Mediaeval russian sculpture
Stone sculpture of the St Demetrius Cathedral. Vladimir. 1194-1197
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Another important, but lesser known page in the history of mediaeval Russian art is that of its sculpture. This consisted mainly of figures of individual saints and complex compositions, small icons worn round the neck and carved iconostases (including Royal Doors, canopies and so on). The most widespread material .was wood, but stone, ivory and other materials were also common. Vladimir-Suzdalian sculpture of the 12th and first half of the 13th century, which can still be seen in the early churches of this area, is very interesting. The relief carvings on the walls of the St Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir, the Church of the Intercession-on-the-Nerl, the Nativity Cathedral in Suzdal and the St George Cathedral in Yuriev-Polsky have remarkably diverse motifs, such |
as Old Testament subjects, antique heroes and fantastic animals. For all its obvious resemblance to the Romanesque sculpture of Western Europe, this art is remarkable and unique. Relatively little sculpture has survived from the 14th and 15th century. A unique 15th-century cross, the carved cross-tomb of Stefan Borodaty, can be seen in Rostov museum. There is a fine collection of carvings in the Trinity Monastery of St Sergius, including work by the distinguished 15th-century master Ambrosy, the earliest carver known to us by name. Sculpture of the 16th to 18th century is varied in subject and well represented in museums. Some pieces are kept in working churches. The most widespread were the statues of St Nicholas the Wonderworker, St George and St Paraskeva Pyatnitsa. St Nicholas is depicted holding a sword and the model of a town in his upraised hands, as the defender of the town. This image goes back to the wonderworking 14th-century sculptural icon of St Nicholas of Mozhaisk (now in the Tretyakov Gallery). Mediaeval sculptured figures were placed by the walls in churches like icons. The back of the figure was usually flat and unworked. Peter the Great's decree of 1722 forbidding "carved icons in churches" and ordering existing ones to be destroyed was a tragedy for the history of mediaeval Russian sculpture. As a result it survived for the most part only in the borderlands.