Žemaičių Kalvarijos stebuklingasis Dievo Motinos paveikslas

LTIlgai ir sąmoningai buvo stabdomas ir varžomas krikščioniškojo meno tyrinėjimas bei publikavimas. Belieka guostis, kad vien dėl to be rimtesnių studijų nuošalyje liko ir Žemaičių Kalvarijos dailės paminklai. Ne išimtis - stebuklingasis Dievo Motinos paveikslas, kabantis bažnyčios didžiajame altoriuje. Šis rašinys - vien bandymas pažvelgti j paveikslo istoriją; sykiu norėta apibūdinti bendresnes kūrinio ikonografijos ypatybes. Svarbių ir galutinių išvadų apie paveikslo kilmę bei atsiradimo aplinkybes, lyginant jį su kitais šv. Marijos paveikslais, daryti vargu ar galima. Juo labiau kad, Z. Ivinskio žodžiais tariant [Ivinskis Z., 1987. T. 4], stebuklingųjų paveikslų kilmė, kelionės, kaip ir dailininkai, dingsta istorijos sutemose. Marijoniškoji ikonografija Lietuvoje nėra išsamiai tyrinėta. Be to, stebuklingųjų paveikslų chronologija (nuo jos reikėtų pirmiausia pradėti) yra dažniausiai nebenustatoma. [p. 151].

ENThe situation was such that it was forbidden to study Christian art in Lithuania. Many marvellous artistic objects have been forgotten. Historians of art could not study them and write articles or treatises on them. The Miraculous Picture of Calvary Town was also buried in oblivion. This remarkable altarpiece is hanging in the Church of this small town. The report acquaints the reader with the history and specific iconographical features of the holy picture. Yet we cannot exactly define the date of birth of this work of art, because new historical materials such as inventories have still not been found. Ragaišis wrote in his book that this Miraculous picture came from an Italian monastery: the friary of the Order of the Dominicans from Calvary Town conveyed it to Lithuania (this date is still unknown). The author of the report attempts to find the roots of the artistic style, and she uses the comparison method. The author ascribes the Miraculous picture to the school creating according to traditions of Byzantine art. But it is not exactly a Byzantine painting. For instance, such a detail as the pose of the Christ Child reminds us of the Renaissance Madonnas. So it is possible to say that this Hodegetrian Madonna type picture belongs neither to Renaissance nor to Medieval art. It is perhaps the synthesis of traditions of those periods.The author of the report dates the picture back to the end of the 16th century or to the beginning of the 17th century. Most likely, it is a copy of an unknown original made by an unknown master. Or perhaps this picture is a copy itself. So many of the scholars usually regard the miraculous pictures as copies and not originals. Z. Ivinskis mentioned in his works that the iconography of the Virgin had not ever been completely studied in Lithuania. Traditions of the glorification of the Virgin are very old in Lithuania, therefore, the iconography of the Virgin and of many other canvases alike are still waiting for further earnest studies.