The Bible is a unique book that appeals to the hearts of people in all languages of the world. The Gospel also speaks in the language of art. Orthodox paintings Russian artists prove that the Bible speaks to us not only in Word, but also in visual images.
Orthodox paintings
Orthodox paintings and Orthodox painting For many centuries, the Bible has been a source of inspiration. Plots from the Holy Scriptures, events of the Old and New Testaments came to life on canvas. We decided to introduce readers to the spiritual heritage of the great artists who embodied the plots of the great Book. Orthodox paintings They painted at all times in oil and charcoal, on canvas and on the walls of solitary cells.
Our contemporary Elena Cherkasova- artist. Her Orthodox paintings based on scenes from the Bible already take their place in the world history of painting.
The artist was led to Orthodox paintings by a spiritual crisis, as art historians write. After coming to faith, Elena Cherkasova planned to take up icon painting. But in the end I came to my own language of conversation with people who come to faith through art. Her “naive” and at the same time profound paintings became an example of deep self-denial and objectivity.
Marriage in Cana
This painting is a sermon, conveying events in the form of a story about biblical heroes and their actions.
Elena Cherkasova’s painting cannot be called classical; Elena managed to create a new classic. There is no attempt to copy the traditional school of icon painting, but this gives Orthodox paintings contemporary artists the ability to create new things using your spiritual experience and imagination.
On July 16, on the eve of the day of remembrance of the Holy Royal Martyrs, Pavel Ryzhenko, People's Artist of Russia, parishioner of the Church of All Saints of the Alekseevsky Stavropegic Convent, reposed in the Lord.
Paul himself wrote about himself:
“Every person, and especially Russians, is drawn in the depths and secrets of his heart towards the light - Christ. Faith in Christ came to me very late, but having believed, I wanted to run after Him, hoping to someday get closer to this light. It’s hard for me to write about this, there are no words to express my thoughts clearly, but about people, gone and alive, who are bearers of faith and spirit Russian Empire, I need to say. And say it on canvas, because this is my duty to the great truth of Rus'. The duty of a not completely broken resident of the metropolis, who, through the outlines of modern houses, through the smog of the Third Ring, sees how these stern and loving faces of our ancestors, who shed their sweat and blood for Christ and for each of us, appear again and again.
Approaching the turn of my life, the line that the great Pushkin could not cross, at which many stopped, I ask myself the question of questions: who did I serve? Exactly to whom, and not to what, and in general, what is art?
I hope that my paintings will awaken the genetic memory of my contemporaries, pride in their Fatherland, and perhaps help the viewer find the only right path for themselves. And then I will be happy with my duty fulfilled.” (pavel-ryzhenko.rf)
His paintings were loved by religious and secular people. Everyone remembers Paul himself as a man of great power of the Spirit and faith.
October 18 is the day of remembrance of the outstanding Russian Orthodox artist Mikhail Nesterov. Mikhail Nesterov died in 1942. The artist came to faith after the loss of his beloved wife. He was one of the founders of the “Union of Russian Artists” and preserved the best traditions of the Russian Church and Orthodox painting in his paintings.
The Orthodox paintings of these artists allow us to reveal a little more of the mystery of the Bible.
Orthodox art is a huge layer rich in achievements cultural heritage humanity, rooted in the culture of early Christianity and in Old Testament times, and which became the basis of almost all the art of Rus' known to us today.
As you know, the most ancient directions of Orthodox art, which came to Rus' in the 10th century along with Christianity, are painting and music. Originating in quality and icon painting, these trends developed over many centuries, developing into beautiful secular music and fine arts.
Among Russian Orthodox painting of the Middle Ages, the world famous Novgorod icon painting is the most famous and appreciated. Its samples that have survived to this day are stored in state museums of Russia and are included in the UNESCO cultural heritage fund. These are the icons of the Novgorod Savior, the Archangel Michael, the Angel of Golden Hair, known to all connoisseurs of beauty, as well as the famous icon of the noble princes Boris and Gleb, on which the saints are depicted in full height. In addition to Novgorod icons, Russian Orthodox painting is famous for other holy images: the Vladimir icon Mother of God, Trinity, which is supposedly attributed to the pen of Andrei Rublev, Savior Almighty, Savior Emmanuel.
Orthodox artists Nesterov, Vasnetsov, Vrubel
However, Orthodox painting has long ceased to be limited only to the art of icon painting. As soon as culture came out of the influence of the church, and the ban on depicting anyone other than the faces of saints was lifted, such a concept as secular painting. However, worldly artists also loved to depict biblical stories, both Old Testament and Evangelical. One of the most famous Orthodox artists, without a doubt, can be called M. V. Nesterov, the author of many paintings written on religious themes. He illustrated both monastic life and the life of the Orthodox community, and also wrote stories on the lives of saints.
His most famous Orthodox painting, which we remember from school, is “Vision to the Youth Bartholomew”, the plot for which the artist borrowed from the biography St. Sergius Radonezh. Orthodox artists M. A. Vrubel and V. M. Vasnetsov are also no less famous. Having nothing to do with classical icon painting, Vasnetsov, Vrubel, and Nesterov, in addition to paintings, are also famous for their temple paintings. Thus, Nesterov took part in the painting of the Solovetsky Monastery, Vasnetsov - the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv, and the name of Vrubel is inextricably linked with the paintings of the Kyiv St. Cyril Church.
Modern Orthodox painting
Exhibitions of Orthodox art, held from time to time in different cities of Russia, show that in our time the development of Orthodox painting does not stand still. Among the young artists who distinguished themselves at the exhibitions, one can note P. Chekmarev, E. Zaitsev, V. Sokovnin, Archpriest M. Maleev.
Orthodox paintings by these authors show their keen interest in church life, spiritual personalities, and historical events that took place or are happening in the church. Exhibitions of the modern, but already quite famous Orthodox artist A. Shilov, who depict the life of monasteries and their inhabitants, are also being held in Russia and abroad. A. Shilov became famous thanks to his portraits of monks: bright, expressive, emotional. Young and elderly faces depicted in his paintings are touching, sentimental, with carefully painted details, involuntarily
Pavel Dmitrievich Korin is a famous Russian artist and icon painter, author of the heroic triptych “Alexander Nevsky”, expressive portraits of his contemporaries: commander Georgy Zhukov, sculptor S.T. Konenkov, cartoonists M.V. Kupreyanova, P.N. Krylova, N.A. Sokolov (Kukryniksov), pianist K.N. Igumnov, Italian artist Renato Guttuso and others. With the power of painting and the energy of creation, Korin's portraits will remain unsurpassed masterpieces of world art. “Your heroes have posture,” high-ranking guests of his workshop told the artist. By artistic style portraits of Pavel Korin are comparable to the portraits of his mentor - M.V. Nesterova. A special place in the artist’s heritage is occupied by amazing images of people of the Church, made in preparation for, perhaps, the most important work of P.D. Korina - painting "Requiem".
Pavel Korin was born on July 8, 1892 into a family of hereditary Russian icon painters, in the village of Palekh, Vladimir province. When Pavel was five years old, his father, Dmitry Nikolaevich Korin, died. In 1903, Pavel was admitted to the Palekh icon painting school, which he graduated from in 1907. The family lived very poorly, and at the age of 16 Pavel left to work in Moscow. He gets a job in the icon painting workshop of K.P. Stepanov at the Donskoy Monastery, here he gets the opportunity to improve his art.
An important step Korin’s development as an artist began with his work on paintings for the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent in Moscow in 1908-1917. The monastery was created with funds Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna, sister of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. In 1908-1912, according to the design of architect A.V. Shchusev, the main temple was erected in the monastery on Ordynka - in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. On April 8, 1912, its consecration took place. The celebration was attended by Elizaveta Fedorovna, Moscow authorities, architect A.V. Shchusev, artists Viktor Vasnetsov, Vasily Polenov, Mikhail Nesterov, Ilya Ostroukhov; Corina's brothers, Pavel and Alexander, were also here. To improve the skill of an icon painter, “in the summer of 1913, Pavel Korin, architect A.V. Shchusev was sent to the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery to copy two shrouds of the 16th century." At the same time, Korin visited ancient Novgorod. Images similar to the faces of the saints of Novgorod will decorate the tomb in the Marfo-Mariinsky monastery.
In 1913, Elizaveta Feodorovna asked the artist M.V. to paint this tomb for herself and those sisters who were the first to be initiated at the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent. Nesterova. The temple-tomb in the name of the Heavenly Powers and All Saints was under cathedral church Intercession of the Virgin Mary. Korin was Nesterov's best assistant. The young icon painter M.V. Nesterova was personally introduced by Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna (this happened back in 1908).
In 1914, work continued at the Martha and Mary Convent to decorate the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary. The artist Nesterov and his assistant Korin jointly painted the main dome of the cathedral with the fresco “Father Savoaf with the Infant Jesus Christ” (sketch in the State Tretyakov Gallery), and then Pavel Korin alone designed the under-dome space of the temple, the arches of windows and doors. The faces of archangels and seraphim in floral patterns decorated the temple. Grand Duchess Elizaveta Fedorovna accepted the painting samples, as if participating in their implementation. Having completed the finishing work, Corin, on the recommendation of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, for a promotion art education went on a trip to ancient ancient Russian cities. He will visit Yaroslavl, Rostov Veliky, Vladimir.
On August 26, 1917, the complete consecration of the built and painted Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary took place.
Pavel Korin received other professional skills at the Art School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in Moscow (MUZHVZ), where he entered, having earned the necessary funds, in 1912. Here his painting teachers were Konstantin Korovin, Sergei Malyutin, Leonid Pasternak.
In the summer, Korin made a trip to Kyiv, got acquainted with the painting of the Vladimir Cathedral, its ancient frescoes, mosaics created by V. Vasnetsov, M. Nesterov, V. Zamirailo. The young artist also visited the Hermitage in Petrograd.
After graduating from MUZHVZ in 1917, Korin was invited to teach drawing at the 2nd State Art Workshops (as MUZHVZ was now called), where the artist worked during the bitter and hungry years of 1918-1919. In order to physically survive in this time of devastation and war, Pavel Korin in 1919-1922 had to get a job as an anatomy specialist at the 1st Moscow University; this work turned out to be quite useful for him as an artist: he got the opportunity to improve his knowledge of human anatomy.
In 1922, in Petrograd, in the Museum of Anti-Religious Propaganda (Kazan Cathedral), the artist made sketches of the holy relics of St. Joasaph of Belgorod. In 1931, he copied the famous painting by A. Ivanov “The Appearance of Christ to the People” when it was transferred from Rumyantsev Museum to the Tretyakov Gallery.
In Italy in 1932, he studies the best images of the Italian Renaissance classics. Maxim Gorky arranged a trip to Italy for Korin. The artist would paint his portrait at the same time, and later, already in the 1940s, a portrait of Gorky’s wife N.A. Peshkova.
The destruction of the foundations of the Orthodox state in Russia in the 1920s was an irreparable mistake of history. In Russian and Soviet painting XX century Pavel Korin will forever remain a religious painter, a student of Palekh. His work developed despite the treacherous February Revolution of 1917 for Russia and the policies of the Soviet state. Works for icon painters during the years of persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church there wasn't. The population of the USSR, under the leadership of the communists, retreated from the faith of their grandfathers and fathers, Orthodox churches were closed and destroyed everywhere, only monks and schema-monks in monasteries with holy prayers preserved faith in Orthodox Russia. During this period, the artist had a grandiose plan to immortalize the “departing Rus'” on canvas - his “Requiem”.
The plot of the film takes place in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, where church hierarchs, monastics and Russians Orthodox people pray for Orthodox Russia. The painting was technically difficult to execute, because a huge canvas measuring more than 5 x 9 meters was conceived.
The creative concept of “Requiem” was undoubtedly influenced by the painting of M.V. Nesterova. In 1901-1905, Nesterov painted the painting “Holy Rus'” (kept in the State Russian Museum) - about the meeting of pilgrims with the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1911, he created the painting “The Path to Christ” for the Martha and Mary Convent: “A fifteen-arch landscape, and good people wander along it - touching and no less impressive for the mind and heart,” wrote M.V. Nesterov in a letter on March 23, 1911. “I’m working furiously, I hope to finish at Strastnaya.” The painting “The Path to Christ” was located in the refectory of the monastery church, on its eastern wall, right in the center, and, of course, was well known to Korin, who worked here together with Nesterov in those years, as well as to many Muscovites who came to the monastery. Pavel Dmitrievich’s love for this place will remain with him for the rest of his life, and when the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent is closed in 1926, he and his brother Alexander will save its iconostasis and paintings from destruction.
Russian believers became increasingly convinced of the atheistic essence of Soviet power. In the picture P.D. Corin "Requiem" Orthodox people in black sorrow and terrible grief stand in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin and pray - for Holy Rus', for the Orthodox Church. For a long time the artist could not begin to work on the actual canvas “Requiem”, and then he still could not finally complete the painting, the sensations were so strong tragic force grief and universal sorrow that fell upon everyone. The artist worked on the epic canvas for thirty years and three years until 1959. 29 large-format portraits were made for him (stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery). These portraits of hierarchs, schema-monks, monks, priests, nuns and schema-monks shock viewers with their harsh realism. Tragic and dramatic images of believers in Orthodox Russia today can be seen at an exhibition in the State Tretyakov Gallery (on Krymsky Val). Exhibition “Requiem”. To the history of “Leaving Rus',” which opened in November 2013, will continue until March 30 of the current year. Maxim Gorky recommended the title of the painting “Departing Rus'” to Pavel Korin after visiting the artist’s studio on Arbat in 1931. Gorky patronized Korin, and this gave the artist the opportunity to work calmly.
Simultaneously with his work on the Requiem, Korin also painted portraits of his contemporaries: while mourning the passing of Rus', the artist did not lose a living connection with the present, with his time, looking forward. Korin makes portraits of strong and talented people: writer A.N. Tolstoy, scientist N.F. Gamaleya, actors V.I. Kachalov and L.M. Leonidova; Having visited the island of Valaam, he paints a portrait of M.V. Nesterova; Later, in the 1940s, he created portraits of the sculptor S.T. Konenkov, pianist K.N. Igumnova; Portraits of artists M.S. date back to the 1950s. Saryan and Kukryniksov. These are monumental works with perfect composition and integrity. psychologically portrayed.
In 1942, Pavel Korin created the central part of his famous triptych “Alexander Nevsky” (kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery). The image of a heroic and majestic defender of the Fatherland was necessary for the Motherland in these mournful years for it. In the stern to the point of asceticism, the image of Prince Alexander Nevsky expresses heroism and unshakable fortitude, personifying Russian beginning, consciously necessary to the Soviet people in difficult times of war. Later, the artist wrote variant sketches of the triptych “Dmitry Donskoy” and parts of the triptych “Alexander Nevsky” - “Ancient Tale” and “Northern Ballad”. The heroic image of the warrior-commander of the holy prince Alexander Nevsky, created by P.D. Korin has no equal in terms of its impact on the viewer.
In the autumn-winter of 1945, after the end of the Great Patriotic War, Corinne writes no less famous portrait commander Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery). Four times Hero of the Soviet Union, holder of two Orders of Victory, G.K. Zhukov is depicted in a marshal's uniform, with numerous orders and awards.
On June 24, 1945, Marshal Zhukov hosted the Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow. And on September 7, 1945, the Victory Parade of the Allied Forces took place in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate. From the Soviet Union, it was Marshal Zhukov who received the parade of units of the allied armies: the USSR, France, Great Britain and the USA. When the legendary commander returned from Berlin, Pavel Korin was invited to visit him: work on the portrait began. A man calmly looks at us from the canvas, who for many has become a symbol of the power of the Russian army. Zhukov is stately, stately and handsome.
In 1931-1958, Korin headed the restoration workshop of the State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow (Pushkin Museum), where, from the second half of the 1940s, trophy masterpieces of the Dresden Art Gallery were located, for the safety of which the artist was responsible.
Korin remained an unsurpassed specialist in ancient Russian painting, with a keen sense of its stylistics and the image of the worldview conveyed by it. The artist was involved in the creation of ancient Russian images in artistic mosaic panels for the assembly hall of the Moscow State University, mosaics and stained glass windows for the Arbatskaya, Komsomolskaya-Koltsevaya, Smolenskaya and Novoslobodskaya stations of the Moscow Metro. For these works in 1954 he received the USSR State Prize.
In 1958, Pavel Dmitrievich Korin was awarded the title folk artist RSFSR, he was elected a full member of the USSR Academy of Arts.
In 1963, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the artist’s creative activity, his personal exhibition was opened in the halls of the Academy of Arts, and he was awarded the title of People’s Artist of the USSR.
World fame has come to Korin, he visits Italy, France, and the USA; in 1965, in New York, on the initiative of Armand Hammer, a large personal exhibition of the artist was organized.
From 1933 until the end of his life, Pavel Korin lived in Moscow on Malaya Pirogovskaya Street, where his working workshop was located. In 1967, after the death of the artist, the House-Museum of the Artist (branch of the State Tretyakov Gallery) was created in the house on Pirogovskaya, 16.
Life in art, the creative potential of the individual is one of the main topics that worried P.D. Korina, it is no coincidence that he created so many portraits of people of art. He himself, a brilliant painter, a deep connoisseur of ancient Russian art, had a keen sense of both literature and music, understanding the deep connections between different types of art. The recording made by Korin after Rachmaninov’s concert at the Moscow Conservatory is typical: “Yesterday evening I attended Rachmaninov’s concert at the Conservatory. They performed “The Cliff” - a fantasy for orchestra and concerto No. 2 for piano and orchestra. What strength, what breadth and what seriousness... Genius! You need such strength and such breadth in painting.”
10 main works of the church fine arts: paintings, icons and mosaics
Prepared by Irina Yazykova
1. Roman catacombs
Early Christian art
Meal. Fresco from the catacombs of Peter and Marcellinus. IV century DIOMEDIAUntil the beginning of the 4th century, Christianity was persecuted in the Roman Empire, and Christians often used catacombs for their meetings - underground cemeteries of the Romans - in which in the 2nd century they buried their dead. Here, on the relics of the martyrs, they performed the main Christian sacrament - the Eucharist Eucharist(Greek “thanksgiving”) is a sacrament in which the true Body and true Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is taught to the believer under the guise of bread and wine., as evidenced by the images on the walls of the catacombs. The first communities, consisting of Jews, were far from fine art, but as the apostolic preaching spread, more and more pagans joined the Church, for whom the images were familiar and understandable. In kata-combs we can trace how Christian art was born.
In total, there are over 60 catacombs in Rome, their length is about 170 kilometers. But today only a few are available Catacombs of Priscilla, Callistus, Domitilla, Peter and Marcellinus, Commodilla, catacombs on Via Latina and others.. These underground mustaches are galleries or corridors, in the walls of which there are tombs in the form of niches covered with slabs. Sometimes the corridors expand, forming halls - cubicles with niches for sarcophagi. On the walls and vaults of these halls, on the slabs, paintings and inscriptions have been preserved. The range of images ranges from primitive graffiti to complex plot and decorative compositions similar to Pompeian frescoes.
Early Christian art is permeated with deep symbolism. The most common symbols are fish, anchor, ship, vine, lamb, basket of bread, phoenix bird and others. For example, fish was perceived as a symbol of baptism and the Eucharist. We find one of the earliest images of fish and a basket of bread in the catacombs of Callistus; it dates back to the 2nd century. The fish also symbolized Christ himself, since the Greek word “ichthyus” (fish) was read by the first Christians as an acronym in which the letters unfold into the phrase “Jesus Christ of God the Son of the Savior” (Ἰησοὺς Χριστὸς Θεoς ῾Υιὸς Σωτήρ).
Fish and basket of bread. Fresco from the catacombs of Callista. 2nd century Wikimedia Commons
Good Shepherd. Fresco from the catacombs of Domitilla. III century Wikimedia Commons
Jesus Christ. Fresco from the catacombs of Commodilla. Late 4th century Wikimedia Commons
Orpheus. Fresco from the catacombs of Domitilla. III century Wikimedia Commons
It is important to note that the image of Christ until the 4th century was hidden under various symbols and allegories. For example, the image of the Good Shepherd is often encountered - a young shepherd with a lamb on his shoulders, referring to the words of the Savior: “I am the good shepherd...” (John 10:14). Another important symbol of Christ was a lamb, often depicted in a circle with a halo around its head. And only in the 4th century do images appear in which we recognize the more familiar image of Christ as the God-man (for example, in the catacombs of Commodilla).
Christians often rethought and pagan images. For example, on the vault in the catacombs of Domitilla, Orpheus is depicted sitting on a stone with a lyre in his hands; around him are birds and animals listening to his singing. The entire composition is inscribed in an octagon, along the edges of which there are biblical scenes: Daniel in the lion's den; Moses bringing water out of a rock; resurrection of Lazar-rya. All these scenes are a prototype of the image of Christ and His resurrection. So Orpheus in this context also correlates with Christ, who descended into hell to bring out the souls of sinners.
But more often in the painting of the catacombs Old Testament scenes were used: Noah with the ark; Abraham's sacrifice; Jacob's ladder; Jonah being devoured by a whale; Daniel, Moses, three youths in the fiery furnace and others. From the New Testament - the worship of the Magi, the conversation of Christ with the Samaritan woman, the resurrection of Lazarus. There are many images of meals on the walls of the catacombs, which can be interpreted as both the Eucharist and funeral meals. Often there are images of praying people - orants and orants. Some female images are related to the Mother of God. It must be said that the image of the Mother of God appears in kata-combs earlier than the image of Christ in human form. The most ancient image of the Mother of God in the catacombs of Priscilla dates back to the 2nd century: Mary is represented here sitting with the Baby in her arms, and next to her stands a young man pointing at a star (different versions are expressed: the prophet Isaiah, Balaam, Mary’s husband Joseph the Betrothed).
With the invasion of the barbarians and the fall of Rome, the looting of burials began, and burials stopped in the catacombs. By order of Pope Paul I (700-767), the popes buried in the catacombs were transferred to the city and temples were built over their relics, and the catacombs were closed. Thus, by the 8th century, the history of the catacombs ends.
2. Icon “Christ Pantocrator”
Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai, Egypt, 6th century
Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai / Wikimedia Commons
"Christ Pantocrator" (Greek: "Pantocrator") - the most famous icon of the pre-Nobolic period Iconoclasm- a heretical movement expressed in the denial of the veneration of icons and the persecution of them. In the period from the 8th to the 9th centuries it received official recognition in the Eastern Church several times.. It is written on a board using encaustic technique Encaustic- a painting technique in which the binder of paint is wax rather than oil, as, for example, in oil painting., which has long been used in ancient art; all early icons were painted using this technique. The icon is not very large, its size is 84 × 45.5 cm, but the nature of the image makes it monumental. The image is written in a free, somewhat expressive pictorial manner; impasto strokes Pasty smear — thick smear undiluted paint. clearly sculpt the shape, showing the volume and three-dimensionality of space. There is still no desire for flatness and conventionality, as there will be later in canonical icon painting. The artist was faced with the task of showing the reality of the Incarnation, and he sought to convey the maximum sensation of the human flesh of Christ. At the same time, he does not miss the spiritual side, showing in his face, especially in his gaze, strength and power that instantly affects the viewer. The image of the Savior is already quite iconographically traditional and at the same time unusual. The face of Christ, framed by long hair and a beard, surrounded by a halo with a cross inscribed in it, is calm and peaceful. Christ is dressed in a dark blue tunic with a golden clave Klav- decoration sewn in the form of a vertical stripe from the shoulder to the bottom edge of the garment. and a purple cloak - the robes of emperors. The figure is depicted from the waist up, but the niche that we see behind the Savior’s back allows us to assume that he is seated on a throne, behind which the blue sky stretches. With his right hand (right hand) Christ blesses, in his left hand he holds the Gospel in a precious frame decorated with gold and stones.
The image is majestic, even triumphant, and at the same time unusually attractive. There is a sense of harmony in it, but it is largely built on dissonances. The viewer cannot help but notice the obvious asymmetry in the face of Christ, especially in the way the eyes are painted. Researchers explain this effect in different ways. Some trace it back to the traditions of ancient art, when the gods were depicted with one eye for punishment and the other for mercy. According to a more convincing version, this reflected a polemic with the Monophysites, who affirmed one nature in Christ - divine, which absorbs his human nature. And as a response to them, the artist depicts Christ, emphasizing in Him at the same time both divinity and humanity.
Apparently, this icon was painted in Constantinople and came to the Sinai monastery as a contribution from Emperor Justinian, who was a ktitor, that is, a donor, of the monastery. Highest quality The execution and theological depth of the image development speak in favor of its metropolitan origin.
3. Mosaic “Our Lady on the Throne”
Hagia Sophia - Divine Wisdom, Constantinople, 9th century
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul / DIOMEDIA
After a long iconoclastic crisis that lasted more than a hundred years, in 867, by imperial decree, the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople began to be decorated with mosaics again. One of the first mosaic compositions was the image of the Mother of God enthroned in the conch Conha- a semi-dome ceiling over semi-cylindrical parts of buildings, for example apses.. It is quite possible that this image restored an earlier image that was destroyed by icon fighters. The Russian pilgrim from Novgorod, Anthony, who visited Constantinople around 1200, left in his notes a mention that the mosaics of the altar of Hagia Sophia were executed by Lazarus. Indeed, the iconographer Lazarus lived in Constantinople, who suffered under the iconoclasts, and after the Council of 843, which restored the veneration of icons, he received national recognition. However, in 855 he was sent to Rome as the ambassador of Emperor Michael III to Pope Benedict III and died around 865, so he could not have been the author of the Constantinople mosaic. But his fame as a victim of the iconoclasts connected this image with his name.
This image of the Mother of God is one of the most beautiful in Byzantine monumental painting. Against a golden shining background, on a throne decorated with precious stones, the Mother of God sits regal on high pillows. She holds in front of her the infant Christ, sitting on her lap as if on a throne. And on the sides, on the arch, stand two archangels in the robes of courtiers, with spears and mirrors, guarding the throne. Along the edge of the conch there is an inscription, almost lost: “The images that the deceivers overthrew here were restored by the pious rulers.”
The face of the Mother of God is noble and beautiful, it does not yet have that asceticism and severity that would be characteristic of later Byzantine images, it still has a lot of antique features: a rounded oval face, beautifully defined lips, a straight nose. The gaze of the large eyes under the curved arches of the eyebrows is averted slightly to the side, this shows the chastity of the Virgin, upon whom the eyes of thousands of people entering the temple are fixed. In the figure of the Mother of God one senses royal grandeur and at the same time truly feminine grace. Her deep blue robe, decorated with three golden stars, falls in soft folds, emphasizing the monumentality of her figure. The thin hands of the Mother of God with long fingers hold the infant Christ, protecting Him and at the same time revealing Him to the world. The baby’s face is very lively, childishly plump, although the proportions of the body are rather adolescent, but the golden royal robe, straight posture and blessing gesture are designed to show: before us is the true King, and He is sitting with royal dignity on the Mother’s lap.
The iconographic type of the Mother of God enthroned with the infant Christ gained particular popularity in the 9th century, the post-iconoclastic era, as a symbol of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. And often it was placed precisely in the apse of the temple, signifying the visible manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven and the mystery of the Incarnation. We meet him in the Church of Hagia Sophia in Thessaloniki, in Santa Maria in Domnica in Rome and in other places. But the Constantinople masters developed a special type of image in which physical beauty and spiritual beauty coincided, artistic perfection and theological depth harmoniously coexisted. In any case, the artists strove for this ideal. Such is the image of the Mother of God from Hagia Sophia, which laid the foundation for the so-called Macedonian Renaissance - this name was given to art from the middle of the 9th to the beginning of the 11th century.
4. Fresco “Resurrection”
Chora Monastery, Constantinople, XIV century
Chora Monastery, Istanbul / DIOMEDIA
Two last centuries Byzantine art is called the Palaiologan Renaissance. This name is given after the ruling dynasty of the Palaiologos, the last in the history of Byzantium. The empire was declining, pressed by the Turks, it was losing territory, strength, and power. But her art was on the rise. And one example of this is the image of the Resurrection from the Chora Monastery.
The Constantinople monastery of Chora, dedicated to Christ the Savior, according to tradition, was founded in the 6th century by the Monk Savva the Sanctified. At the beginning of the 11th century, under the Byzantine emperor Alexei Komnenos, his mother-in-law Maria Duca ordered the construction of a new temple and turned it into a royal tomb. In the 14th century, between 1316 and 1321, the temple was again rebuilt and decorated through the efforts of Theodore Metochites, the great logothete Logofet — senior official(auditor, chancellor) of the royal or patriarchal office in Byzantium. at the court of Andronicus II Andronikos II Palaiologos(1259-1332) - Emperor of the Byzantine Empire in 1282-1328.. (On one of the mosaics of the temple he is depicted at the feet of Christ with the temple in his hands.)
The mosaics and frescoes of Chora were created by the best Constantinople masters and represent masterpieces of late Byzantine art. But the image of the Resurrection stands out especially because it expresses the eschatological ideas of the era in magnificent artistic form. The composition is located on the eastern wall of the paraklesium (southern aisle), where the tombs stood, which apparently explains the choice of theme. The interpretation of the plot is associated with the ideas of Gregory Palamas, an apologist for hesychasm and the doctrine of divine energies. Hesychasm in the Byzantine monastic tradition was a special form of prayer in which the mind is silent, in a state of hesychia, silence. The main goal of this prayer is to achieve internal illumination with a special Tabor light, the same one that the apostles saw during the Transfiguration of the Lord..
The image of the Resurrection is located on the curved surface of the apse, which enhances its spatial dynamics. In the center we see the Risen Christ in white shining robes against the backdrop of a dazzling white and blue mandorla Mandorla(Italian mandorla - “almond”) - in Christian iconography, an almond-shaped or round radiance around the figure of Christ or the Mother of God, symbolizing their heavenly glory.. His figure is like a clot of energy that spreads waves of light in all directions, dispersing the darkness. The Savior crosses the abyss of hell with wide, energetic strides, one might say, he flies over it, because one of his legs rests on the broken door of hell, and the other hovers over the abyss. The face of Christ is solemn and concentrated. With an imperious movement, He carries Adam and Eve along with Him, lifting them above the tombs, and they seem to float in darkness. To the right and left of Christ stand the righteous whom He brings out of the kingdom of death: John the Baptist, kings David and Solomon, Abel and others. And in the black abyss of hell, open under the feet of the Savior, chains, hooks, locks, pincers and other symbols of hellish torment are visible, and there is a bound figure: this is the defeated Satan, deprived of his strength and power. Above the Savior in white letters on a dark background is the inscription “Anastasis” (Greek “Resurrection”).
The iconography of the Resurrection of Christ in this version, which was also called “The Descent into Hell,” appears in Byzantine art in the post-North era, when the theological and liturgical interpretation of the image began to prevail over the historical. In the Gospel we will not find a description of the Resurrection of Christ, it remains a mystery, but, reflecting on the mystery of the Resurrection, theologians, and after them icon painters, created an image that reveals the victory of Christ over hell and death. And this image does not appeal to the past, as a memory of an event that occurred at a certain moment in history, it is directed to the future, as the fulfillment of the aspirations of the general resurrection, which began with the Resurrection of Christ and entails the resurrection of all humanity . This is a cosmic event - it is no coincidence that on the vault of the paraclesia, above the composition of the Resurrection, we see the image of the Last Judgment and angels rolling up the scroll of heaven.
5. Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God
First third of the 12th century
The image was painted in Constantinople and brought in the 30s of the 12th century as a gift from the Patriarch of Constantinople to the prince of Kyiv Yuri Long-Ruky. The icon was placed in Vyshgorod Now a regional center in the Kyiv region; located on the right bank of the Dnieper, 8 km from Kyiv., where she became famous for her miracles. In 1155, Yuri's son Andrei Bogolyubsky took it to Vladimir, where the icon remained for more than two centuries. In 1395, at the behest of Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich, it was brought to Moscow, to the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, where it remained until 1918, when it was taken for restoration. Now it is in the State Tretyakov Gallery. Legends about numerous miracles are associated with this icon, including the deliverance of Moscow from the invasion of Tamerlane in 1395. Before her, metropolitans and patriarchs were chosen, monarchs were crowned kings. Our Lady of Vladimir is revered as a talisman of the Russian land.
Unfortunately, the icon is not in very good condition; according to the restoration work of 1918, it was rewritten many times: in the first half of the 13th century after Batu’s ruin; at the beginning of the 15th century; in 1514, in 1566, in 1896. From the original painting, only the faces of the Mother of God and the Child Christ, part of the cap and the border of the cape - maforia - have survived Maforius- a woman's robe in the form of a plate, covering almost the entire figure of the Mother of God. with golden assist Assist- in icon painting, strokes of gold or silver on the folds of clothes, wings of angels, on objects, symbolizing reflections of Divine light., part of the ocher chiton of Jesus with a gold assist and the shirt visible from under it, the left hand and part of the baby’s right hand, the remains of a gold background with fragments of the inscription: “MR. .U".
Nevertheless, the image retained its charm and high spiritual intensity. It is built on a combination of tenderness and strength: the Mother of God hugs her Son, wanting to protect her from future suffering, and He gently presses her cheek and puts his hand around her neck. The eyes of Jesus are lovingly fixed on the Mother, and her eyes look at the viewer. And in this piercing look there is a whole range of feelings - from pain and compassion to hope and forgiveness. This iconography, developed in Byzantium, received the name “Tenderness” in Rus', which is not an entirely accurate translation of the Greek word “eleusa” - “mercy”, which was the name given to many images of the Mother of God. In Byzantium, this iconography was called “Glykofilusa” - “Sweet Kiss”.
The coloring of the icon (we are talking about the faces) is built on a combination of transparent ocher and color linings with tonal transitions, glazes (floats) and thin whitewash strokes of light, which creates the effect of the most delicate, almost breathing flesh. The eyes of the Virgin Mary are especially expressive; they are painted with light brown paint, with a red stroke in the teardrop. Beautifully defined lips are painted with three shades of cinnabar. The face is framed by a blue cap with dark blue folds, outlined with an almost black outline. The Baby's face is painted softly, transparent ocher and blush create the effect of warm, soft baby skin. The lively, spontaneous expression of Jesus' face is also created through energetic strokes of paint that sculpt the form. All this testifies to the high skill of the artist who created this image.
The dark cherry maforia of the Mother of God and the golden tunic of the Infant God were painted much later than the faces, but in general they fit harmoniously into the image, creating a beautiful contrast, and the general silhouette of the figures, united by embraces into a single whole, is a kind of pedestal for the beautiful faces.
The Vladimir icon is double-sided, portable (that is, for performing various processions, religious processions), on the back is a throne with instruments of passion (early 15th century). On the throne, covered with red fabric decorated with gold ornaments and gold borders, lie nails, a crown of thorns and a book bound in gold, and on it is a white dove with a golden halo. Above the altar table rises a cross, a spear and a cane. If you read the image of God-the-ri in unity with the turnover, then the tender embrace of the Mother of God and the Son becomes a prototype of the future suffering of the Savior; clutching the Infant Christ to her breast, the Mother of God mourns His death. That's exactly how it is in Ancient Rus' and understand the image of the Mother of God giving birth to Christ for the atoning sacrifice in the name of the salvation of mankind.
6. Icon “Savior Not Made by Hands”
Novgorod, XII century
State Tretyakov Gallery / Wikimedia Commons
The double-sided external icon of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands with the scene “Adoration of the Cross” on the reverse, a monument of pre-Mongol times, testifies to the deep assimilation by Russian icon painters of the artistic and theological heritage of Byzantium.
On the board, close to a square (77 × 71 cm), the face of the Savior is depicted, surrounded by a halo with a crosshair. The large, wide open eyes of Christ look slightly to the left, but at the same time the viewer feels that he is in the field of vision of the Savior. High arches of the eyebrows are curved and emphasize the sharpness of the gaze. Forked beard and long hair with a golden assist frame the face of the Savior - stern, but not stern. The image is laconic, restrained, very capacious. There is no action here, no additional details, only a face, a halo with a cross and the letters - IC XC (abbreviated “Jesus Christ”).
The image was created by the steady hand of an artist skilled in classical drawing. The almost perfect symmetry of the face emphasizes its significance. The restrained but refined coloring is based on subtle transitions of ocher - from golden yellow to brown and olive, although the nuances of color are not fully visible today due to the loss of the upper layers of paint. Due to losses, traces of the image are barely visible precious stones in the crosshairs of the halo and the letters in the upper corners of the icon.
The name “Savior Not Made by Hands” is associated with the legend about the first icon of Christ, created not by hands, that is, not by the hand of an artist. The legend says: King Abgar lived in the city of Edessa; he was sick with leprosy. Having heard about Jesus Christ healing the sick and raising the dead, he sent a servant for him. Unable to abandon his mission, Christ nevertheless decided to help Abgar: He washed his face, wiped it with a towel, and immediately the face of the Savior was miraculously imprinted on the fabric. The servant took this towel (ubrus) to Abgar, and the king was healed.
The Church considers the miraculous image as evidence of the Incarnation, for it shows us the face of Christ - God who became man and came to earth for the salvation of people. This salvation is accomplished through His atoning sacrifice, which is symbolized by the cross in the Savior’s halo.
The composition on the back of the icon is also dedicated to the atoning sacrifice of Christ, which depicts the Calvary cross with a crown of thorns hanging on it. On either side of the cross stand worshiping archangels with instruments of the passions. On the left is Michael with the spear that pierced the heart of the Savior on the cross, on the right is Gabriel with a cane and a sponge soaked in vinegar, which was given to the crucified to drink. Above are fiery seraphim and green-winged cherubs with ripids Ripidy- liturgical objects - metal circles mounted on long handles with images of six-winged seraphim. in the hands, as well as the sun and the moon - two faces in round medallions. Under the cross we see a small black cave, and in it are the skull and bones of Adam, the first man who, through his disobedience to God, plunged humanity into the kingdom of death. Christ, the second Adam, as the Holy Scripture calls Him, conquers death by his death on the cross, returning eternal life to humanity.
The icon is in the State Tretyakov Gallery. Before the revolution, it was kept in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. But initially, as Gerold Vzdornov established Gerold Vzdornov(b. 1936) - specialist in the history of ancient Russian art and culture. Leading research fellow State Research Institute of Restoration. Creator of the Museum of Dionysian Frescoes in Ferapontovo., it comes from the Novgorod wooden church of the Holy Image, erected in 1191, now defunct.
7. Presumably, Theophanes the Greek. Icon "Transfiguration of the Lord"
Pereslavl-Zalessky, around 1403
State Tretyakov Gallery / Wikimedia Commons Among the works of ancient Russian art located in the halls of the Tretyakov Gallery, the “Transfiguration” icon attracts attention not only with its large dimensions - 184 × 134 cm, but also with its original interpretation of the Gospel plot. This icon was once a temple icon in the Transfiguration Cathedral of Pereslavl-Zalessky. In 1302, Pereslavl became part of the Moscow principality, and almost a hundred years later Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich is undertaking the renovation of the ancient Spassky Cathedral, built in the 12th century. And it is quite possible that he attracted the famous icon painter Theophan the Greek, who had previously worked in Novgorod the Great, Nizhny Novgorod and other cities. In ancient times, icons were not signed, so the authorship of Theophanes cannot be proven, but the special handwriting of this master and his connection with the spiritual movement, called hesychasm, speaks in his favor. Hesychasm special attention devoted to the topic of divine energies, or, in other words, the uncreated Tabor light, which the apostles contemplated during the Transfiguration of Christ on the mountain. Let's consider how the master creates an image of this luminous phenomenon.
We see a mountainous landscape on the icon; Jesus Christ stands on the top of the central mountain, blessing with his right hand and holding a scroll in his left. To his right is Moses with the tablet, to his left is the prophet Elijah. At the bottom of the mountain are the three apostles, they are thrown to the ground, James covered his eyes with his hand, John turned away in fear, and Peter, pointing his hand at Christ, as the evangelists testify, exclaims: “It is good for us here with You, let us make three tabernacles” (Matthew 17:4). What struck the apostles so much, causing a whole range of emotions, from fear to delight? This is, of course, the light that came from Christ. In Matthew we read: “And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light” (Matthew 17:2). And in the icon, Christ is dressed in shining clothes - white with golden highlights, radiance emanates from Him in the form of a six-pointed white and gold star, surrounded by a blue spherical mandorla, pierced by thin golden rays. White, gold, blue - all these modifications of light create the effect of a diverse radiance around the figure of Christ. But the light goes further: three rays emanate from the star, reaching each of the apostles and literally nailing them to the ground. There are also reflections of bluish light on the clothes of the prophets and apostles. The light glides over the mountains, trees, lies wherever possible, even the caves are outlined with a white outline: they look like craters from an explosion - as if the light emanating from Christ does not just illuminate, but penetrates into the earth, it transforms, changes the universe .
The space of the icon develops from top to bottom, like a stream flowing from a mountain, which is ready to flow into the viewer’s area and involve him in what is happening. The time of the icon is the time of eternity, here everything happens at the same time. The icon combines different plans: on the left, Christ and the apostles are ascending the mountain, and on the right, they are already descending from the mountain. And in the upper corners we see clouds on which angels bring Elijah and Moses to the Mount of Transfiguration.
The icon “Transfiguration” from Pereslavl-Zalessky is a unique work, written with virtuoso skill and freedom, while the incredible depth of interpretation of the Gospel text is visible here and the ideas expressed by the theorists of hesychasm - Simeon the New Theologian, Gregory Palamas - find their visual image , Gregory Sinait and others.
8. Andrey Rublev. Icon "Trinity"
Early 15th century
State Tretyakov Gallery / Wikimedia Commons The image of the Holy Trinity is the pinnacle of Andrei Rublev’s creativity and the pinnacle of ancient Russian art. The “Tale of the Holy Icon Painters,” compiled at the end of the 17th century, says that the icon was painted by order of the abbot of the Trinity Monastery Nikon “in memory and praise of St. Sergius,” who made the contemplation of the Holy Trinity the center of his spiritual life. life. Andrei Rublev managed to reflect in colors the entire depth of the mystical experience of St. Sergius of Radonezh - the founder of the monastic movement, which revived prayerful and contemplative practice, which, in turn, influenced the spiritual revival of Rus' at the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th centuries .
From the moment of its creation, the icon was in the Trinity Cathedral, over time it darkened, it was renewed several times, covered with gilded vestments, and for many centuries no one saw its beauty. But in 1904, a miracle happened: on the initiative of the landscape painter and collector Ilya Semenovich Ostro-ukhov, a member of the Imperial Archaeological Commission, a group of restorers led by Vasily Guryanov began to clean the icon. And when suddenly cabbage rolls and gold peeked out from under the dark layers, it was perceived as a true phenomenon heavenly beauty. The icon was not cleaned then, only after the monastery was closed in 1918 they were able to take it to the Central Restoration Workshops, and the cleaning continued. The restoration was completed only in 1926.
The subject for the icon was the 18th chapter of the Book of Genesis, which tells how one day three travelers came to the forefather Abraham and he gave them a meal, then the angels (in Greek “angelos” - “messenger, messenger”) told Abraham that he would have a son, from whom would come great people. Traditionally, icon painters depicted “The Hospitality of Abraham” as an everyday scene in which the viewer only guessed that the three angels symbolized the Holy Trinity. Andrei Rublev, excluding everyday details, depicted only three angels as a manifestation of the Trinity, revealing to us the secret of the Divine trinity.
On a golden background (now almost lost) three angels are depicted sitting around a table on which stands a bowl. The middle angel rises above the others, behind him grows a tree (the tree of life), behind the right angel is a mountain (an image of the heavenly world), behind the left is a building (the chambers of Abraham and the image of the Divine economy, the Church). The angels' heads are bowed, as if they are having a silent conversation. Their faces are similar - as if it were one face, depicted three times. The composition is based on a system of concentric circles, which converge in the center of the icon, where the bowl is depicted. In the bowl we see the head of a calf, a symbol of sacrifice. Before us is a sacred meal in which an atoning sacrifice is made. The middle angel blesses the cup; the person sitting to his right expresses with a gesture his consent to accept the cup; the angel located on the left hand of the central one moves the cup to the one sitting opposite him. Andrei Rublev, who was called the seer of God, makes us witnesses of how, in the bowels of the Holy Trinity, a council takes place about an atoning sacrifice for the salvation of humanity. In ancient times this image was called “Eternal Council”.
Quite naturally, the viewer has a question: who is who in this icon? We see that the middle angel is dressed in the clothes of Christ - a cherry tunic and a blue himation Himation(ancient Greek “fabric, cape”) - the ancient Greeks had outerwear in the form of a rectangular piece of fabric; usually worn over a tunic.
Chiton- something like a shirt, often sleeveless. Therefore, we can assume that this is the Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. In this case, an Angel is depicted to the left of the viewer, personifying the Father, his blue chiton covered with a pinkish cloak. On the right is the Holy Spirit, an angel dressed in blue-green robes (green is a symbol of the spirit, the rebirth of life). This version is the most common, although there are other interpretations. Often on icons the middle angel was depicted with a cross-shaped halo and inscribed IC XC - the initials of Christ. However, the Stoglavy Council of 1551 strictly forbade the depiction of cross-shaped halos and the inscription of the name in the Trinity, explaining this by the fact that the icon of the Trinity does not depict the Father, Son and Holy Spirit separately, but it is an image of the divine trinity and trinity of divine existence . Equally, each of the angels may seem to us to be one or another hypostasis, for, in the words of St. Basil the Great, “The Son is the image of the Father, and the Spirit is the image of the Son.” And when we move our gaze from one angel to another, we see how similar they are and how dissimilar they are - the same face, but different clothes, different gestures, different poses. Thus, the icon painter conveys the mystery of the non-fusion and inseparability of the hypostases of the Holy Trinity, the mystery of their consubstantiality. According to the definitions of the Stoglavy Cathedral Stoglavy Cathedral- church council of 1551, the decisions of the council were presented in Stoglav., the image created by Andrei Rublev is the only acceptable image of the Trinity (which, however, is not always observed).
The image, written during the difficult time of princely civil strife and the Tatar-Mongol yoke, embodies the covenant of St. Sergius: “By looking at the Holy Trinity, the hated discord of this world is overcome.”
9. Dionysius. Icon "Metropolitan Alexy with his Life"
End XV - early XVI centuries
State Tretyakov Gallery / Wikimedia Commons
The hagiographic icon of Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, was painted by Dionysius, whom his contemporaries called “the notorious philosopher” (famous, illustrious) for his skill. The most common dating of the icon is the 1480s, when the new Assumption Cathedral in Moscow was built and consecrated, for which Dionysius was commissioned to create two icons of Moscow saints - Alexy and Peter. However, a number of researchers attribute the painting of the icon to the beginning of the 16th century on the basis of its style, in which the classical expression of Dionysius’ skill was found, most fully manifested in the painting of the Ferapontov Monastery.
Indeed, it is clear that the icon was painted by a mature master who masters both the monumental style (the size of the icon is 197 × 152 cm) and miniature writing, which is noticeable in the example of stamps Stamps- small compositions with an independent plot, located on the icon around the central image - the middle.. This is a hagiographic icon, where the image of the saint in the middle is surrounded by stamps with scenes of his life. The need for such an icon could have arisen after the reconstruction of the Cathedral of the Chudov Monastery in 1501-1503, the founder of which was Metropolitan Alexy.
Metropolitan Alexy was an outstanding personality. He came from the boyar family of Byakontov, was tonsured at the Epiphany Monastery in Moscow, then became Metropolitan of Moscow, played a prominent role in governing the state both under Ivan Ivanovich the Red (1353-1359) and under his young son, Dmitry Ivanovich, later nicknamed Donskoy (1359-1389). Possessing the gift of a diplomat, Alexy managed to establish peaceful relations with the Horde.
In the center of the icon, Metropolitan Alexy is represented full-length, in solemn liturgical vestments: a red sakkos Sakkos- long, loose clothing with wide sleeves, the liturgical vestment of a bishop., decorated with gold crosses in green circles, on top of which hangs a white stole with crosses Stole- part of the vestment of priests, worn around the neck under the chasuble and with a stripe going down to the bottom. This is a symbol of the priest’s grace, and without it the priest does not perform any of the services., on the head there is a white cockle Kukol- the outer vestment of a monk who has accepted the great schema (the highest degree of monastic renunciation) in the form of a pointed hood with two long strips of material covering the back and chest.. With his right hand the saint blesses, in his left he holds the Gospel with a red edge, standing on a light green kerchief (shawl). The color of the icon is dominated by white, against which many different tones and shades stand out brightly - from cold green and bluish, soft pink and ocher-yellow to bright spots of flashing scarlet cinnabar. All this multicolor makes the icon festive.
The centerpiece is framed by twenty marks of life, which should be read from left to right. The order of the marks is as follows: the birth of Eleutherius, the future Metropolitan Alexy; bringing the youth into teaching; Eleutherius's dream, foreshadowing his calling as a shepherd (according to the Life of Alexy, during his sleep he heard the words: “I will make you a fisher of men”); tonsure of Eleutherius and naming of the name Alexy; the installation of Alexy as bishop of the city of Vladimir; Alexy in the Horde (he stands with a book in his hands in front of the khan sitting on the throne); Alexy asks Sergius of Radonezh to give his student [Sergius] Andronik to be abbot in the Spassky (later Andronikov) monastery he founded in 1357; Alexy blesses Andronik to become abbess; Alexy prays at the tomb of Metropolitan Peter before leaving for the Horde; Khan meets Alexy in the Horde; Alexy heals Khansha Taidula from blindness; The Moscow prince and his warriors meet Alexy upon his return from the Horde; Alexy, feeling the approach of death, invites Sergius of Radonezh to become his successor, Metropolitan of Moscow; Alexy is preparing a tomb for himself in the Chudov Monastery; repose of Saint Alexis; acquisition of relics; further the miracles of the metropolitan - the miracle of the dead baby, the miracle of the lame monk Naum of Miracles and others.
10. Icon “John the Baptist - Angel of the Desert”
1560s
Central Museum ancient Russian culture and art to them. Andrey Rublev / icon-art.info The icon comes from the Trinity Cathedral of the Stefano-Makhrishchi Monastery near Moscow, now located in the Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture named after Andrei Rublev. The size of the icon is 165.5 × 98 cm.
The iconography of the image seems unusual: John the Baptist is depicted with angelic wings. This is a symbolic image that reveals his special mission as a messenger (“angelos” in Greek - “messenger, messenger”), prophet of fate and forerunner of the Messiah (Christ). The image goes back not only to the Gospel, where John is given great attention, but also to the prophecy of Malachi: “Behold, I am sending My angel, and he will prepare the way before Me” (Mr. 3:1). Like the prophets of the Old Testament, John called for repentance, he came just before the coming of Christ to prepare the way for Him (“Forerunner” means “one who goes ahead”), and the words of the prophet Isaiah were also attributed to him: “ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his ways straight” (Isaiah 40:3).
John the Baptist appears dressed in a hair shirt and himation, with a scroll and a cup in his hand. On the scroll is an inscription made up of fragments of his sermon: “Behold, you have seen and testified of me, for behold, you are the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Repent, for fear of the Kingdom of Heaven; the ax is already at the root of the tree; every tree is cut off” (John 1:29; Matt. 3:2, 10). And as an illustration of these words, right there, at the feet of the Baptist, is depicted an ax at the root of a tree, one branch of which has been cut down, and the other is turning green. This is a symbol of the Last Judgment, showing that the time is near and soon there will be judgment for this world, the Heavenly Judge will punish sinners. At the same time, in the bowl we see the head of John, a symbol of his martyrdom, which he suffered for his preaching. The death of the Forerunner prepared the atoning sacrifice of Christ, granting salvation to sinners, and therefore with his right hand John blesses those praying. In the face of John, ascetic, with deep furrows and wrinkles, torment and compassion are visible.
The background of the icon is dark green, very characteristic of the icon painting of this time. John's ocher wings resemble flashes of fire. In general, the coloring of the icon is gloomy, which conveys the spirit of the times - heavy, filled with fears, bad omens, but also hope for salvation from above.
In Russian art, the image of John the Baptist, the Angel of the Desert, has been known since the 14th century, but it became especially popular in the 16th century, during the era of Ivan the Terrible, when the still-yang moods in society increased. John the Baptist was the heavenly patron of Ivan the Terrible. The Stefano-Makhrishchi Monastery enjoyed the special patronage of the Tsar, which is confirmed by the monastery inventories containing information about numerous royal contributions made in the 1560-70s. Among these contributions was this icon.
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