Biblical topics in fine arts.
Garden of Eden. Noah's Ark.
A special language of image in Christian art of the Middle Ages.
Iconography.
One of the most difficult topics to teach is definitely the Bible. This is due to the fact that teachers themselves can tell little about the Bible and cannot always explain to students how to complete this or that task. As a result of studying this topic, in fine arts lessons, children should get acquainted with the special language of image “in Christian art of the Middle Ages, with paintings on Bible themes in art Western Europe and Russia, with the art of Russian icon painting and perform practical work on biblical topics.
Unlike a teacher of world artistic culture, a fine arts teacher cannot limit himself in a lesson to just an interesting show and story, but must teach the child to create an independent composition on a proposed topic. Biblical themes can be difficult and boring for modern children, as they do not understand the plot of the picture well. In order not to waste class time on conversation, some teachers take the simplest path (as it seems to them), asking children to draw an icon, believing that any student can cope with such a “simple!” task.
An icon is not an illustration of the Bible; an icon is an image painted according to canons (rules), which the icon painter must obey. An illustration is the artist’s view of the events described in the Bible, his independent choice of plot, composition, and his own view of how the characters look. In icon painting, the plots are limited, the composition and appearance of the characters are strictly regulated. By asking children to paint an icon as an illustration of the Bible, the teacher is not following the general education school curriculum. By the way, even in Sunday schools at churches and in Orthodox gymnasiums during fine arts lessons, children do not paint faces on icons, since they do not yet have enough skill for this. Moreover, we must not forget that in secondary school Children study not only from Orthodox, but also from Muslim and non-believing families, and an icon is a prayer, only written in the language of colors. Inviting children to paint an icon is the same as offering to learn or compose a prayer in a literature lesson.
The teacher can interest children in the world of biblical paintings and help them understand the language of icons by talking about the symbolic language of icon painting, introducing them to the work of an icon painter and giving them the opportunity to try themselves in the role of an experienced master “flag-bearer”, creating their own composition for a given plot, or in the role of a novice student in a squad icon painters.
Beginning icon painters depicted the details of the icon: hills, trees, architecture and animals, using “copybooks” (an outline drawing made on paper in one or two colors (black and red-brown). Without the help of a teacher, only a few will be able to cope with practical work, and The teacher’s task is to make sure that every child in a fine arts lesson can feel like a real artist, capable of creating paintings on complex themes. To illustrate the Bible, the easiest way is to choose scenes not from the New Testament, but from the Old Testament, and to create a composition using ones already familiar to the children. landscape genre. Landscape can form the basis of paintings.
“The Creation of the World”, “The Garden of Eden with the Tree of Life”, “The Flood” and “The Flight of the Israelites from Egypt through the Red Sea”.
As an example, we can show illustrations of the Bible by the famous marine painter I.K. Aivazovsky. The entire third quarter of the sixth grade was devoted to the topic “Portrait,” and in the seventh grade you can create a whole gallery of portraits of biblical characters. The Bible describes events taking place in Ancient Egypt (Joseph the Beautiful, Moses) and Mesopotamia (the Tower of Babel), which means that children can use the knowledge previously acquired in history and fine arts lessons in one way. practical task historical and biblical themes can be combined. For illustration, you can also use gospel parables, showing as an example the illustrations of the “Parable of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt and Bosch, which are different in nature. Getting to know biblical topics must begin with a conversation. In the event that the teacher himself is poorly versed in biblical subjects, G. Dore’s engravings will help to teach the lesson, since books with his illustrations always contain brief explanations for each engraving.
You should not overload children with new information, so during a conversation you should show such well-known stories as:
Expulsion from Paradise>, "The Flood", "The Tower of Babel", "The Annunciation", "Christmas", "Baptism", "Transfiguration", "The Raising of Lazarus, . Hieronymus Bosch. “Prodigal Son”, “Afternoon in Jerusalem”, “Crown of Thorns”, “Flagellation”, “Jesus Under the Weight of the Cross”, “Crucifixion”, “Descent from the Cross”.
When demonstrating paintings on biblical themes by Western European and Russian artists, it is necessary to show the different attitudes of the artists to the same subject. It will be easier for the children to discuss the paintings if the teacher leaves reproductions of engravings by G. Doré on the board. The paintings should be famous, such as “The Appearance of Christ to the People” by A. Ivanov, but also very emotional, like “Calvary” by N. Ge; "Annunciation", "Rocky" and "Annunciation" by Geliy Korzhev.
Such works of art will never leave children indifferent. When talking about Russian icon painting, it is necessary to explain the difference between a painting and an icon, showing reproductions of icons in parallel with reproductions of graphics and paintings. As a result of the conversation, each student should understand that a painting is an object of aesthetic pleasure, and an icon is both an object of aesthetic pleasure and an object of prayerful veneration.
Practical work on the topic “Garden of Eden”, “Noah’s Ark”. "Tower of Babel".
Before you start depicting, you need to discuss with the children the event that is chosen for illustration, and such interesting sciences as biblical history, biblical archeology, biblical geography, and biblical geology will help you talk about the Bible.
Practical work on the topic “Illustrations of the Bible” can be done using details of an iconographic landscape. The teacher explains the stages of work “step by step” on the board. To prevent children from repeating every stroke after the teacher and making their own individual composition, it is better for the teacher not to use paints for display, but to draw on the board only with chalk and water. The water dries quickly, the children have time to understand how to draw and work with strokes, but at the same time they do not copy every stroke made by the teacher from the board. The result may be interesting compositions made by novice icon painters.
Biblical scenes in painting
Completed by a 6th grade student
gymnasium No. 587
Nikitin A. A.
Saint Petersburg
For two thousand years, the whole world has been brought up on fairy tales and legends, songs and parables taken from the Bible.
The Bible has reached us through the centuries. They banned her and burned her, but she survived. It took 18 centuries to compile the Bible. Over 30 authors worked on it. 66 books of the Bible were written on different languages people who lived at different times.
The great artists of the world depicted in their paintings biblical stories.
In the history of fine art of past centuries, the brilliant Dutch artist Rembrandt, perhaps more than anyone else, was able to deeply moving, truthfully reveal the inexhaustible wealth inner world person.
Dutch painters were the first to see a person as he is in life, and reflected in art various aspects of his everyday existence. Some of them approached the solution of a more complex task - to reflect the beauty and significance of the spiritual world of an ordinary person
It would seem that by turning to biblical and evangelical themes, Rembrandt is moving away from depicting the society of his time. In fact, his biblical and gospel heroes are in many ways reminiscent of ordinary people of his time, who invariably attract the artist’s sympathies. In his mind, biblical heroes serve as vivid personifications of the beautiful human qualities. The artist sees in them spiritual greatness, internal integrity, stern simplicity, and great nobility. They are not at all like the petty, self-satisfied burghers of his contemporaries. Genuine human passions are increasingly reflected in the artist’s canvases; more and more often, theatrical drama, a “terrible” event will be replaced by the true drama of life.
These new features clearly appear in the Hermitage painting “The Descent from the Cross,” painted in 1634.
Night. Mournful silence. A silent crowd of people surrounded the huge cross on which Christ was crucified. They came to Golgotha to pay their last respects to their teacher. In the cold light of torches, they remove his dead body from the cross.
One of the men, climbing the ladder, pulls out the nails with the help of which Christ was crucified on the crossbar; others take his sliding body into their arms; women prepare a bed for the remains by spreading a large heavy cloth on the ground. Everything is done slowly, in respectful and sad silence. The experiences of those gathered are different: some faces express bitter despair, others express courageous grief, others express reverent horror, but each of the people present is deeply imbued with the significance of the event. The sorrow of the old man who accepts the dead Christ is boundless. He holds it with noticeable effort, but very carefully, cautiously, touchingly touching his cheek to the lifeless body. Maria is exhausted from grief. She is unable to stand, loses consciousness, falls into the arms of the people who carefully surrounded her. Her emaciated face was deathly pale, her eyelids were closed, her weakened hand, outstretched forward, drooped helplessly.
The picture captivates with deep penetration and life truth. Only the exaggeration of some movements and gestures reminds us of Rembrandt's baroque hobbies.
Throughout the 40s, Rembrandt several times addressed the theme of the holy family. One of the best solutions to this theme is the Hermitage painting “ Holy family", created by the artist in 1645. The gospel scene gives the viewer many associations with everyday folk life contemporary with Rembrandt. Silence and peace are disturbed only by the usual sounds of life at home. Burning wood crackles, and the quiet, monotonous sound of a carpenter's ax is heard. The room is shrouded in gentle twilight; Light gently pours in from different sources, tremblingly sliding across Mary’s face, illuminating the cradle, giving the image a touch of spirituality. The baby moved slightly, and the woman, obeying the subtle maternal instinct, breaks away from her lecture, lifts the curtain and looks at the baby with concern. She is the very sensitivity, the very alertness. Essentially, the great humanity and soulfulness of the picture is created with just one glance. The bright sublimity of the captured moment is also reflected in the fact that angels silently descend to the mother and boy.
In 1660 Rembrandt creates famous painting"Assur, Haman and Esther." The plot of the film was a biblical myth known as “The Feast of Esther.” Haman, the first vizier and friend of the Persian king Assur, cruelly slandered the Jews before the king, hoping to achieve their extermination. Then Queen Esther, who came from Judea, stood up for her people. Having invited Assur and Haman to the feast, she told about the vizier’s slander, and the treacherous face of the man whom he considered his friend was revealed to the king.
The artist depicts the moment of the feast when Esther finished the story and a deep, painful silence reigned. Sad beautiful eyes queen. Without looking at her hands, Esther mechanically wrinkles her handkerchief. She is still completely at the mercy of what she has experienced. It was painfully difficult for her to utter words of reproof; like the king, she believed the vizier and treated him as a friend. Assur was shocked by what he heard and bitterly disappointed. His big eyes fill with tears. At the same time, noble anger awakens in him, and he powerfully clutches the scepter.
Haman is depicted in deep shadow and alone. An invisible abyss separated him from the king and queen. The consciousness of doom presses him like an unbearable burden: he sits hunched over, head down, eyes closed; the hand holding the cup lies powerless on the table. He is oppressed not even by the fear of death, but by the grave consciousness of moral loneliness. He understands that Assur and Esther will never forgive him, no matter how hard it is for them to condemn their friend.
If in paintings dedicated to the history of Haman, the result of the conflict is irreconcilable condemnation, no matter how difficult it may be for those who pass the sentence, then humane forgiveness and deep repentance of a person who has made a bitter mistake are told famous work Rembrandt “The Return of the Prodigal Son”. The work was written by Rembrandt in the year of his death. Forgotten by his contemporaries, completely alone, he creates his last brilliant creation.
Again a great human tragedy. After long wanderings in a hostile, uncomfortable world, he comes to his abandoned father with a plea for forgiveness. prodigal son. Full of shame and repentance, he is on his knees, ragged, with the shaved head of a convict, trampled sandals, showing the viewer his rough heels. For the first time in many years, feeling the warmth of human affection, he clung to his father, hid his face in his chest, trying to lose himself in his father’s arms. The old man expresses neither surprise nor indignation; He forgave his son a long time ago and had been waiting for this meeting for a long time. In the look of his downcast eyes one can read both silent reproach and sorrowful humility. He gently bent over his son, placing his weak, senile hands on his back. Again Rembrandt embodies his idea that the harsh trials of fate bring people together. Above delusions, insults, and vanity are love, trust, and mutual understanding.
But still, in this meeting there is more grief than joy: the son’s tragic mistake left too deep a mark in the lives of both. Not only the son is broken, but also the father. It is enough to pay attention to the facial expression, the sadly bowed head, the hunched figure, the drooping senile shoulders to feel it
“The Return of the Prodigal Son” is, as it were, the result of Rembrandt’s wise thoughts about the world and people. His pessimistic attitude to reality in the last years of his life, on the one hand, and his unbroken faith in man and his moral height, on the other, resound with equal force in the last work of the brilliant artist.
There are few personalities in the history of art as mysterious and controversial as Bruegel. He did not write articles or treatises, left no correspondence and, with the exception of two or three close-minded people, did not know any friends. Bruegel left no portraits of his wife, children, or friends. It is believed that he sometimes portrayed himself among his own characters - but there is no evidence of this. His portraits, engraved by his friends, bear no resemblance to each other.
Renaissance concept of importance human personality did not fit into Bruegel’s artistic concepts. In his drawings and paintings, he often hides faces altogether, depriving the figures of any individuality. A similar trend can be seen in the depiction of biblical characters. He moves them somewhere to the side, hiding them among ordinary people. This is how we see Mary and the Lord in the village square, John the Baptist with Christ in the crowd of people, and the “Adoration of the Magi” is generally hidden behind a curtain of snowfall.
Bruegel's man has freedom of choice and bears responsibility for his own misfortunes. A person is forced to make the choice between good and evil, between faith and unbelief constantly, throughout his life - just as his ancestors were forced to make this choice, as many other people do today. Hence - another feature of Bruegel's works, which makes them similar to icons, but is very rarely found in modern art - the combination of temporal and spatial layers. In such paintings as “Procession to Golgotha”, “Census in Bethlehem”, “Massacre of the Innocents”, “Sermon of John the Baptist”, “Conversion of Paul”, “Nativity”, the engraving “Assumption of Our Lady”, biblical characters are present among Bruegel’s contemporaries going about their daily lives. normal life, biblical scenes are played out against the backdrop of Flemish urban and rural landscapes. For example, the figure of the Savior bent under the weight of the cross is almost lost among the many other impressions of any of the people depicted in the picture, and these people make their moral choice, not realizing that they see God before them.
The years of Bruegel's creative maturity pass during a period of aggravation of contradictions between the Netherlands and the monarchy of Philip II, in the conditions of a menacingly growing revolutionary situation. The anti-feudal movement merges with the national liberation struggle against the rule of Spain. In 1561-1562, Bruegel created paintings united by a premonition of impending historical cataclysms, “The Triumph of Death” (Madrid), “The Fall of the Rebel Angels” (Brussels), “Mad Greta”, “The Battle of the Israelites with the Philistines”.
During his life, Bruegel was a resident of two very rich cities - first Antwerp, and later Brussels.
Antwerp's growth rate was equal in Europe; it became the new financial and economic center of the Western world. About a thousand foreigners lived in this “bazaar” city with the largest seaport; they were treated with suspicion. In a situation where people were not united by either faith or a single church, when Catholics, Protestants, Lutherans and Anabaptists lived next door, a general feeling of insecurity and anxiety grew. This is how a “multicultural society” was formed, where problems of communication arose especially acutely, primarily on religious grounds.
Antwerp was a symbol of peace. A tower that casts a shadow - contrary to all the laws of nature - not on the ground, but on the sky.
Bruegel painted The Tower of Babel at least three times. The Tower of Babel (1563) and the “Small” Tower of Babel (c. 1563) have survived. The gigantic structure was captured twice. Never before have artists been able to convey so vividly the monstrous size of the tower, the scope of construction, surpassing everything previously known to man.
In Bruegel's later works, the mood of pessimistic reflection deepens. In the famous “The Blind” (1568), the gospel parable is used to embody the idea of blind humanity, having lost the will to fight and passively following fate. The leader, leading the chain of blind cripples, falls, the rest, stumbling, uncontrollably follow him; their helpless gestures are convulsive, the stamp of destructive passions and vices sharply appears on their faces, frozen with horror, turning them into deathly masks. The intermittent and uneven rhythm of movement of the figures develops the theme of imminent death. However, as before, the serenely harmonious nature of the background appears as a contrasting alternative to human vanity, with its idyllic peace as if suggesting a way out of the tragic impasse.
The paintings of Caravaggio (1573-1610) caused heated debate, as they were striking in their unusualness. The character of this artist was also extraordinary - impudent, mocking, arrogant.
Among Caravaggio’s paintings there are no festive scenes - such as “The Annunciation”, “Betrothal”, “Introduction to the Temple”, which the Renaissance masters loved so much. He is attracted to tragic themes. On his canvases people suffer and experience cruel torture. Caravaggio observed these hardships of life. In the painting “The Crucifixion of St. Peter” we see the execution of the apostle, who was crucified on the cross upside down. “The Conversion of Saul” shows the merciless persecution of Christians, their death under the heel of a horse and Saul’s moment of insight. On the way to Damascus, he was suddenly blinded by a heavenly ray, and, falling from his horse, he heard the voice of Christ: “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” After his epiphany, Saul becomes one of the most devoted disciples of Christ - the Apostle Paul.
Caravaggio shows the scene of the “Entombment” as a folk drama. The lifeless body of Christ is carefully supported by the disciples. The frozen hand of the Savior hangs from the gravestone above the black space of the grave.
In Caravaggio's paintings on gospel subjects, the everyday appearance of the characters is striking. In the gospel scenes, he shows life common people. Caravaggio's contemporaries testify: he despised everything that was not copied from life. The artist called such paintings trinkets, children's and doll things.
Icon painting appeared in Rus' in the 10th century, after in 988 Rus' adopted the Byzantine religion - Christianity. By this time, in Byzantium itself, icon painting had finally turned into a strictly legalized, recognized canonical system of images. Worship of the icon has become an integral part of Christian doctrine and worship. Thus, Rus' received the icon as one of the “foundations” of the new religion.
For centuries, icons were the only objects of painting in Rus'. The common people were introduced to art through them.
Depicting events from the life of Christ, Mary, the apostles, icon painters
They found motives that touched the soul of every person, tried to express their ideas about good and evil.
The icon painter followed certain rules in his work, for example, he could not come up with a plot himself. But this does not mean that the painter was deprived of the opportunity to create. He could add some details, “read” the church plot in his own way, and choose color combinations. By these details one can distinguish the style of Andrei Rublev from the style of Theophanes the Greek or Dionysius.
The question of whether this or that work belongs to Rublev is now the subject of lively scientific discussions. The only reliable work of the artist is the Trinity icon. All other works are more or less likely attributed to the famous master.
According to Christian doctrine, God, being one in essence, has three persons. The first person of the Trinity is God the Father, who created heaven and earth, everything visible and invisible. Its second person is God the Son, Jesus Christ, who took human form and descended from heaven to earth for the salvation of people. The third person is God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to all things. It is incomprehensible to the human mind how one exists in three persons, therefore the doctrine of the Trinity is one of the main tenets of Christian religions and as such is an object of faith, but not a subject of comprehension.
The true appearance of the deity is unknown to man - “no one has seen God” (John 1:18). However, sometimes, as Christian tradition says, God appeared to people, taking on a form accessible to man. The first person to see God was the righteous old man Abraham. God appeared to him in the form of three angels. Abraham guessed that, under the guise of three wanderers, he assumed the three faces of the Trinity. Filled with joy, he sat them down under the shade of the Mamre oak tree, ordered his wife Sarah to bake unleavened bread from the best flour, and ordered the servant boy to slaughter the tender calf.
It was this biblical story that formed the basis for the iconography of the Trinity. She is depicted as three angels with wandering staffs in their hands. Angels sit solemnly at a table laden with dishes. In the distance you can see the Chambers of Abraham and the legendary Oak of Mamre. Pious Abraham and Sarah offer refreshments to the winged strangers.
Vikon Rublev is struck by the extraordinary simplicity, the “laconicity” with which the biblical event is reproduced. From the Old Testament story, the artist chose only those details that give an idea of where and how the action took place - the mountain (symbol of the desert), the chambers of Abraham and the Oak of Mamre. It is in vain to look for such boldness in approaching the sacred text in earlier icons. Ancient Russian painting, which previously followed the sacred text without reasoning, setting as its task to give a visible image of everything that the Bible and the Gospel tell about, in the person of Rublev, neglected the letter of the Holy Scripture and tried to reveal it philosophical meaning. From an illustrative art, icon painting has turned into a cognitive art.
In Russia in the 14th - 15th centuries, the doctrine of a trinity deity, representing “one force, one power, one dominion,” became a religious symbol of the political unity of the country. It is no coincidence that the motto of Moscow at the turn of the century was: “We live in Trinity, we move and we are.” Rublev’s “Trinity” is also imbued with the same idea, which has become, as it were, a moral symbol of the new Rus'.
So, despite the fact that biblical stories tell about days long past, artists turn to them in order to reflect contemporary reality through well-known plots.
List of used literature:
1.
Rose-Marie Hagen R. “Pieter Bruegel the Elder.” – “Art Spring”, 2000
2.
Andronov S. A. “Rembrandt. On the social essence of the artist” – Moscow, “Knowledge” 1978.
3.
Platonova N.I. “Art. Encyclopedia” - “Rosman-Press”, 2002
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| Scenes from the Old Testament | Plots of the New Testament |
| Hell and flood Adam and Eve (engraving by Durer) Artaxerxes, Haman and Esther Tower of Babel Balaam's donkey Election of the Seventy Elders by Moses Exile of Eliodorus Copper serpent Moses breaking the Tablets of the Covenant Punishment of the rebel Levites Circumcision of Moses' son Blinding of Samson First mourning Crossing the Red Sea Belshazzar's Feast Adoration of the Magi After the flood Calling of Moses Suicide of Saul Samson and Delilah Death and Testament of Moses Jacob's Dream Creation of Adam Noah's descent from Mount Ararat Last Judgment Descent from Mount Sinai Judith and Holofernes |
Whore of Babylon Star of Bethlehem The beast that came out of the sea Kamo is coming Denial of the Apostle Peter Road to Damascus Flight to Egypt Annunciation Prodigal Son in a Tavern Marriage in Cana of Galilee A cart of hay Return of the Prodigal Son Laying on the crown of thorns Presentation of the keys to the Apostle Peter Calvary Caesar's denarius Tree of Life Massacre of the innocents Temptation of Christ Penitent Mary Magdalene Crowning with a crown of thorns Baptism of Christ Madonna with Beardless Joseph Mary Magdalene Maesta Sermon on the Mount Finding the Savior in the Temple Dont touch me Carrying the cross Beheading of John the Baptist Conversion of Saul Lamentation of Christ Peter's denial Feast in the house of Levi Adoration of the Magi Worship of the Shepherds Kiss of Judas Transfiguration (Raphael) The Calling of the Apostle Matthew Calling of the first apostles Crucifixion of Christ Garden of Earthly Delights Saint John the Baptist in the desert Seven acts of mercy Seven Joys of Mary Seven Sorrows The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things Descent from the Cross Last Judgment Court of the Sanhedrin. "Guilty of Death" Pilate's Court last supper Crowning with thorns Dormition of the Virgin Mary Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane Christ in the desert Christ in his parents' house Christ during a storm on the Sea of Galilee Christ and the Sinner Christ and the woman caught in adultery Four Apostles What is truth? Appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection The Appearance of Christ to the People Dinner at Emmaus Thomas's disbelief |
And now the lyrics
Works of art based on biblical themes have been created over the past two millennia. The gallery that has developed during this time artistic images conveys the complex, spiritually rich world of Holy Scripture that inspired artists, and allows us to trace not only the change in directions and styles of fine art, but above all the worldview of people different eras, their perception of man and the world around him. This volume contains only a small part of the works of fine art (more than 2,700 reproductions) illustrating the Old and New Testaments in painting, engraving, book miniatures, mosaics and frescoes from the first centuries of our era to the beginning of the 20th century.
The second commandment prohibits the creation of any images (“You shall not make for yourself any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth...” Ex. 20:4). On one of those historical periods When this commandment was interpreted less harshly - as a ban on the production of statues (idols) and other three-dimensional images, the first works on subjects of Sacred history were created in Jewish art. At the turn of our era, a series of illustrations for the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Bible) was developed in Alexandria, Egypt. Although these illustrations have not survived to the present day, their influence can be seen in the depiction of scenes from the Old Testament, both in the wall paintings of the Roman catacombs and in Byzantine book miniatures. For a long time the existence of the Alexandrian cycle remained unproven until the ruins of a synagogue at Dura Europos in Mesopotamia were discovered in 1931. The paintings on the western wall, dating back to about 244 AD, represent the main scenes of the Old Testament: the sacrifice of Abraham, the finding of Moses, the Exodus, the anointing of David as king, the triumph of Mordecai, the vision of Ezekiel, etc. Painted panels from Dura-Europos helped researchers confirm the connection between various monuments that compositionally reproduced scenes from the Alexandrian cycle. Traces of the influence of Septuagint illustrations are also noticeable in biblical scenes depicted on the mosaic floors of synagogues of the 6th century AD. e. in Palestine and northern Africa (for example, the scene of the sacrifice of Abraham from the synagogue at Beit Alfa).
The origin of the Christian visual tradition dates back to the 2nd-7th centuries AD. e., when paintings were created in the Roman catacombs (multi-tiered underground labyrinth galleries). During the era of persecution of Christians, the catacombs were used to bury the most revered members of the community, and were also a place for meetings and religious ceremonies. The scenes of the catacombs are covered with paintings in which there are images of characters and scenes from the Old Testament (Moses cutting out water from a rock, Adam and Eve, etc.), but New Testament scenes predominate, as well as symbolic and allegorical images of Christ in the form of fish, the Good Shepherd, etc. . d. The first image of the Mother of God known to us is also located here.
After Christianity was recognized as the state religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century AD. Discrepancies between the Western and Eastern churches are gradually becoming apparent (the division of the Christian Church into the Catholic (Western) and Orthodox (Eastern) actually occurred in 1054). Two different approaches to depicting sacred history are emerging. In Byzantium, a canon was developed and consolidated: “true”, miraculously revealed images of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God became the originals from which lists were made. A special system of conventional techniques for reproducing reality emerges: a flat image is placed on an abstract (often “golden”) background, the choice of landscape elements is subordinated to identifying the symbolic or narrative meaning of the composition, but not to the task of conveying nature.
In the West in the Middle Ages, the Church became the main customer for works of fine art. Wall paintings of temples, mosaics, sculptures are created, and book illustrations are becoming widespread. In early medieval Western book miniatures one can notice the influence of both Byzantine models (the Gospel of Otto) and the traditions of Roman miniatures (the Gospel of Charlemagne). At that time handwritten book was a luxury that few could afford. For the largely illiterate population, the illustrated book was the temple itself. But already on the eve of the Renaissance, in the 15th century, a new type of art appeared - engraving - much cheaper and more accessible. Printed graphics remained the most democratic form of art until the 20th century. Initially, most of the printed publications illustrated with engravings were books of religious content, and in easel engravings such masters as Dürer, Rembrandt and many others turned to biblical subjects. Complete the tradition book illustrations to the Bible in this collection of engravings by Gustave Doré, who combined in his work a romantic interpretation of subjects with bold spatial structures and dramatic lighting effects.
In the Western Church, starting from the late Middle Ages, there has been a gradual abandonment of the established types of images; Along with religious painting, secular painting appears. If in the Middle Ages the only customer was the church, then in the Renaissance the same artists carry out both church and secular orders. The very name of the new period in the development of Western European art - Renaissance - means a return to ancient culture and aesthetics. The artistic principles of the new art are the volume of depicted figures and the three-dimensionality of space. Characters paintings and frescoes are depicted not as generalized images, but as contemporaries of the artist, for whom the poor often pose. When depicting the heroes of the Old and New Testaments, masters admire their physical beauty - masculine strength and power (Michelangelo) or gentle femininity (Leonardo da Vinci).
The events of Sacred History become scenes from modern life in the paintings of Caravaggio and Tintoretto, and the Baroque era introduces into them elements of sensual beauty, interest in decoration and decoration, nuances and details. The work of Rembrandt stands apart from other masters of this period, in whose works on biblical subjects the depth of feeling and concentration of emotional sensations are conveyed to a minimum artistic means("The Return of the Prodigal Son")
The Reformation and the Age of Enlightenment pushed religious themes into the background in art. There is a gradual shift away from depicting the heroes of Sacred History in clothes and settings contemporary to the artist. Masters of classicism, romanticism, and then realism strive for historically accurate reproduction of interiors, clothing and landscapes, traveling to Palestine (such as Tissot) to sketch from life.
Interest in biblical, and primarily gospel, subjects is being revived among the Pre-Raphaelites, a group English artists who set themselves the goal of liberation from academic conventions and a return to the tradition of sincerity and “naive religiosity” early Renaissance. Sensual beauty, stylization and decorativeness in the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites are filled with a mystical and ecstatic religious experience (“Beate Beatrix” by Rossetti), and the events of the Sacred History are played out in a detailed everyday setting (“The Carpenter’s Workshop” [Jesus in the Parental Home] by Millet).
Symbolists, in search of a dream, a mysterious and sensual Idea, also turn to religious subjects. The image of Salome becomes one of the most frequent motifs, for example, in Gustave Moreau’s painting “The Vision” (Dance of Salome), the sensuality of the dancer, the mysterious and exotic setting are combined with a realistic rendering of the bleeding head of John the Baptist, creating a fantastic atmosphere that is different from traditional interpretations of this plot .
Ancient Rus', with the adoption of Christianity, also borrowed the icon-painting tradition. Secular painting first appears only in the 17th century, and by the time of the reign of Peter I, two currents were identified: traditionalist, supported by the clergy, and secular. In the 18th century, the range of book samples expanded, the opportunity to study abroad appeared, which led to the gradual development of Western tradition, and paintings on religious themes appeared. K. Bryullov, G. Semiradsky, A. Ivanov, N. Gyo, I. Kramskoy, V. Vereshchagin and many other artists of the 19th century turn to gospel subjects.
The Old Testament, with a wide variety of subjects, is represented by fewer illustrations. The most popular episodes and characters in this section are Adam and Eve, Moses and the exodus from Egypt, Judith. In the New Testament, artists were attracted primarily by events from the life of the Mother of God and Jesus Christ (see Nativity, Baptism, etc.), less often by the acts of the apostles (see Apostles, Stephen) and the Apocalypse.
Landscape depicting Jacob's dream: angelic ladder reaching to heaven
(Gen. 28:10-16)
Artist: Willmann, Michael Lucas Leopold
Date of creation: around 1691
Size: 87 x 106 cm
Material, technique: canvas
Location: Breslau, Museum of Fine Arts (until 1945)
Style, era: Baroque
Country: Germany
In contact with
01/08/2016 In the west European art The plot of the Flight to Egypt appeared relatively late. This is due to the fact that the Flight into Egypt is mentioned very briefly and only in the Gospel of Matthew (chapter 2; vv. 13-15): “When they had departed, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: Arise, take Take the Child and His Mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod wants to look for the Child in order to destroy Him. He arose, took the Child and His Mother by night and went into Egypt, and there he remained until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying: Out of Egypt I called My Son.” Therefore, artists looked for details of the event in apocryphal sources.The path of Christ from infancy begins with difficult trials. However, in the hands of the caring Mary and protected by Joseph with God's help, He is saved. The idea of persecution and salvation are the most important themes for the Christian world. Jesus was sent to save humanity out of love for humanity. The meaning of this important event allowed artists to rethink the Flight into Egypt and depict it with new shades of mood.
The main characters in this scene are the Virgin Mary riding on a donkey, the Child she holds in her arms, and Joseph, usually leading the donkey. Typically the procession in the painting moves from left to right. Origins of iconography easel painting are in miniature and mosaic. One of the earliest unique European depictions of the Flight into Egypt is a miniature from an English manuscript (1260-80, St. Mark's National Library, Venice), created in the city of Chichester. The miniature resembles a stained glass window. The painting is done with local colors, the colors are saturated. The composition is dominated by graphics, clear lines, and there are no small details. The Mother of God holds the swaddled Baby, sitting on a donkey, which deserves special attention. In addition to Joseph, a young man is depicted walking behind. It is believed that this is Jacob the Less, the eldest son of Joseph, who was later called “brother of the Lord.” The golden background and the royal crown transport the action to another heavenly world, where there is no time, unnecessary details and earthly life. In terms of its general mood, grace, simplicity and naive manner of painting, the miniature is an outstanding example of English medieval art.
The traditional elegance of Parisian miniature is revealed in the Book of Hours of Marshal Boucicault (1405-08, 275x190, Musée Jacquemart-André, Paris), which was created for Jean II Le Mengres, Marshal Boucicault and his wife Antoinette. Delicate and elegant floral decoration accompanies all pages of the manuscript. The escape takes place against the backdrop of everyday rural life. The center of the composition is the main characters, accompanied by four angels. Behind the hedge, a complex landscape opens up with mountains, castles, houses and a lake. The composition culminates in a huge shining sun against a deep blue sky. Rich real life, against which the event unfolds, is filled with symbolic images. A shepherd with his flock on a mountainside refers us to the “good shepherd” and his flock, i.e. to the image of Christ and Christians. Another resident climbs up the slope with luggage, recalling the spiritual ascent of every Christian. The special luminosity and sophistication of color, complex coloring with transitions, elegance of lines and complexity of space allow us to compare this miniature with a precious piece of jewelry.
Fig 2 
Sometimes artists depict the robbers who met the Holy Family on the way to Egypt, according to the apocrypha. One of them recognized the Savior in the Child of extraordinary beauty and saved the Family from attack. Probably this robber was hanged on the cross - one of two - along with Christ and repented before his death. An example is a miniature from the book of hours “La Flora” (1483-98, National Library of Naples), created by the Dutch master Simon Marmion (1425-1489), known as the “prince of miniatures”. The artist freely and unusually for international gothic builds a composition. He places the subject in a carved wooden frame and highlights the figures of Our Lady and Joseph close to the frame. The figures are presented fragmentarily, as in a photograph, and the viewer sees only the eyes and back of the donkey. Artists began to widely use this framing technique after the invention of the camera. With this original technique, Simon shifts the main emphasis to the characters, making the scene more intimate, closer to the viewer. The composition is built in a circle, emphasizing unity, but at the same time, the harmoniously inscribed swaddled Baby imperceptibly becomes the main character and center. Despite the presence of robbers in the background, Maria has a soft half-smile and a gentle look on her face. This miniature fascinates and attracts with the beauty of simplicity and harmony.
Flight to Egypt in fine art is divided into three plots: flight, rest along the way and return from Egypt. One of the first examples of depicting the plot of a vacation on the way to Egypt in easel painting is a fragment of the famous Grabov Altar (1379-83, tempera on wood, 80x57, Hamburg Kunsthalle). This grandiose commission was carried out by the artist Master Bertram (1340-1415) from Westphalia for the Church of St. Peter in Hamburg. The creation of the altar coincides with the beginning of the flowering of painting in northern Germany. The wealthy Catholic orders ordered uniquely beautiful works of art for the monasteries, performing especially magnificent and solemn rites of worship.
Before us are images that are surprisingly touching in their simplicity, a naive, sincere interpretation of the scene. The composition moves in a circle from the baby and his pointing finger to the face of Mary, bowing her head, then to the gray-haired Joseph in a red warm cap, biting off bread and then to the donkey who is chewing grass and again to the baby. Thus the circle closes. The composition gives a feeling of cohesion and unity. The artist introduces landscape elements: rocks and trees, but overall the background remains neutral, reminding us of the tradition of depicting Gospel stories outside of time and space, in eternity. The artist strives to create realistic images. The young, immaculate, thoughtful Virgin Mary, the caring Joseph and the feeding, bright, strong Baby create a general mood of submission and acceptance. The Mother of God wears a green maforium with a red lining and is crowned with a thin openwork halo. Joseph is dressed in green, grass-colored clothing. The color of the altar marks is local, but it helps to convey the shape, volume and characteristics of the objects. Master Bertram made a huge step forward compared to the painting of the 13th - early 14th centuries. He depicts the human figure in a new, more realistic way, introducing many realistic (albeit naively interpreted) details into the picture. While depicting a person, the artist is not yet able to convey his spiritual world. The reflection of reality is rather descriptive in nature. But the artist’s interest in the surrounding world, in humans, in the accurate depiction of objects, animals and birds reveals to his followers the beauty of the surrounding world.
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The Flemish artist Melchior Bruderlam (c. 1350-1410) continued and developed the realistic direction in painting. He painted two large altar doors for the Cartesian monastery of Chanmol near Dijon (1393-99, tempera on wood, 167x125, City Museum fine arts, Dijon). The right flap shows the episode of the Flight into Egypt. The influence of the Italian school is visible in the development of space and modeling of figures. The composition is built diagonally upward and is a symbol of spiritual ascent, the beginning of the path of the Lord. Although the perspective is not fully developed, the painter uses light and shadow to create a sense of depth. At the foot of the rock there is an overthrown golden warlike pagan idol with a broken spear. This detail is taken from the messages of the prophets. For example, in Zechariah: “In that day (...) I will destroy the names of idols from the land” (Zech. 13:2). The Holy Family stopped at a small well. The image of Joseph is full of naturalistic details. He has a hooked nose and thick eyebrows with a gray beard. Joseph is dressed in a red shirt, tied with a leather belt at the waist. His wallet is tucked into his belt, and on his left shoulder is a stick with a cloak thrown over it and a small pot. Leather boots are worn out long road. We see Joseph in profile, stopping to drink water.
Mary sits with the Child on a donkey. She carefully wrapped her deep blue maforium around the swaddled Jesus. Her thin graceful arms are wrapped around Him, cheek pressed to cheek, and their gazes are fixed on each other, the trusting and open gaze of the Baby, like any child, and the gaze of the mother, filled with quiet and tender calm love.
Since the creation of the Dijon altar, reality has become a constant theme Flemish artists. Artists will strive to capture individual features and will focus on the materiality of figures and the detail of everyday life. This is the beginning of one of the most significant revolutions in the history of fine art.
A continuation of the northern traditions, but already from the Renaissance period, is a fragment of the polyptych “The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady” by Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528). This altar was commissioned by Frederick III for his palace church in Wittenberg in April 1496, but was created around 1500. Flight to Egypt (oil, wood, 63x45.5, Dresden Gallery) is built on the already established classical tradition: The Virgin and Child are sitting on a donkey, Joseph is a simple carpenter. Mary holds the free-lying golden-haired Christ with one hand, and the reins with the other. Her eyes are lowered, her gaze is serious. The white, picturesquely developing board reminds of the purity and purity of the Virgin. The animals that are present in this plot refer us to the Nativity of Christ. Jesus was born quite recently and there are already trials on his way. The artist conveys the seriously conscious content of the painting.
The landscape is painted in a naturalistic manner, the details of the images are Joseph’s beard, the skin and fur of a donkey, even the stones on the road that bear a Christological symbol. “The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner” (Matthew 21:42). Jesus Christ became the Head of the church, uniting Jews and pagans with one faith. Just as a stone placed at an angle in a building simultaneously supports one and the other wall, so Christ united everyone with one faith.
By the end of the 15th century, Mary and the Child began to dominate in paintings with this subject, making it closer to the image of the Madonna and Child. Joseph is given a secondary role here. This is the iconography chosen by Gerard David (1460-1523) in the painting Rest on the Flight into Egypt (1500, oil on wood, 42x42, National Gallery, Washington). The square format reinforces the importance of the two central figures. Christ stretches out his hands to a bunch of grapes, symbolizing His destiny, sacrifice and future salvation. “I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1).
The composition is symmetrical: Joseph, knocking fruit from a tree, is balanced by a resting donkey. The grass in the foreground actively includes the viewer in this scene. The cloth falls in picturesque folds onto the ground and stones. The finest transparent fabrics emphasize the fragile and delicate image of the baby. In this work, Gerard David created a surprisingly gentle mood, he sang and poeticized nature and harmoniously used an exquisite palette of shades of blue.
The Italian school fills the plot with a solemn mood, an ideal landscape, light open major pure colors, idealistic images, refined shapes and lines. Palla Strozzi commissioned from Gentile da Fabriano (c. 1370 - 1427) a large altarpiece of the Adoration of the Magi for the Church of Santa Trinita in Florence. The central predella shows the Flight into Egypt (1423, tempera on wood, 32x110, Uffizi Gallery, Florence). Art historian Viktor Lazarev wrote about this work: “In his altarpiece, the most beautiful and festive painting of the early Quattrocento, Gentile depicted the feudal world that was leaving the historical stage in all its splendor, with all its outwardly attractive features, in the halo of its “chivalrous romance.” " The altar image is painted in pure colors, shining like jewels, and its decorativeness is enhanced by gold interspersed here and there. The liveliness of the composition, the carefully designed, delicate drawing, the nobility and expressiveness of the figures, and the freshness of the colors are inherent in this work. With the delicacy of his modeling of faces, the gentle pallor of their carnation and the ability to animate them with a sense of piety, Gentile is reminiscent of Fra Beato Angelico. The painting combines the interest in detail characteristic of Northern European Gothic, decorativeness and soft sentimentality characteristic of the Umbrian school.
Fra Beato Angelico (1400-1455) also turned to this subject when he painted the doors of the cabinet for storing silver utensils and the chapel of the Madonna Annunziata (1451-1453, tempera on wood, 38.5x37, San Marco Museum, Florence). Works of this Italian artist The Renaissance era of the Dominican friar, nicknamed “Angelic”, is endowed with a special radiance, light and purity. Mary carefully placed the Baby, who looked like a doll, on her cheek. Fra Angelico enhances the sense of space thanks to active lighting on the left side. It also creates voluminous, spatial halos. The stylized landscape, elegant clothes and images, the harmony of warm gold and noble blue put this work in line best works artist.
The genius of Caravaggio worked outside the framework and traditions. "Rest on the Flight into Egypt" (1596-97, oil on canvas, 133.5x166.5, Doria Pamphili Gallery, Rome) was commissioned by Monsignor Fantino Petriniani. Realism Caravaggio First of all, it penetrates to the essence of things. This is not just an imitation of nature, it is a deep understanding of human psychology. He knew how to accurately convey the character of light and form. Transform reality into drama.
Caravaggio uses an unexpected artistic technique. The perfect figure of a golden-haired angel playing the violin divides the composition into two parts. The beautiful messenger stands with his back to us, his figure is captured by the light, and the snow-white flowing drapery takes special attention. The angel's gaze is fixed on the score that Joseph is holding. The music book contains lines from the motet "Quam pulchra es et quam decora" by the Flemish composer Noel Baldwin. The motet is inspired by Solomon's Song of Songs, and the verse translates: "How fair art thou, how comely, beloved by thy comeliness." An amazing image of Joseph was created by Caravaggio. The barefoot and gray-bearded husband of the Virgin Mary looks at the angel so insightfully, vividly, deeply and soulfully. Joseph's whole being obediently listens, he responsibly holds the notes. His legs are tucked, which indicates internal composure. Joseph's message conveys subtle and sensitive obedience.
The right side of the painting tells the story of Mother and Child. They experience quite earthly feelings - fatigue from a long and tiring journey. Now they are absorbed in rest, dissolved in it. The dozing Mary leaned over Jesus, who, in blissful rest, had his legs tucked up and was smiling blissfully in his sleep. The travelers depicted by Caravaggio may be among us. The lines of N. Zabolotsky are exactly suitable for this work:
“I dreamed that I was a baby
In a thin capsule of shrouds
Jewish settler
Brought to a distant land.
Before Herod's gang
We trembled. But here
In a white house with a veranda
Find yourself a shelter.
The donkey was grazing near the olive tree,
I frolicked in the sand.
Mother and Joseph are happy
They were busy in the distance.
I'm often in the shadow of the Sphinx
The bright Nile also rested,
Like a convex lens
Reflected the rays of the stars.
And in this dim light,
In this rainbow fire
Spirits, angels and children
They sang to me on pipes"
Interest in religious themes in European painting fades over time. Towards the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the plot of the Flight to Egypt became less and less common. The accents and hobbies of artists change. They are in search of new artistic techniques, ideas, and political influences.
A remarkable example of a change in consciousness and taste is the work Irish artist Solomon Delaunay (1727-c. 1784) “Landscape with the Flight into Egypt” (1772, small, copper, 48x61, private collection). The event dissolves into a beautiful perspective landscape. The Holy Family are small figures of travelers on the road. The main character becomes nature with its wide distances. The plot seems to fade into the background.
Artists no longer create such subtle, heartfelt religious works as in the era of international Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, because the consciousness of humanity has irrevocably changed. And turning to these unique monuments of past eras only lifts the veil of a different worldview that has disappeared.
Lyubov Panfilova
The scene of the Annunciation is described in the Gospel of Luke: he tells that the Archangel Gabriel appeared in the house of Mary and told her that she would give birth to the Son of God from the Holy Spirit OK. 1:26-38.. In the fine arts of different centuries, Mary and the archangel were depicted in different poses, interiors and uses various symbols. And this is not even the main thing - what is more important is how the feelings of the characters depicted in the paintings changed over time. Early Christian artists wanted to show the greatness of Mary; in medieval and Renaissance painting, the Virgin personifies humility and purity, and in the art of the Late Renaissance and Baroque, she experiences surprise and fear. Archangel Gabriel, who in the 12th-14th centuries almost stood still before Mary, later quickly flies into her house. Using the example of ten works, we find out how the perception of this subject has changed in art over the course of fifteen centuries.
Mosaic on the triumphal arch at Santa Maria Maggiore (5th century)
DiomediaAt the turn of the 420-430s, the Archbishop of Constantinople Nestorius taught that “only flesh can be born from the flesh” and the Son of Mary is only a man in whom the Word of God is embodied, but not God himself. In 431, the Third Ecumenical Council was held in Ephesus, declaring that Mary was the Mother of God and declaring the teachings of Nestorius to be heresy. Mary was revered before, but her cult became especially strong after the resolution of the council. Next year, work begins in Rome on the mosaics of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the first city basilicas dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The scene of the Annunciation decorates triumphal arch, and it was important for its authors to show the greatness of Mary. The Virgin is dressed like a noble girl, wears a tiara, earrings and a necklace, and is surrounded by a retinue of angels. The spindle she holds in her hands hints at Mary’s chosenness. The apocryphal Proto-Gospel of James, written in the 2nd century, says that seven girls from the family of King David (it was among his descendants that the Messiah would appear) were chosen to work on the veil of the Temple. Among them was Maria. To decide who should spin what, lots were cast. Mary received purple and crimson - the most valuable fabrics. She took her work home, where the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her.
Annunciation at the Well (second half of the 12th century)
Bibliothèque nationale de France / MS Grec 1208
Theologians who wrote about the Annunciation often speculated about how Mary felt at that moment, and only a few were interested in the experiences of the Archangel Gabriel. Among the latter is the 12th-century monk Jacob Kokkinovathsky, author of six homilies. Homilia- a sermon with an explanation of the passages of Holy Scripture read. about the life of the Virgin Mary. Gabriel was pretty frightened by the task entrusted to him. At first he entered Mary's house unseen and was amazed by her virtue - so much so that he could not find the right words. Deciding that he would scare her less on the street than at home, Gabriel decided to wait for Maria to go get water and tell her the news at the well (alas, this did not help and Maria was still scared).
The meeting at the well is illustrated by one of the manuscript miniatures. Mary stands with her back to Gabriel. Hearing his voice, she turns her head, raising one hand in fear and holding the jug with the other. This scene is often found in Byzantine and Old Russian art, in paintings dedicated to the Annunciation.
"Ustyug Annunciation" (1130-40s)
State Tretyakov Gallery/ Google Art Project / Wikimedia Commons
Creator of the “Ustyug Annunciation” The traditional name of the icon is erroneous: in the 18th century it was believed that it was brought to Moscow from Ustyug, but in fact the icon was painted in Novgorod. I used rare iconography for this plot. The Archangel and the Virgin Mary stand opposite each other. With her head bowed, Mary listens to Gabriel. At first glance, there is nothing unusual in such a composition, however, if you look closely, you can discern an image of the Infant God on Mary’s chest. This image directly says that it is with the Annunciation that the earthly life of Christ begins and it is at this moment that he becomes human in order to then perish. His impending death is symbolized by his clothing: he is wearing a loincloth, like on the Crucifixion. Jesus is depicted as a youth: this iconography It is called “Emmanuel” according to the prophecy of Isaiah that the son of the Virgin would be named Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” (Isa. 7:14) reminded that the origin of Christ was originally divine, in contrast to the teachings of Nestorius.
At the top of the icon, on the clouds, we see the image of the Lord Old Denmi Lord Old Denmi- a symbolic iconographic image of Jesus Christ or God the Father in the form of a gray-haired old man.. This image is borrowed from the Book of the Prophet Daniel: “I saw at last that thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days sat down; His robe was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool; His throne is like a flame of fire, His wheels are like blazing fire.” Dan. 7:9. In the “Ustyug Annunciation” the Holy Spirit is also depicted: it is symbolized by a ray of light emanating from the figure of the Old Denmi.
Simone Martini. "Annunciation" (1333)
Uffizi Gallery / Wikimedia Commons
Medieval Annunciations are rarely complete without two attributes: flowers, most often lilies, standing in a vase, and a book that Mary is reading. We see these images in the late Gothic “Annunciation” by the Italian artist Simone Martini - the artist adds to the lily symbolizing peace olive branch, which is given to Mary by an angel. The fact that Mary knew how to read and knew the text of the Old Testament was mentioned by Saint Ambrose of Milan back in the 4th century. However, until the second half of the 9th century, this information did not overly impress the authors of iconography dedicated to Mary. The earliest depiction of the reading Virgin Mary that has survived dates back to the second half of the 9th century: it is a carving on an ivory casket, probably made in Metz. At the same time, just 120 kilometers from her, the monk Otfried of Weissenburg writes a poetic summary of the Gospel and for the first time mentions that at the moment of Gabriel’s appearance, Mary was reading psalms. Since then, Mary meets the archangel reading more and more often, and to XIII century the book becomes a permanent part of the Western European Annunciation, and the spindle departs from the Byzantine tradition. In the same 13th century, a flower appears standing between the archangel and Mary. This symbol recalled that the Annunciation took place in the spring: “Nazareth” translated from Hebrew means “flower”. Later it turns into a lily, symbolizing not only the season, but also the purity of Mary.
Robert Campin. "Annunciation" (1420-30s)
Metropolitan Museum of Art
An angel enters an ordinary burgher's house of that time. Maria is absorbed in reading and does not notice him. In a ray of light there is a figurine of Christ flying through the window. Archan-gel has not yet had time to speak to the Virgin, and Kampen seems to use this pause to show the viewer the interior of the room. There are lilies on the table, a polished bronze washbasin in the corner, a book wrapped in cloth. All this hints at Mary's purity. The newly extinguished candle probably recalls the radiance that emanated from the newborn Jesus and eclipsed the candle flame. Perhaps this is Kampen’s way of emphasizing the humanity of Christ. In general, Campin’s painting is an example of how difficult it can sometimes be to decipher Dutch painting of the 15th century by choosing a specific meaning of a particular object. For example, the bench of the Mother of God, decorated with small carved lions, may symbolize the throne of Solomon, with which Mary was compared and which was also decorated with lions, and the lions themselves - Jesus. Or maybe Kampen painted the bench only because such furniture was in fashion in those years.
Piero della Francesca. "Annunciation" (1452-1466)
Piero della Francesca. Annunciation
Piero della Francesca. Lowering of Judas Cyriacus into the wellBasilica di San Francesco, Arezzo / Wikimedia Commons
The Annunciation could be an independent plot, and part of a cycle dedicated to the Mother of God, and the first scene in the depiction of the life of Christ. In Piero della Francesca, the Annunciation unexpectedly becomes part of the story of the discovery of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Mary and the angel are placed in a classical architectural space (in Renaissance painting it replaces conventional images of buildings in Gothic and Byzantine art). The tiers of the building divide the composition into two registers: earthly, in which the angel addresses Mary, and heavenly, with the image of God the Father.
The laconic composition is almost devoid of details, so the rope hanging from the beam by the window attracts attention. On the one hand, this symbol recalls the instruments of passion Instruments of Passion- instruments of the martyrdom of Jesus Christ., on the other hand, with the help of this image, Della Francesca connects the Annunciation with the scene of the torture of Judas Cyriacus, which is depicted in the upper register. According to apocryphal legend, in the 4th century, the Roman Empress Helen, mother of Constantine the Great, who made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire, initiated excavations in Jerusalem to find the cross on which Jesus was crucified. The Jews refused to help Helen in her search, and then she ordered one of them, Judas, to be put in a dried up well. A few days later, Judas began to beg for his release and promised to help him find the cross. Rescued from the well, he prayed to God - and saw the place where the cross was: so he believed in Christ. However, the devil appeared to him and accused him of betraying him, unlike Judas Iscariot. The rope on the beam reminds us of Iscariot and the rope with which he hanged himself. The empty loop, which was not useful to the believing and saved Judas Cyriacus, indicates the salvation that follows the coming of Jesus into the world.
Annunciation with Unicorn (1480-1500)
Schlossmuseum, Weimar
The Middle Ages spoke of many fantastic beasts and attributed amazing traits to real animals. Theologians found parallels between the descriptions of some animals and events from the life of Jesus: for example, the sacrifice, Eucharist and resurrection were symbolized by a pelican feeding its chicks with its own blood, and a lion, which was born dead and came to life on the third day from the breath of a lioness. Another symbol of Christ was the unicorn, which only an immaculate virgin could catch. In the 15th-16th centuries, the plot of hunting a unicorn became popular - especially in Germany. Corresponding illustrations appear in manuscripts and engravings, on altars, tapestries and tableware.
Mary, depicted on the wing of the altar, sits in the garden. Gabriel drives the unicorn towards her. The Archangel is accompanied by four dogs, symbolizing the virtues: truth, mercy, peace and justice. Images of unicorn hunts often turned into naive enumerations of what the Virgin Mary symbolizes: a locked garden, an enclosed well A locked garden and a locked well- images of the bride from the Song of Songs, which in the Middle Ages was considered a prototype of Mary., burning bush Burning bush- a bush on Mount Sinai from which God spoke to Moses. The burning but not burnt bush symbolized the purity of Mary., fleece of Gideon According to the Old Testament, Gideon, one of the judges of Israel, was convinced that the Lord had chosen him when the fleece he left overnight remained dry the next morning, although the whole earth around was wet with dew, and the next morning, on the contrary , lay wet on dry ground., closed gates Closed Gate- an image from the vision of the prophet Ezekiel, also considered an anticipation of the Annunciation. The Lord had to pass through these gates. and Aaron's rod Aaron's rod miraculously blossomed overnight - in this story they saw an allusion to the birth of the Savior from a virgin.. The secular nature of the scene displeased the church, and in 1545 at the Council of Trent such images were prohibited.
Jacopo Tintoretto. "Annunciation" (1576-1581)
Scuola Grande di San Rocco / Wikimedia Commons
In most depictions of the Annunciation, Mary is calm. She is not afraid at the sight of the archangel and humbly accepts the role assigned to her. Tintoretto's Annunciation is alarming and chaotic. The picture is painted in dark colors, Gabriel bursts into the house, accompanied by a whirlwind of putti Putto(Latin putus - “little boy”) - a winged boy.; the dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, swoops down sharply, and Mary recoils in fear. There are no flowers or garden here, and the house resembles ruins: twigs of straw are coming out of the chair, boards and Joseph’s carpenter’s tools are carelessly piled behind the door. Behind the chair we see an old manger. To increase the tension, Tintoretto uses sharp perspective and a strange angle: the viewer seems to be looking at everything that is happening from above. The dynamic composition, jerky movements and contrasting lighting anticipate the painting of the Baroque era, which preferred intense, dynamic, emotional scenes to the restrained Annunciations of previous centuries.
Alexander Ivanov. "Annunciation" (1850)
State Tretyakov Gallery / wikiart.org
Archangel Gabriel was sent from heaven to earth to inform Mary of her destiny. Belonging of Mary and Gabriel to different worlds the artist emphasizes by depicting them on different scales. The Archangel is not just taller than Mary - their figures are incommensurate with each other. At the same time, they are combined compositionally: the angel’s hand falls into the circle of radiance emanating from Mary.
Ivanov's Annunciation is unexpectedly monumental - especially considering that it is watercolor on paper. At the end of the 1840s, the artist conceived a cycle of paintings on biblical subjects, and this watercolor sketch should have subsequently become a fresco (but never did). At this time, Ivanov was reading the book of the German theologian David Strauss, “The Life of Jesus.” Strauss believed that gospel miracles were mythologized legends, often based on Old Testament stories, and drew parallels between Old and New Testament stories. That is why Ivanov was going to write next to the scene of the Annunciation the appearance of the Trinity to Abraham.
Bill Viola. "Cheer" (1995)
Fragment of Bill Viola’s video installation “Greetings”Turning to eternal subjects, modern artists often think about their place in the history of art. Contemporary American artist Bill Viola in his video work quotes not the gospel story at all, but the painting “The Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth,” painted in 1529 by the Italian artist Jacopo Pontormo. We are talking here, however, not about the Annunciation itself, but about the plot that follows it - the meeting of Mary with Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Having learned from Gabriel that her elderly relative Elizabeth is also pregnant, Mary goes to her. Elizabeth immediately understands that Mary will give birth to the Son of God, and thus becomes the first person to know about the coming birth of Jesus.
Early Netherlandish Painting.