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RUSSIAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE
THROUGH THE CENTURIES

 
 

Icons and Frescos

 
 

After the iconoclasts destroyed most of the existing Byzantine icons in the 8th century, iconography gradually returned to favor; by the end of the 10th and during the 11th centuries favorable conditions already existed for the Byzantine Renaissance. By coincidence, Russia accepted Christianity from Constantinople at the time of the revival of Byzantine art, so that Greek priests came to Russia to propagate the new religion, at the same time as artists and teachers with icons, books and most other products of Byzantine art. The first churches in Kiev and Novgorod were built and decorated by these well qualified Greek masters assisted by Russians in the simple tasks. Their details of construction carry the stamp of contemporary Byzantine architecture. These first churches served as workshops where the Russian apprentices learned new crafts from their Greek masters and, so that by the time Kiev was plundered, generations of Russian church builders and iconographers were already formed.

In Russia as elsewhere religious art, including iconography, has been always controlled by the Church. Ecclesiastical authorities required that icons be painted in accordance with exact regulations. They dictated the colors to be used, the contents of each picture, the pose and disposition of each figure within the scene portrayed, the vestments, the background of the picture etc. As a result of this strict procedure the images of Christ, the Virgin, saints, prophets and angels were established in the 5th century and had since been copied thousands of times. The comparative size of each individual or object was decided not in accordance with perspective, but in compliance with the rank and importance of each personage. The whole composition was designed to bring out the importance of the central figure. Jesus, needless to say, is always the central figure, followed by the Virgin and Saint John the Baptist. They are almost always turned toward the congregation and often they have an air of weightlessness. This characteristic detail is intended to show, centuries before our astronauts, that the saints are outside of terrestrial influence and that they dwell in heaven. We have an extensive, special collection of brass icons made by Old Believers - icons.

 
 

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