ibidem, fig. 379, 455.43. Ibidem, fig. 100.44. Ibidem, fig. 236.45. Ibidem, fig. 181.46. T. Gerasimov, L'icne bilatrale de Poganovo au muse archologique de Sofia,CA 10, 1959, p. 279-288.


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THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE PROPHET HABAKKUK 259The subject of the picture and its origin are not in doubt. Sometime between the fifth and seventh centuries, a mosaic with a similarsubject was executed in the church of Hosios David in Thessaloniki.

It was covered up, perhaps during the period of Iconoclasm, and onlyrediscovered some centuries later. The discovery was recounted bythe monk Ignatius, who describes the mosaic and attributes thediscovery to a miracle47. Hence the legend on the icon. The mosaicwas again covered up, no doubt during Turkish times, only to berediscovered a second time in 1927 48 . Since then an enormous amounthas been written about it.The point which concerns us here is the identity of the seatedprophet on the right. On the original mosaic there are no legends. YetIgnatius names them Ezekiel and Habakkuk, attributions which weretaken up on the Poganovo icon. Unfortunately an intermediaryversion of the Latomos miracle, badly damaged, in the ossuary chapelat Backovo also has no legends49. A. Grabar first called in doubt thedesignation of the prophet on the right as Habakkuk50. Various otheridentifications have been proposed.However I do not think that any scholar has put the question whyIgnatius should have made this identification. That it was consideredplausible, is clear since the painter of the Poganovo icon maintainedit, although, in accordance with Palaeologan practice, he representedHabakkuk beardless, while in the mosaic he has a white beard. Butthis is neither here nor there, for, as has been shown, there is no singletradition for the portrait of Habakkuk. On the other hand theobservations made on the previous pages may help us to understandIgnatius's identification.Given the reputation of Habakkuk as visionary and prophet of theMessiah, he was an obvious candidate. Furthermore the lay out of themosaic, with Christ in a mandorla and two figures below to left andright, closely resembles that of miniatures of his vision in illuminated

47. A. Papadopoulos-Kerameus, Varia graeca sacra, Sbornik greceskih neizdannihtekstov, Saint Petersburg 1909, p. 102-113; English translation, C. Mango, The Art ofthe Byzantine Empire 312-1453, Englewood Cliffs 1972, p. 155-156; V. Grumel, Lamosaque du "Dieu Sauveur" au monastre du "Latome" Salonique, EO 29, 1930,p. 157-175.48. A. Xyngopoulos, , 12 , 1929, . 142-180.49. Elka Bakalova, Bakouskata kostnica, Sofia 1977, p. 65-66.50. A. Grabar, Martyrium, II, Paris 1946, p. 198-200; Idem, A propos d'une icnebyzantine du xive sicle au muse de Sofia, CA 10 , 1959, p. 289-304.Credit lines : Department of Medieval and Later Antiquities, British Museum,London, figures 3, 4; Biblioteca apostolica vaticana, figures 5, 7, 10; Bibliothquenationale, Paris, figures 6, 8, 11 ; Benaki Museum, Athens, figure 9.


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260 CH. WALTERmanuscripts of the Homilies of Gregory of Nazianzus. A thirdconsideration might be the prophet's pose, for, although he does notlook at the vision, his position is slightly twisted. In the absence of alegend no certain identification is possible. However Ignatius'sproposal of Habakkuk seems as plausible as those of modern scholars.

ConclusionHabakkuk, who entered Christian iconography as a modest adjunctto Daniel in the lions' den, gained in stature as the typologicalexegesis of his Book progressed. He was considered to be prophet ofthe coming of Christ, of the Annunciation, of his abasement on theCross and of his Resurrection. In the marginal Psalters his was theonly Ode to be illustrated typologically. However the main subject in

which he occurs is the illustration of Gregory's Homily 45 In sanctumPascha. It is in this that he acquired his typical twisted pose, whichwas then used for his portrait accompanying his Ode in some"aristocratic" Psalters and, in the company of other prophets, inchurch decoration.Christopher WalterCentre byzantin67 Asklipiou StreetGR-106 80 Athens

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