Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature

1607-6192 2713-2226

IWL RAS

https://doi.org/10.22455/HORL.1607-6192-2026-25-329-348

Research Article

Articles

Literary Features of the Encomium to Basil the Third: a Ceremonial Portrait of the Family or an Icon of the Nativity of Ivan the Terrible?

Pervushin

Mikhail V.

old-rus@imli.ru

2026

25 329 348

2026

The article examines the analysis of a poorly studied monument of Old Russian literature — the Encomium to Grand Prince Basil the Third, presumably written in the first half of the 16th century. The work is examined not only as an example of ceremonial eloquence but also as a complex literary construct combining features of a formal dynastic portrait and a sacred image. The study traces how the traditional genre was transformed under the influence of a specific political objective: the legitimization of Basil the Third’s second marriage and the birth of his heir. The focus is on the work’s composition, its system of imagery (the grand-ducal couple, the infant Ivan, the godparents, and the author of the Encomium himself), and its artistic devices, including borrowings from the preceding literary tradition. Special attention is given to the interpretation of the central episode — the baptism of the young prince Ivan (in the future Ivan the Terrible). The author of the ‘Encomium’ presents this event on a universal scale, likening it to the Nativity of Christ, thereby elevating the narrative to the level of a sacred ritual. The article substantiates the idea that the primary purpose of the work was an apology for Basil the Third’s second marriage and the legitimization of his heir, achieved through a demonstration of divine providence and the ruler’s wisdom and piety. Furthermore, the article argues the hypothesis that the description of the baptism and the figure of the infant Ivan were deliberately modeled on the iconography of the Nativity of Christ, as evidenced by both direct Gospel allusions and the mention of the Magi by name. Thus, the birth of the heir is interpreted as a miracle intended to confirm the godliness of the grand prince’s second marriage. The work is regarded as evidence of the evolution of the eulogy genre towards greater artistic complexity and ideological depth. The author of the Encomium successfully merged the traditions of ceremonial eloquence with elements of hagiography and icon painting, creating a work that transcends the boundaries of a mere courtly panegyric.

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