Icon Painting

1. The most important form of early Russian art was the icon. There was a large amount of fresco painting, much of which has been lost. The word "icon" means "image" in Greek, but in the Christian era the term was used for religious pictures of Christ and saints on a wooden panel. With the spread of Christianity in the Slav world icons were produced in large numbers and used to decorate churches, mostly placed on the iconstasis.

2. In Russia the finest icons were produced from the mid-fourteenth century. Around that time a specific national style in icon painting was formed.

3. Russian icon painting reached the highest point of its achievement in the mid-fifteenth century in the work of Theophanes the Greek, Andrei Rublev and Dionissy.

4. Due to the contacts between Russia and Constantinople, a Greek called Theophanes, one of the greatest religious painters of the fourteenth century, came to Novgorod from Byzantium in 1370. Theophanes impressed all those who met him. His knowledge of philosophy and his love of discussion made him famous, but it was his artistic achievement, which aroused the deep respect and admiration of the Russians.

5. Russian chronicles associate Theophanes with the decoration of five Novgorodian churches. Of the paintings he produced there only those has survived that he executed in 1378 in the Church of the Transfiguration.

6. The last years of Theophanes' life are linked with Moscow where he associated with the young Russian monk Andrei Rublev, Russia's greatest icon-painter.

7. In 1405 Rublev assisted to Theophanes in decorating the iconstasis of the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin. In 1408 Rublev was engaged on the murals in the Cathedral of the Assumption at Vladimif, when he also produced his version of the icon of the Virgin of Vladimir.

8. In 1422 Rublev was asked to return to his former monastery at Sergiev Posad to redecorate the walls of the Cathedral of the Trinity. At that time he painted his most famous icon, The Old Testament Trinity.

9. The subject of this icon is the visit of the three angels to Abraham. In this icon the severe Byzantine tradition has been transformed into something more intimately human. In the beauty of the colours, and the quiet concentration of the three figures is expressed a distinct feeling of harmony, deep spirituality and grace.

10. Rublev's Trinity is one of the greatest creations of medieval Russian painting.

Notes:

image – образ

to produce – зд. писать (книгу, картину)

chronicler – летописец

to associate – 1) связывать, 2) общаться

murals – стенная живопись, фрески

Virgin of Vladimir – Владимирская Богоматерь

Cathedral of the Trinity – Троицкий собор

The Old Testament Trinity – Ветхозаветная Троица

Questions:

1) What was the most important form of early Russian architecture?

2) When were in Russia the finest icons produced?

3) In whose works did Russian icon painting reach the highest point of its achievement?

4) What do you know about Theophanes the Greek? When did he come to Novgorod? Why did his oersonality arise admiration of the Russians?

5) Where did Theophanes meet Andrei Rublev?

6. What is Andrei Rublev famous for? In what cathedrals have his icon paintings remained?

7. What is the most famous Rublev's icon? When and where did he produce it?

8. What is the subject of his Trinity?

9. Do you agree that Rublev's Trinity is one of the greatest creations of medieval Russian painting? Why?