Dedicated to mom Poli and dad Nikola

"Dora's paintings  are the synthesis of the most archaic and vivid static world  of the

Byzantine iconography tradition.

She represent this tradition in the newest manner  of today's expressionism  and surrealism".
Oscar Magnan,S.J.,PhD (Full Professor in the Fine Art Faculty

of St. Peter's College,New Jersey, USA).

Dora Nikolova Bittau graduated in scenography at the

Fine Arts Academy of Sofia. She's lived and worked in Rome since 1979.

Her paintings are in private collections and public institutes, mostly in the USA:

· Georgetown University Chapel, Georgetown University , Washington; DC;

· The Chapel of St. Ignatius, Seattle University, Seattle, WA ;

· The Church of St. Catherine of Siena, Hillside, New Jersey;

· Novitiate, Portland, Oregon;

· Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA;

· The Chapel of the Three Companions, Gonzaga Preparatory School, Spokane, WA; 

· Laguna Art Museum, California;

· Regis University Chapel, Regis University, Denver, Colorado;

· Marquette Uniersity, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, reproductions of paintings from Seattle University;

· among others

The Triptych shows the most important episodes in the lives of the two Brothers from Salonica

Saints Cyri l and Methodius, the creators of Slavonic alphabet. For their extraordinary

work in civilizing the Slav peoples, Pope John Paul II proclaimed them Patrons of Europe.

The pictures have been used as illustrations for:

· the Book:”The Brothers from Salonica” by Slav Karaslavov ;

· the documentary Film “The bulgarian Monasteries”, produced by RAI 3 (Italian Radio Television)

Collection:

MARYMOUNT International School Rome

Saints Cyril and Methodius

Patrons of Europe

Triptych

A B C

A

A1.Childhood of Constantine (Cyril) and Methodius.

A2. Constatine (Cyril): Scholastic preparation by Photius.

A3. Polycron Monastery:creation of the Slavonic alphabet.

A4. Cyril and Methodius with Saracens.

A5. Cyril and Methodius in the Crimea, with the discovered remains of St. Clement.

A6. Cyril before the Byzantine Emperor Michael III.

A7. On the road to Moravia.

A8. Arrival in Moravia

A9. Dispute with the supporters of the “trilinguist” dogma in Venice.

39”x48.2”

“Seven Saints”

B B1. St. Cyril

B2. St. Methodius

B3. St. Nahum

B4. St. Clement of Okhrida

B5. St. Angelarius

B6. St. Sabas

B7. St. Goraz

B8. the Glagolitico alphabet

39”x48.2”

Photo: James E,Dunn

C

C1. Cyril and Methodius in front of Pope Adrian II

C2. The Pope Adrian II welcomes Cyril and Methodius, blesses the sacred books and Slavic scriptures

C3.The death of St. Cyril

C4. The trial: Ludwig II against Methodius

C5. The torture of Methodius

C6 The death of St. Methodius

C7. The disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius at the slave market in Venice

C8. The disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius expelled from Moravia

C9. The disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius before the court of the Bulgarian King Boris I  

39”x48.2”

Mixed technique on wood, 1984

A1.

A1. 1 A1. 1 . A1. 2

A1.Childhood of Constantine (Cyril) and

A2.

A2. 1 A2. 2

A2. Constatine (Cyril): Scholastic preparation by Photius.

A3.

A3.1 A3.2

A3. Polycron Monastery:creation of the Slavonic alphabet

AA4.

A4.1 A A4.2

A4. Cyril and Methodius with Saracens.

A A5.

A A5.1 A5.2

A5.3 A5.4 A5.5

A5. Cyril and Methodius in the Crimea, with the discovered remains of St. Clement.

A6.

A6.1 A6.2

A6. Cyril before the Byzantine Emperor Michael III.

A7.

A7.1 A7.2

A7. On the road to Moravia.

A8.

A8.1 A8.2

A8. Arrival in Moravia

A9.

A9.1 A9.2

A9.3 A9.4 A9.5

A9. Dispute with the supporters of the “trilinguist” dogma in Venice.

B

Foto: James Dunn sSt. Methodius St. Cyril St. Cyril

sSt. Methodius sSt. Clement

sSt. Clement

St. Nahum (from left) Glagolitico alphabet St. Angelarius(

“Seven Saints” - “Sedmocislenici”

C1.

C1.1 C1.2

C1. Cyril and Methodius in front of Pope Adrian II

C2.

C2.1 C2.2

C2. The Pope Adrian II welcomes Cyril and Methodius,

blesses the sacred books and Slavic scriptures

C3.

C3.1 C3.2

C3.The death of St. Cyril

C4.

C4.1 C4.2

C4. The trial: Ludwig II against Methodius

C5.

C5.1 C5.2

C5. The torture of Methodius

C6.

C6.1 C6.2

C6.3 C6.4 C6.5

. . .

C6.6 C6.7 C6.8

C6. The death of St. Methodius

C7.

C7.1 C7.2

C7.3 C7.4 C7.5

C7.6 C7.7 C7.8

C7. The disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius at the slave market in Venice 

C8.

C8.1 C8.2

C8.3 C8.4 C8.5

C8.6 C8.7

C8. The disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius expelled from Moravia

C9.

C9.1 C9.2

C9.3 C9.4 C9.5

C9. The disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius before the court of the Bulgarian King Boris I . 

***

Monochrome

The Saints Cyril and Methodius

nocro

A

A1 A2

A3 A4 A5

A6 A7 A8

On the road to Moravia.

B

B1 B2

B3 B4 B5

B6 B7 B8

Arrival in Moravia

B9

C

C1 C2

C3 C4 C5

C6 C7 C8

The death of St. Cyril

D

D1 D2

D3 D4 D5

D6 D7 D8

The death of St. Methodius

E

Foto: James Dunn E1 E2

E3 E4 E5

E6 E7 E8

The disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius expelled from Moravia

Boris I, the baptism of the Bulgarians

Triptych

A B C

mixed technique on wood: 68’’-1/2’X38’’-1/2’

A1 A2 A3

A4 A5

B1 B2 B3

C1 C2 C3

Boris I, Simeone I

A B

Collection: Reali

A1 A2 A3

B1 B2 B3

B4

Variants and other paintings

“ 1 2

.

2.1

“ 3

3.1 3.2

3.3 3.4 3.5

3. Prisoners released by Saints Cyril and Methodius

4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17

“ 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25

24, 25. The Book:”The Brothers from Salonica” by Slav Karaslavov .

From “Complete Works of Dora Nik. Bittau”

By Prof. PhD. Arch. Nelly Nikolova