IN HOC SIGNO VINCES: THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE IN THE WORLD OF ILLUSIONS – I

“Saint George killing the dragon” is the first part of the diptych that depicts the miracle of the saint and represents the cornerstone of a complex allegorical narrative whose outcomes and conclusions correspond to the tasks of the judiciary, law, and justice.

Lalić’s efforts are directed towards the need to revive the intensity of the struggle as opposed to the frozen portrayal of characters against the mise-en-scène that serves as a sublimated documentation of the saintly miracle in the tradition of Orthodox iconography. The iconography of this representation is, in the church canon, stylized, devoid of humanity and emotional upheavals that accompany the intense clash of forces of good and evil; it is elevated to perfection and thereby directly removed from the contemporary perception of reality that imposes the recognition of anxiety as an inevitable companion of every great endeavour.

The artist intentionally discards the motif of Empress Alexandra or, in another tradition, the princess, whom Saint George saves in response to the pleas of her father brought to the brink of despair. Whether the idea of chivalry from the perspective of a modern person has been transcended in favour of equality in human destinies, and thereby in the eyes of God, or there are different motives at play – those that tell us innocence has not one face, and bravery another, that we are all God’s children born from particles of His mind –  its absence is not felt in the work. In the artist’s interpretation, the struggle between the saint and the monster is a metaphysical representation of conscious and laborious overcoming of entropy, a systematic restraint of chaos that, save for divine purpose and human laws, rules the vast spaces of the cosmos.

Establishing order in the main composition is achieved through a cyclical chronological depiction of sequences of Saint George’s battle with Hades’ monster. Events unfold in clockwise direction, yet they continue where they seemingly started. It is a skillful portrayal of the enduring nature of the conflict symbolising every struggle for truth and justice on Earth, in all times. The saint’s figure, his insignia, garments, and halo undergo a transformation that follows and then transcends Orthodox and Catholic iconography, simultaneously revealing the morphed intellections of heroes and their heroisms throughout history. In the first sequence, George is seemingly uncertain, ravaged by unrest; the spear in his hands is a heavy burden – Chekhov’s gun on the wall, a reflection of a violent act that is as agonising as it is unavoidable. The tears on his face reflect human helplessness in the face of destiny; horror and trepidation in realising that there is 

purpose and choice and that it is time to transcend mortality and become something more: a symbol, an example, a guiding star. This painful image gives way to dense darkness embodying despondency and fear – two emotions so human that they strike with equal force in all hearts. 

When the time comes for the Almighty to call on us, are we capable of answering? “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10). Rising from the abyss of doubt and despair, George becomes a soldier of God and bravely steps onto the path of victory. In this incarnation, he is depicted in accordance with the ideals of the Renaissance, symbolically chosen as an era of human history in which the ideas of humanism harmoniously coexisted with the ideals of Christianity, giving birth to some of the most impressive artistic and scientific achievements known to man. Finally, the saint stands naked before the face of God, as he was, by Him, created. His head is adorned with a halo woven from the expanse of the universe, inhabited by everything that was, that is, and that will be. He earns his place in eternity through the purity of his soul, the rectitude of his mind, and his faith in the Creator. The only weapon he possesses is God’s will to once again have mercy on sinners, embodied in the peaceful and wise attitude of a man who is His envoy, confident of the outcome and steadfast in the face of every storm. From the gaping wound on the carcass of the devil’s embodiment, emerge the seeds of new evils, and it quickly becomes clear that this battle is one of many that precede it and will continue after it. Its happy outcome is motivation to go further, to endure more, not to surrender. The multifaceted outlines of evil in the depiction of the dragon serve as a constant reminder of the deceptions and deceits we encounter daily. It is composed of all profanities, it is low and vile, tied to the earth and this world that, much like mud, tries to leave a mark on the untouchable eternal form of the saint. The hint of space is only given here; where it becomes clear that the way to the Garden of Eden is through narrow passages and straits, not broad, well-trodden paths. “As for the spirits, or forces, which struggle in the world, it remains that it is a battle between material and spiritual principle, and in this constant struggle lies the essence of history.” (Borislav Pekić) 

So it is here: the permanence of the soul hovers above the mire of earthly existence.

Milica Grujić, art historian

Belgrade, 2024.