10 main works of church fine art: 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 believer, under the guise of bread and wine, is given the true Body and true Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ., 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 God's Son 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 reinterpreted 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 Lazarus. 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, 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- a thick smear of 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 suggests 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 both divinity and humanity at the same time.
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. The highest quality of execution and theological depth of development of the image 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
The last two centuries of Byzantine art are 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- the highest 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, one can see chains, hooks, locks, pincers and other symbols of hellish torment, 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 cosmic event is no coincidence: 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 Kyiv prince Yuri the 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 gold halo. Above the altar table rises a cross, a spear and a cane. If you read the image of God-te-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. This is exactly how in Ancient Rus' they understood the image of the Mother of God giving birth to Christ for an 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. A 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 built 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 of precious stones in the crosshairs of the halo and the letters in the upper corners of the icon are barely visible.
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 researcher at the 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 undertook 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 paid special attention to the theme 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 so struck the apostles, 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 full 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 phenomenon of truly 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”) They told Abraham that he would have a son, from whom a great nation would come. 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 depths 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, to the left of the viewer is an Angel, personifying the Father, his blue tunic 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, painted 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 strife 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 vestments 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 of Ancient Russian Culture and Art named after. 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 much 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 of 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-yen---sentiment 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.
See also materials “”, “” and the micro-section “”.
Old Russian painting played a very important and completely different role in the life of society than modern painting, and this role determined its character. The height achieved by it is also inseparable from the very purpose of ancient Russian painting. Rus' received baptism from Byzantium and along with it inherited that the task of painting is “to embody the word”, to embody the Christian doctrine in images. First of all, this is Holy Scripture, then numerous lives of saints. Russian icon painters solved this problem by creating an artistic system that was unprecedented and never repeated, which made it possible to embody the Christian faith in a pictorial image in an unusually complete and vivid way. And therefore, in all the lines and colors of the frescoes, we see beauty that is primarily semantic - “Speculation in colors.” All of them are full of reflections on the meaning of life, about eternal values and are full of truly spiritual meaning. The frescoes excite and captivate. They are addressed to man and only through reciprocal spiritual work is it possible to comprehend them. With infinite depth, the icon painters conveyed the union of the truly human and the divine in the Son of God incarnate for the sake of people, and represented the human nature of his earthly Mother as free from sin. Pearls of ancient Russian painting have been preserved in our temple. Let's look at some of them.
The saving meaning of the Last Supper is grandiose for all who followed and are following the path of the Lord.
During this supper, Jesus Christ teaches his disciples his Testament, predicts his suffering and imminent death, reveals the redemptive meaning of the sacrifice contained in them: in it he will give his flesh, shed blood both for them and for many in atonement for sins. Love for each other, love for people, and service were commanded by Jesus Christ to his disciples at his last supper. And as the highest manifestation of this love, he revealed to them the meaning of his imminent destined death. Before us appears a semi-oval table turned flat towards the viewer, and on it is a bowl, a sign of the meal that took place on it. Seated at the table on the oval side, headed by the blessing Teacher and marked by solemn peace, sit his students. And this harmony is not destroyed even by the image of Judas. The depth with which ancient Russian artists revealed that luminous saving principle that, according to Christianity, operates in the world, the depth with which they could depict good, allowed them to clearly and simply contrast evil with it, without endowing its bearers with traits of ugliness and ugliness.
The inherited ancient tradition gave Russian masters remarkable freedom. In an effort to convey and comprehend the content that was so important to them, artists not only preserved the artistic system itself as a whole, but carefully preserved everything done by their predecessors. And this ancient experience, used as an unshakable basis, allowed artists to easily and freely move on, enriching images with new, previously unseen, subtle shades. But perhaps the most noticeable result of the development of the artistic system proper in Russian icon painting is how unusually clearly it makes it clear that everything depicted in it is so great and significant that it appears not to have happened at some point in time, but to live in eternal human memory . This presence in eternity is evidenced in Russian icons and frescoes and the halos around the heads of those depicted and the gold, scarlet, and silver backgrounds surrounding them - a symbol of unquenchable eternal light. This is evidenced by the faces themselves, expressing unprecedented spiritual concentration, not illuminated from the outside, but filled with light coming from within. This feeling is confirmed by the fact that the scene of the action is not depicted, but is, as it were, indicated extremely succinctly and briefly. To achieve all this, ancient Russian masters learned to connect together the movements and turns of people separated in time, to freely use the proportions of figures, far from those inherent in them in ordinary life , build space according to the laws of special reverse perspective. 
They achieved masterful command of line, honed the ability to use bright, pure colors and harmonize their shades with extreme precision. And what may be most important is to subordinate all the elements, the entire image as a whole, to harmony. The successes that ancient Russian masters achieved in solving the problems facing Orthodox icon painting were certainly born in intense spiritual work, in deep penetration into the Christian word and into the texts of Holy Scripture. The artists were nourished by the common spiritual height that medieval Rus' knew, which gave the world so many famous ascetics.
The Mother of God appears as if sculptured, filled with brilliant light, incomprehensible in her perfect beauty. Her slender figure is majestic. But in a face with beautiful sad eyes and a closed mouth, prayerful tension is combined with an expression of almost painful compassion for the revealed abyss of human grief. And this compassion gives hope to even the most tormented souls. Holding her baby son close to her with her right hand, she brings her sadness to him, her eternal intercession for people. And able to resolve the mother’s sadness, to answer her prayer, the baby Son is depicted here: in his face, childish gentleness and deep ineffable wisdom mysteriously merged. And affirming the joyful meaning of this incarnation, making visible the effective power of the Mother of God’s prayer, the baby, with both arms wide open, seems to bless this whole world.
Angels are represented on the frescoes as messengers of God, bearers of her will and executors of it on earth. Their depiction on frescoes creates a unique feeling of co-presence, heavenly service, warming in the hearts of Christians feelings of mysterious joy and closeness to the Heavenly world.
But perhaps the most incomprehensible for people is the image of the Trinity. Three angels are arranged in a semicircle. The feeling of their special mysterious nature immediately gives birth to their appearance, their faces surrounded by halos are so unusually soft, gentle and at the same time inaccessible. And, multiplying the feeling of the mysterious essence of the angels, when looking at the fresco, the idea of their deep unity, of the silent, and therefore wonderful conversation that connects them, arises and gradually strengthens. The meaning of this conversation is gradually revealed in the fresco, captivating by it, plunging into its depth. The artistic perfection of the fresco is also mysterious in its own way, allowing everyone to find something of their own in it, to join in their own way to the harmony contained in it.
Experts' opinions on frescoes and paintings in our temple
Regarding the picturesque paintings in the interior of the temple, the Conclusion of the Office of State Control for the Protection and Use of Historical and Cultural Monuments established that: “Initially, the temple was painted soon after construction, but already in 1813 the painting was renewed. Significant painting work was carried out in the middle and at the end of the 19th century. It was stated that there were paintings in the temple that were done at a high professional level and are of artistic value. The idea of the dignity of temple painting was confirmed by probe openings commissioned by the temple by the artist-restorer V. Pankratov, as well as the expert opinion of the candidate of art history, artist-restorer S. Filatov. The wall paintings of each volume of the temple reflect the evolution of the style of church paintings throughout the 19th century. Fragments of the earliest painting, dating from the first half of the 19th century, have been preserved in the Trinity Church, which includes the composition “Old Testament Trinity” /Hospitality of Abraham/, images of St. Helena and other martyrs, towels and trims in the lower parts, as well as fragments of ornament on the vault . The most interesting is the painting of the refectory of the Catherine Church - the composition “The Last Supper” on the western slope of the vault. The painting was done in oil on a gilded background in the Palekh manner, imitating ancient Russian painting. With an orientation towards the “academic style” of painting based on the models of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the most recent painting was done in the altar of the Church of St. Irina. Taking into account the artistic merits of the revealed painting, it should be noted that the significance of the painting is not limited to the decorative and artistic function, but contains a spiritual and symbolic program in plots and scenes of sacred history, embodying the idea of the temple as an image of the universe. The investigations carried out confirmed that a picturesque ensemble has been preserved in the temple, which must be restored.” Presumably the authorship of part of the painting of the temple may belong to V.M. Vasnetsov and M.V. Nesterov.
Frescoes of Dmitrievsky Cathedral.
Built by Vsevolod at the very end of the 12th century, Dimitrovsky Cathedral was the main princely cathedral, while the Assumption Cathedral was the episcopal cathedral.
The cathedral is dedicated to Demetrius of Thessalonica.
The interior decoration of the cathedral is interesting; the oldest part of it is dated by art historians to the 12th century.
The frescoes of this cathedral are one of the most remarkable monuments of painting of the pre-Mongol period.
It is quite possible that these frescoes influenced the work of Andrei Rublev, especially the paintings of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. It can also be assumed that the color scheme of Dionysius’s images also has roots in this painting, which was created either at the end of the 12th century or at the very beginning of the 13th century
Miraculously surviving during the devastation and barbarian renovations, they have reached us only partially. But very interesting scenes have been preserved. Many fundamentally important questions related to their iconography, style, content and meaning have still not been resolved.
Today, when the cathedral is open to the public, you can see fragments
interior decoration of the temple, which, I repeat, has, unfortunately, been completely preserved
A little.
The 12th century paintings, discovered in 1843, belong to the composition “The Last Judgment”.
In the central vault under the choir there are preserved figures of 12 apostle-judges on
thrones and angels behind them.
Detail of the fresco "The Last Judgment". Painting on the northern slope of the central nave.
*Apostles and angels, northern slope, fragment, left part.
*Apostles and angels, northern slope, fragment, middle.
*Apostles and angels, northern slope, right side.
Detail of the fresco "The Last Judgment". Painting on the southern slope of the central nave.
*Apostles and angels, southern slope, fragment, left part.
*Apostles and angels, southern slope, fragment, middle.
*Apostles and angels, southern slope, fragment, right side.
In the small vault under the choir are scenes of heaven:
trumpeting angels, the Apostle Peter leading the holy women to heaven, the prudent
the thief, "Abraham's Bosom" with the forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and
also Our Lady Enthroned.
The paintings of St. Demetrius Cathedral are an original version
classical Byzantine style of the late 12th century. What distinguishes them is
spirituality of images, plasticity of figures, subtle combinations of colors.
The perfect beauty of the angelic faces is especially striking.
*Angel. Demetrius Cathedral. The southern slope of the western arch of the central nave.
*Angel. Demetrius Cathedral. The southern slope of the western arch of the central nave.
*Angel. Demetrius Cathedral. Southern slope of the western arch, southern nave.
*Angel. Northern slope..
*Angel. Northern slope.
It should also be noted that, unusual for that period, the realism in
depiction of apostolic faces with individual features.
*Apostle Peter. Dmitrievsky Cathedral. Western arch of the southern nave, northern slope.
* Apostle Paul. Dmitrievsky Cathedral. Northern slope of the western arch of the central nave.
* Apostle Simon. Dmitrievsky Cathedral. Northern slope of the western arch of the central nave.
*Apostle Thomas. Dmitrievsky Cathedral. The southern slope of the western arch of the central nave.
*Apostle Andrew. Western vault. South nave Southern slope. Dmitrievsky Cathedral.
*Apostle James. Western arch. South nave Southern slope. Dmitrievsky Cathedral.
Scenes of paradise: trumpeting angels, the apostle Peter leading the holy women to paradise, ik, “Abraham’s Bosom” with the forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
*Trumpeting angel Northern slope of the southern nave.
*Apostle Peter, leading the righteous women to heaven. Fragment.
Abraham's Bosom.
*Abraham's Bosom. Left side of the fresco.
* Bosom of Abraham, right side of the fresco.
*Forefather Abraham with baby.
*Forefather Jacob.
*Forefather Isaac.
Also unusual is the detailed image of the Garden of Eden: trees with palm trees
branches; trellis supporting vines; birds pecking
grape.
*Garden of Eden.
The history of the restoration of the frescoes is interesting, from which it will become clear why so few original frescoes of the 12th century remain.
In the 18th century, the frescoes of the cathedral were rewritten in oil. During the restoration of 1839-1843. they were knocked down, and the walls were “rubbed” for a new “schedule”. The new frescoes were painted by Poleshan Mikhail Safonov. When removing oil paintings in 1839, authentic 12th-century frescoes were accidentally discovered under two layers of plaster. In 1840, Archbishop Parthenius reported this to the Synod. The Synod in 1843 examined the report of Parthenius and decided: “To preserve the painting that was accidentally discovered in the Vladimir Demetrius Cathedral ... so that it could be investigated exactly to what time it can be attributed.” They reported to Nicholas I along the hierarchical chain. He gave the appropriate orders and the artist-archaeologist F.G. arrived in Vladimir. Solntsev. He examined the frescoes, made copies and entrusted the clearing to Safonov under the supervision of Parfeniy. Clearing was completed in 1844. Until 1890, no one touched them. But in 1890, according to I.E. Grabar, the frescoes were “renovated” again.
The first scientific restoration was carried out in 1918 by the All-Russian Commission for the Discovery and Preservation of Painting Monuments, headed by Grabar. Not all of the frescoes discovered then were preserved. When comparing Grabar's records and what we have today, some fragments are missing. Lost. The painting that I.E. Grabar identified it as the result of Safonov’s writing.
In 1919, the temple was closed for worship and transferred to the Vladimir Museum.
In 1948-50. The oil painting done by M. Safonov was removed.
In 1952, when removing brick “bookmarks”, another fragment of a 12th century painting was discovered. - part of the ornament and the sky.
The question of master authors is the most obscure. There is still no consensus on their number or origin. Grabar made the first assumptions. He believed that there were two authors and they were Greeks. This opinion has been disputed by many experts in ancient Russian art, since he made mistakes in the attribution of frescoes even at the stage of restoration in 1918. (A.I. Anisimov. “The Pre-Mongol period of Old Russian painting” M. 1928, pp. 111-119). Therefore, in determining authorship, the opinion of A.I. is considered more acceptable. Anisimov and V.N. Lazarev, who believe that there were at least five masters and that among them there was a Russian master. (N.V. Lazarev. “Russian medieval painting” M. 1970, pp. 28-42).
* Vault with a fragment of a fresco on the southern slope of the central nave of the western vault.
In my message I used materials from books:
V. Plugin "FRESCOES OF DMITRIEVSKY CATHEDRAL" 1974, on the pages of which the first complete publication of frescoes in color was carried out.,
N.V. Lazarev. "Russian medieval painting" 1970
G.N. Wagner "Old Russian cities", 1984
A.I. Anisimov. "The pre-Mongol period of ancient Russian painting" 1928
Photos with the * icon were taken by V. Monin and Yu. Grigorov.
The rest of the photos are from the Internet.
How to get there:
Address: Vladimir region, Vladimir, Cathedral Square
Bus: direct and transit bus services from Moscow
Frescoes (painting with water paints on wet plaster)
Frescoes decorated all the side walls in ancient times St. Sophia Cathedral, galleries, towers and choirs. In the 17th century, the original painting was partially updated with glue paint during renovations. At the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, the ancients frescoes of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, which were damaged at the time, were plastered and whitewashed. In the 18th century, new oil images were made on the original murals, which met the requirements of the era. In the middle of the 19th century, the frescoes were cleared from under the 18th century painting and again covered with oil painting, which was not distinguished by artistic value, although its subjects basically repeated the iconographic scheme of the ancient frescoes that had survived by that time.
Transept. North side. Fresco layout:
Transept. South side. Fresco layout:
In the process of modern restoration work in St. Sophia Cathedral frescoes 11th century buildings were cleared from under later layers, and places where fresco plaster had peeled off were strengthened. Late paintings were left in places where the frescoes were lost to preserve the unity of the steno-painting ensemble St. Sophia Cathedral. In some places, compositions from the 17th and 18th centuries have been preserved.
fresco "The Descent of Christ into Hell" ("Descent into Hell"). Transept. North side:
fresco "The Descent of Christ into Hell". Prophets. Fragment
Fresco "The Descent of the Holy Spirit". Fragment. Transept. South side:
To the system fresco painting of St. Sophia Cathedral includes multi-figure scenes, full-length images of saints, half-figures of saints, and numerous ornaments.
In the central dome space we see multi-figure gospel scenes of a narrative nature - about the deeds and sacrifice of Christ, about the spread of Christian doctrine. In ancient times, compositions were placed in chronological order in a circle, from left to right, from top to bottom in three registers. The opening scenes of the cycle were depicted on the vault of the transept and the western part of the central nave. None of the upper register frescoes have survived to this day.
The middle register scenes are placed under the vault above the triple arcades and begin in the northern part of the transept with two compositions - “The Denial of Peter” and “Christ before Caiaphas”. Next, the narrative moves to the southern part of the transept, where the composition “The Crucifixion” is located. The remaining frescoes of the middle register have not survived.
The lower register frescoes are placed above the octagonal pillars of the transept. On the north wall St. Sophia Cathedral The scenes of “The Descent of Christ into Hell” and “The Appearance of Christ to the Myrrh-Bearing Women” have been preserved; in the south - “The Belief of Thomas” and “Sending the Disciples to Preach.” Along with the last composition on the adjacent wall we see the final scene of the entire gospel cycle - “The Descent of the Holy Spirit”.
Of particular value among frescoes of St. Sophia Cathedral composes a group portrait of the family of Yaroslav the Wise. The composition was located on the northern, western and southern walls of the main nave. The central part of this composition, placed on the western wall, which has not survived, is known from Abraham’s drawing of 1651. The picture shows Yaroslav the Wise with a model St. Sophia Cathedral in hand, Yaroslav's wife Princess Irina. They go to the figure of Christ, who, perhaps, stood Prince Vladimir and Olga - the founders of Christianity in Rus'. Yaroslav and Irina were followed in a solemn procession by sons and daughters. From this large composition, four figures survive on the south wall of the central nave and two on the north.
Fresco Portrait of the family of Yaroslav the Wise. Fragments. Central nave:
Fresco Portrait of the family of Yaroslav the Wise:
1. Reconstruction by V. Lazarev: to the left of Christ is Princess Irina with her daughters, to the right is Yaroslav the Wise with his sons
2. Reconstruction of S. Vysotsky: to the left of Christ are Prince Vladimir and Yaroslav with their sons, to the right are Princess Olga and Princess Irina with their daughters
3. Reconstruction by A. Poppe: to the left of Christ is Yaroslav with his sons and daughter, to the right is Princess Irina with her daughters
The fresco suffered greatly during the restoration of the 19th century. On the top of the southern wall, the fresco depicted figures of great martyrs in oil, and on the northern wall - saints. The clearing of these frescoes was carried out after the organization Sofia Reserve in 1934-1935. On the north wall St. Sophia Cathedral In addition to the fresco, three figures depicted in the 18th century and the head of a saint in the 19th century are visible.
The fact that the fresco composition is poorly preserved and the lack of original inscriptions make it difficult to reconstruct the entire scene and identify each of the figures. Although the four figures on the southern wall are widely known as portraits of Yaroslav's daughters, there are scientific hypotheses that identify these images as male (in particular, the first two figures with candles in their hands). The portrait of the family of Yaroslav the Wise, placed in the center of the cathedral, served to establish princely power. And now, looking at the people depicted in the portrait, we remember the connections of the Kyiv princely house with the largest states of Europe. Yaroslav the Wise's wife Irina (Ingigerd) was a Swedish princess, his sons, Svyatoslav and Vsevolod married Greek princesses, and his daughters - Elizabeth, Anna and Anastasia - were queens of Norway, France and Hungary. Fresco portrait of the family of Yaroslav the Wise is a unique monument of ancient Russian portrait monumental painting.
Other murals on the first floor St. Sophia Cathedral have a religious meaning. The frescoes of the side altar of Joachim and Anna tell about the Virgin Mary and her parents, the frescoes of the altar of Peter and Paul tell about the acts of the Apostle Peter.
Frescoes of the southern (Mikhailovsky) side altar Sofia of Kyiv dedicated to the Archangel Michael, who was considered the patron saint of Kyiv and the princely squad: in the apse we see a monumental half-figure of Michael, below it are the figures of saints. On the vault in front of the apse there are scenes of “Combat with Jacob” (northern slope) and “Overthrow of Satan” (southern slope). On the vaults in the pre-altar part of the nave St. Sophia Cathedral The fresco compositions “Appearance of the Archangel Zechariah”, “Appearance of the Archangel Balaam” (northern slope of the vault) and “Appearance of the Archangel Joshua” (southern slope of the vault) have been preserved. In the St. Michael's Altar, a wooden shutter (window) from the 11th century has been preserved on the southern wall. Below it is the 18th-century composition “The Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Khoneh.”
Fresco "Apostle Paul". Fragment. Side altar of Peter and Paul:
Fresco "Apostle Peter". Fragment. Side altar of Peter and Paul:
Fresco Scene from the Life of Peter. Boy's head. Fragment. Altar of Peter and Paul:
Fresco "Warrior". Central nave Southwestern dome pillar:
North side altar St. Sophia Cathedral dedicated to Saint George - the spiritual patron of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (the baptized name of the prince is George). In the vault of the apse we see the half-figure of George, below it are the saints. On the vault of the altar and pre-altar parts scenes from the life of George were depicted. Of these, the compositions “The Interrogation of George by Diocletian”, “The Torment of George in a Ravine with Lime” and others have been preserved in fragments.
On the northern wall, to the left of the passage to the former gallery, there is a fresco image men in secular clothes with their hands raised. There is an assumption that this is a fragment of the large composition “Yaroslav the Wise in front of St. George”, which did not remain, and the figure of a man is an image of the prince.
In the St. George side altar, two male heads are drawn in the arch of the altar, to the left of the image of St. George. These drawings were made by scratching the fresco background, apparently during restoration work in the 19th century.
Fresco "Saint". St. George's Limit, altar:
Fresco "Saint Barbara". Fragment. Central nave Northwestern cross pillar:
Fresco "Prophet". Fresco XI century. St. George's Altar:
Fresco "St. Nicholas". Fresco XI century. Central nave:
Fresco "Saint". Fresco XI century. Central nave:
Fresco "Unknown Saint". Side altar of St. George:
Fresco "Holy Hope". Side altar of St. George:
Fresco "Appearance of the Archangel to Valaam". Fragment. Side altar of Michael:
Fresco "Unknown Saint". South inner gallery:
Fresco "Saint Phocas". South inner gallery:
Fresco "Saint Philipola". South external gallery (western part):
Fresco "Saint Eudokia". West inner gallery:
Fresco "Saint Theodore Stratilates". Fragment. North inner gallery:
Fresco "Unknown Saint". Side altar of St. George:
Great place in the painting system St. Sophia Cathedral are occupied by individual figures of saints. Among them are images of martyrs, saints, apostles, holy warriors, etc. In the western part, where women were present during the service, “holy wives” are mainly depicted - Varvara, Ulyana, Christina, Catherine and others. The four female figures in medallions in the western part of the St. George side altar stand out for the brightness of their images.
Unfortunately, the initial richness of most flowers frescoes of St. Sophia Cathedral not preserved. The fresco images were made on a blue background. The paintings were dominated by dark red, ocher, white and olive colors. The artists paid special attention to the description of faces, creating a wonderful gallery of images with individual characteristics. Attracting attention are the figures of the Apostle Paul (altar of Peter and Paul), Barbara (western transept), Phocas (southern inner gallery), Fyodor (northern inner gallery) and many others.
Fresco "Baptism". Fragment. Apse of the baptismal chapel:
Fresco "Forty Martyrs of Sebaste". Fragments. Epiphany:
Both mosaic and fresco paintings St. Sophia Cathedral organically connected with the architectural forms of the interior. They are characterized by decorativeness, clarity of artistic language, depth and expressiveness of images.
Fresco "Emperor Constantine". Fresco from the 11th century. Mikhailovsky chapel:
Fresco "Emperor Justinian". Fresco from the 11th century. Chapel of Joachim and Anna, altar:
Fresco "Giving of Coccinus and Purpura to Mary". Fresco from the 11th century. Chapel of Joachim and Anna, altar:
fresco "Combat between the Archangel Michael and Jacob." Fresco from the 11th century. St. Michael's chapel, altar:
Fresco "Figure of a Prince" (?). Fresco from the 11th century. St. George's chapel:
fresco Archangel:
fresco Saint George Fragment:
fresco Annunciation. Archangel Gabriel. Fragment:
On one of the piers between the windows of the central dome drum, the upper part of the mosaic figure of the Apostle Paul survived, and above the girth arches supporting the drum of the main dome - an image of Christ in the form of a Priest and a half-lost image of the Mother of God.
Of the four mosaic images in the sails of the dome drum, only one has survived - the Evangelist Mark on the southwestern sail.
In the girth arches of the central dome, 15 of the 30 mosaic images in the medallions of the Sebastian martyrs have been preserved. The lost mosaics were again painted in oil in the 19th century.
The central place in the interior decoration of St. Sophia of Kyiv is occupied by the mosaics of its main apse. Above the koiha there is a mosaic composition “Deesis”, arranged in the form of three medallions with half-figures, and on two pillars of the eastern arch in front of the apse there is a mosaic composition “Annunciation” in the form of full-length figures: the Archangel Gabriel in the north-east and the Virgin Mary in the south-east. eastern pillars. Classical clarity, plasticity, strict proportionality, and soft drawing of figures connect the artistic works of Sophia of Kyiv with the best examples of ancient Greek art.
A significant place in the decoration of the temple is given to mosaic ornaments that decorate the frame of the conch, the side parts of the main apse and its horizontal belts, window openings and the internal verticals of the girth arches. Both floral and purely geometric motifs were used. The conch of the central apse is framed by a colorful floral ornament in the form of circles with palmettes inscribed in them, and above the slate cornice separating the figure of Oranta from the composition of the “Eucharst” there is a very beautiful strip of ornament of a purely geometric nature. Thin white lines on a dark blue background shimmer with a mother-of-pearl effect. Other ornaments are also spectacular, each of which is original and beautiful.
Frescoes decorate the lower part of the walls of the vima and the pillars up to the slate cornice, extending beyond its limits only in the above-mentioned places, three branches of the central cross, all four aisles and choirs. This main core of the fresco decoration dates back to the era of Yaroslav, if not entirely, then at least in its main parts. We tend to consider the 60s of the 11th century to be the upper chronological limit of the latest frescoes from this complex. As for the frescoes of the outer gallery, baptismal chapel and towers, they belong to a different era - to the 12th century. The question of their exact date can only be resolved after a careful analysis of their style.
Among the frescoes of the Hagia Sophia, several images of non-ecclesiastical, secular content have been preserved. For example, two group portraits of the family of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Yaroslav the Wise and several everyday scenes - a bear hunt, performances of buffoons and acrobats.
The frescoes of St. Sophia of Kyiv, like most monuments of this kind, have their own long and suffering history. This story is a clear example of the barbaric attitude towards ancient monuments that often found its way into the 18th and 19th centuries. and as a result of which more than one hundred outstanding works of art were lost.
The fate of the Kyiv frescoes was continuously connected with the fate of the Church of St. Sofia. As the building deteriorated, so did its frescoes. They not only faded over time and received various mechanical damage, but also crumbled from the dampness of leaking roofs. In 1596, the cathedral was occupied by the Uniates, in whose hands it remained until 1633, when Peter Mogila took it away from the Uniates, cleaned it and restored it. From this time on, the era of repeated refreshing of the frescoes began. In 1686, the cathedral underwent a new renovation through the efforts of Metropolitan Gideon. There is a fairly widespread opinion that all the frescoes were whitewashed by the Uniates. (See, for example: N. M. Sementovsky. Op. op., p. 74; S. P. Kryzhanovsky. On ancient Greek wall painting in the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral. - “Northern Bee”, 1843, No. 246 (2. XI), pp. 983–984; No. 247 (3.XI), pp. 987–988.)
In 1843, in the altar of the chapel of St. Anthony and Theodosius, the upper part of the plaster accidentally collapsed, revealing traces of old fresco painting. The clerk of the cathedral, together with the keymaster, Archpriest T. Sukhobrusov, reported this discovery to the academician of painting F. G. Solntsev, who was at that time in Kyiv to observe the renovation of the great church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. In September 1843, he received an audience with Nicholas I in Kyiv and presented the sovereign with his short note about the St. Sophia Cathedral. This note proposed, in order to preserve the famous temple “in proper splendor,” to free the old fresco from plaster and “but to be able to restore [it], and then, where this would be impossible to do, then cover the walls and domes with copper and paint them again with images of the ancients.” sacred events of our church, especially those that took place in Kyiv.” Having examined the newly discovered frescoes in the St. Sophia Cathedral on September 19, 1843, Nicholas I ordered Solntsev’s note to be forwarded to the Synod, which received support there. Solntsev, who always acted as a major specialist in the field of restoration and an expert in ancient Russian art, was in fact a man of not only pronounced bad taste, but also very limited knowledge.
In July 1844, work began to clear the walls of new plaster and new paintings that lay on top of the old frescoes. These works were carried out in the most primitive way. In total, 328 individual wall frescoes were discovered in Sophia of Kyiv (including 108 half-length ones), and 535 were painted again (including 346 half-length ones) (Skvortsev. Op. cit., pp. 38, 49.)
After the “restoration” work of 1844–1853. The painting of Sophia of Kyiv has undergone minor changes. In 1888 and 1893, in connection with the repair of the iconostasis, single images untouched by restoration were discovered ( 8 figures on the pillars of the triumphal arch, among them the figure of the Great Martyr Eustathius, 6 figures in the side aisles). (See N.I. Petrov. Historical and topographical sketches of ancient Kiev. Kiev, 1897, p. 132; N. Palmov. Towards the proposed restoration of the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral. - “Proceedings of the Kiev Theological Academy”, 1915, April, p. 581.)
The issue of new frescoes executed in the 17th–19th centuries was resolved much more simply. in addition to the old ones (in vim, central ship and other places). These frescoes, since they were in no way connected with the original iconographic system, it was decided to cover them with a neutral tone, which made it possible to more clearly identify the main architectural lines of the interior. Thus, the ugliest “Cathedrals”, “Nativity of Christ”, “Candlemas” and other examples of painting were hidden from the eyes of the modern viewer, which is why the internal view of Sophia of Kyiv was endlessly beneficial. A researcher of the frescoes of Sophia of Kyiv must always remember that they cannot in any way stand comparison in terms of authenticity with mosaics.
The mosaics, especially after the last clearing, look more or less as they did in the 11th century. The frescoes have undergone many changes, their colors have weakened and faded from time to time, from whitewashing and from covering with hot drying oil, which was used as a kind of primer when painting in oil (This drying oil in many places so saturated the surface of the old fresco that it gave it a shiny, as if polished character.); they have a lot of mechanical damage - scratches, potholes, abrasions; The old original copybooks made al secco are often lost in them. To all this it should be added that a number of frescoes have retained (after the last restoration) later copy-pasting in oils, which, no matter how thin they are, still distort the original form. In general, the state of preservation of the frescoes is far from uniform: one comes across (though rarely) relatively well-preserved figures and faces, but much more often one has to deal with heavily damaged fragments. Apparently, the decisive role here was played by the “people” of Metropolitan Philaret and the “room painting master Vokht”, who mercilessly tore up the old painting. That is why the latter now looks more rustic and primitive than it was in its time. Due to the loss of al secco copybooks, the linear frame became stronger in it, but due to the fading of the colors and their impregnation with drying oil, it is now perceived as more monochrome.
