Art in Tengaria

Interior of the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom in Lenovo.

Art in Tengaria is the visual artistic works done in the modern geographical region of Tengaria.

History

Early History

The oldest preserved visual art in Tengaria dates from the Kaloí peoples, who used pigments to paint frescos and murals on the walls of their temples and their tombs. Most were lost to history, but a handful, such as the Tomb of Peirous, contain art pieces from the late 5th century BC, although Tengaria has more tombs which date from the 4th cenutry. The art on the tombs give some of the best indication of te practices and beliefs of the Kaloí peoples, and are some of the most prized artistic momuments of early Tengaria. Also, statues dating from the Piraean and Solarian periods can be found in the city of Istros, such as the second-century statues in the Library of Xenagoras. Art from the Classical period of Istros also includes mosaic structures as well, as found in several homes.

Another major area of visual art came with the Empire of Arciluco in the sixth century, which introduced a new style of Western Solarian art with a decidely Sotirian focus. One of the major movements of this was the development of the religious Icon, which became a widespread devotion across the Episemialist world. Icons became central to liturgical practice in Tengaria, with its culmination being the development of the Iconostasis. In addition to icons, Church frescoes became a common practice, usually lining the walls of Churches and Monasteries with images of the Saints or bilical figures. While many of the early Tengarian churches are more austere, later ones become more and more ornate, sometimes implementing use of gold and gems to enhance the religious art and vestments. One of the most prominent buildings which feature this religious art was the Monastery of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in Visoclesia, and important centre of religious art and a popular tourist site today.

Second-century statue of Arete at the Xanthos Library in Istros

Imperial era

Religious art also formed the centre of the controversy behind the Iconoclast Wars. Tengaria, as the spiritual leader of the iconodule side, continued the development of icons and increased their pride of place beacuse of the controversy. As such almost all churches from the late fourteenth century and beyond feature many icons or other forms of religious art. This also coincided with the Tengarian Golden Age, during which the production of art underwent significant increase as well as change. In addition to the continued development of iconography and frescoes, religious sculpture was revived, a practice which had decline in Episemialist art, with a basis on Piraean and Solarian statuary. In a mixture of religious and secular, stautes of Vasil the Great became extremely popular to produce. It was during this time that secular art became more prominent, as Emperors or noblemen would commission art of themselves or family; but this was always secondary to religious art.

Despite a period of decline after the sixteenth century, nevertheless the artistic community still managed to design art for churches, although much along the same lines as had been accomplished during the Golden Age.

Modern period

This changed in the middle of the nineteenth century, when increased building gave artists new chances to do art for new ornate buildings, such as the churches built during this time or new political buildings. An artistic revival began during this period, which continued throughout the beginnings of the century. Art during this period also began to take on various elements of Neoclassicism and Romanticism, but did not fully embrace either. In the early twentieth century, the art community became divided between those who favored more traditional Tengarian styles of art while others wanted to adopt the trends of Eastern Euclean modern art and of Soravia. When Kovachev took power, the traditionalist artists were given pride of place, and art percieved as "ugly" and "disordering" largely was driven underground.

Since the beginning of the second-constitution era, the government has supported the visual arts, and has several publicly funded museums which house important collections of art from Tengaria but also other countries around the world. Many historic pieces of art were restored or put under careful preservation under the care of the government. The Tengarian government stresses the importance that works of art ought to be of "religious, cultural or moral merit", and so will generally fund artist based on a set of criteria that usually fits in with traditional art styles and values. Tengaria is a prominent producer of religious art, especially Episemialist art, and is known for its historic schools of iconography. Despite the effots made by the government to preserve certain kind of art, many around the art world criticize the Tengarian government for the measures it takes against art which goes against its values, and that the government purposefully stifles creativity in art in exchange for the enforcing of the cultural norm.  

Gallery

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  Fresco from the 5th century BC Tomb of Peirous.

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  10th-century ceramic icon of Saint Teodor of Garna.

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  Frescoes from the Monastery of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos

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  13th-century frescoes from Saint George's Church in Elena.

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  14th-century Iconostasis of Saint Teodor Church in Magnalia.

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  Interior of Palace of the Senate in Lenovo.

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  19th-century Iconostasis in the Cathedral of the Logos.

Architecture

The Palace of the Senate in Lenovo, one of Tengaria's most famous buildings.

Tengaria's architecture is largely inspired by historical trends belonging to Eastern and Western Euclea. The early Armonic and Kaloí peoples built buildings of stone, including burial mounds which remain preserved to the current day. The Piraean settlement of Istros saw buildings mainly in the Piraean classical style, although many of the buildings later had the influence of Solarian architecture as well, especially most of the preserved buildings in the city. Tengaria has some of the best preserved Piraean ruins in the world, most of which date from the second century AD. Later, the conquest of the Tengars by the Empire of Arciluco saw the expansion of Arcilucan architecture take prominence, especially in the building of Churches. Examples of this include the sixth-century Basilica of St. John, one of Tengaria's oldest Churches, which is done in the Arcilucan style. The most famous example of this in Tengaria is the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom in Lenovo, which imitates the principal church in Arciluco.

At the beginning of the Tengarian Golden Age, styles from Eastern Euclea were brought over, most prominently, the Gaullican and Etrurian styles. The first buildings of the University of Lenovo were built in a Gaullican style. Tengarian architects took these styles together along with the Classical and Arcilucan styles and, taking what they thought best and most beautiful from each, use the combination to create the fusion based Tengarian style, which has dominated Tengarian architecture for centuries. Certain buildings tended to show one more prominently than the others. The architect Luca Aeditor laid down the principles of the style in his 1488 book Rules of the Builder, which has been a landmark text in Tengarian architecture since. As a result of using a variety of styles together, Tengarian architects were quite flexible in how they could construct buildings. The style did taken on further baroque influences, but not from schools like rococo. Because of its flexibility, it adapted well with neoclassical and neogaullican revivals across Euclea. The famous building of the Palace of the Senate, built in the late nineteenth century, is a prominent example of the Tengarian style, as it combines several styles together, although most prominently Gaullican.

Following its introduction to the country in the wake of the Great War, there arose an hostile reaction to modern architecture from the Tengarian architectural community over the percieved lack of "beauty". After Kovachev took power, he implemented building restrictions on styles which were seen as unbecoming or unbeautiful, especially in cultural and historic centres such as the city of Lenovo and Istros, both of which have comparitavely fewer buildings such as skyscrapers than other cities. The Kovachev government spent significant resources to repair and restore historic buildings. Under subsequent presidents, the rules were laxed slighty to allow for more industry, but remain firmly in place for places deemed of significant cultural value.