The "Crucifixion" subject on narrative centerpieces of Ukrainian stamped bindings of ХVІ–ХVІІІ centuries and unification of description for databases

The article attempts to identify the main iconographic types of the «Crucifixion» subject, found on narrative centerpieces used to decorate Ukrainian leather bindings of XVI–XVIII centuries. We have analyzed the basic kinds of differences that should be considered when determining types, variants or groups of this subject while systematizing them for a database of Cyrillic bindings. We have presented seven main features which differentiate the variants in selected types. These features may become a basis for the development of a particular system of subject information search in a database by individual constituent elements (persons, attributes or elements of decoration etc.), which still remains the most vulnerable point of any search database on bookbindings. We have defined the range of problems that modern researchers deal with when describing the «Crucifixion» subject on Ukrainian bookbindings centerpieces.