) - the largest Russian specialist in artistic archeology (artist, architect and historian), head of the famous publication "Antiquities of the Russian State". He was in charge of the decoration of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Origin

Creation

At the end of the academic course, in 1824, for the painting "A Peasant Family", he received a small gold medal, and in 1827, for the painting "Render Caesar's Things to Caesar, and God's Gods" - a large gold medal.

In 1830, at the highest command and commission of Olenin, he went to Moscow and other places “to copy our ancient customs, clothes, weapons, church and royal utensils, belongings, horse harness, and so on. objects ". For all the time he drew more than 3000 high-precision drawings, sketches, distinguished by great detail. They depicted historical household items, icons, structures, clothing, weapons, armor, etc. About 700 of these sketches made up the bulk of the publication "Antiquities of the Russian State", conceived by Olenin and carried out after his death by Emperor Nicholas I, with a circulation of 600 copies.

In 1836, for the painting “The meeting led. book Svyatoslav with John Tzimiskes ”Fyodor Grigorievich was made an academician. In addition, Solntsev took part in the painting and restoration of many Temples. In 1836-1849, together with the architect P. A. Gerasimov, he restored the Terem Palace in the Moscow Kremlin. In 1876, in honor of the 50th anniversary of his activity, he was elevated to the rank of professor.

He died in 1892 and was buried at the Volkovskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg. The memorial room of the artist-archaeologist FG Solntsev is located in Borka (Yaroslavl region).

Major works

• "Ryazan antiquities"
• "Monuments of Moscow Antiquity"
• "Antiquities of the Russian State" (from 1846 to 1853).
  • Issue "Kiev Sophia Cathedral" (1871)
• "Clothes of the Russian State"
• "Kerch and Phanagorian antiquities"
• "Motives of ornaments taken from old Russian works"
• "Review of Kiev" by the Kiev civil governor I. I. Fundukley (1847)
• "Review of the graves, ramparts and settlements of the Kiev province" (1848)
• a number of handwritten books for the royal family:
  • Prayer book for Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I;
  • Prayer book for Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II;
  • Prayer books to guardian angels for the Grand Duchesses Maria Nikolaevna, Olga Nikolaevna and Maria Alexandrovna;
  • Lives of the Chosen Saints;
  • "Holidays in the House of the Russian Orthodox Tsar";
  • Life of Sergius of Radonezh; Service to St. Mary Magdalene;
  • “Russian saints who stand before God for the Tsar and Holy Russia”;
  • “Significant days in the House of Emperor Alexander III”.
• "The Gospel of John" commissioned by Princess Leonilla Nikolaevna Menshikova (1854)
• Solnevskaya "Saints"
• illustrations for the works of Metropolitan Filaret
• Memoirs "My life and artistic and archaeological works"

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Notes (edit)

Literature

• M. M. Evtushenko Fyodor Grigorievich Solntsev: New Data on the Artist's Biography // Russian Art in the Hermitage. - SPb., 2003. - S. 240-249.
• Tarasov E.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.

Links

• F. G. Solntsev// Russian antiquity, 1876. - T. 15. - No. 1. - P. 109-128; No. 2. - S. 311-323.

An excerpt characterizing Solntsev, Fedor Grigorievich

The Cossack was summoned, questioned; The Cossack commanders wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to repulse the horses, but one of the commanders, familiar with the highest ranks of the army, reported this fact to the staff general. Of late, the situation at Army Headquarters has been extremely tense. Ermolov, a few days before this, having come to Bennigsen, begged him to use his influence on the commander-in-chief in order to make an offensive.
“If I didn’t know you, I would think that you don’t want what you ask for. It is worth advising me one thing, so that His Serene Highness would probably do the opposite, - answered Bennigsen.
The news of the Cossacks, confirmed by the sent trips, proved the final maturity of the event. The stretched string came off, and the clock hissed, and the chimes began to play. Despite all his imaginary power, in his intelligence, experience, knowledge of people, Kutuzov, taking into account the note of Bennigsen, who personally sent reports to the sovereign, expressed by all the generals the same desire, the sovereign's supposed desire and the bringing of the Cossacks, could no longer restrain inevitable movement and gave the order for what he considered useless and harmful - blessed the accomplished fact.

The note submitted by Bennigsen about the need for an offensive, and the information of the Cossacks about the uncovered left flank of the French were only the last signs of the need to order an offensive, and the offensive was scheduled for October 5th.
On the morning of October 4, Kutuzov signed the disposition. Toll read it to Yermolov, inviting him to take up further orders.
“Okay, okay, I don’t have time now,” said Yermolov and left the hut. Tol's disposition was very good. Just as in the Austerlitz disposition, it was written, although not in German:
“Die erste Colonne marschiert [The first column goes (German)] this and that, die zweite Colonne marschiert [the second column goes (German)] this and that,” etc. And all these columns are on paper came at the appointed time to their place and destroyed the enemy. Everything was, as in all dispositions, perfectly thought out, and, as with all dispositions, not a single column came in its time and in its place.
When the disposition was ready in the proper number of copies, an officer was summoned and sent to Yermolov to give him the papers for execution. A young cavalry officer, Kutuzov's orderly, pleased with the importance of the assignment given to him, went to Yermolov's apartment.
“We’re gone,” answered Yermolov’s orderly. The cavalry officer went to the general, whom Ermolov often visited.
- No, and there is no general.
The cavalry officer sat on horseback and rode to another.
- No, they left.
“How would I not be responsible for the delay! What a shame! " - thought the officer. He traveled all over the camp. Someone said that they saw how Yermolov drove with other generals somewhere, who said that he was probably at home again. The officer, without having dinner, searched until six o'clock in the evening. Ermolov was nowhere to be found and no one knew where he was. The officer had a quick bite to eat at his comrade's and went back to the vanguard to Miloradovich. Miloradovich was not at home either, but then he was told that Miloradovich was at the ball at General Kikin's, that Ermolov must be there.
- But where is it?
“And over there, in Echkin,” said the Cossack officer, pointing to a distant landlord’s house.
- But what about there, behind the chain?
- They sent two of our regiments into the chain, there is such a revelry nowadays, trouble! Two music, three choirs of songwriters.
The officer went by the chain to Echkin. From a distance, still driving up to the house, he heard the friendly, cheerful sounds of a soldier's dancing song.
"In the oluzya ah ... in the oluzi! .." - with a whistle and with a torban he heard him, occasionally drowned out by the shout of voices. The officer felt cheerful in his soul from these sounds, but at the same time it was also scary for the fact that he was guilty, for so long not having given the important order entrusted to him. It was already past nine. He dismounted from his horse and entered the porch and the hallway of a large, intact manor house, located between the Russians and the French. In the pantry and in the hall, footmen were bustling about with wines and food. There were songbooks under the windows. The officer was led through the door, and he suddenly saw all together the most important generals of the army, including the large, noticeable figure of Yermolov. All the generals were in unbuttoned coats, with red, lively faces and were laughing loudly, standing in a semicircle. In the middle of the room, a handsome, short general with a red face was smartly and deftly making a trepak.
- Ha, ha, ha! Ah yes Nikolai Ivanovich! ha, ha, ha! ..
The officer felt that, entering at that moment with an important order, he was doubly guilty, and he wanted to wait; but one of the generals saw him and, learning why he was, told Ermolov. Ermolov, with a frowning face, went out to the officer and, having listened, took the paper from him, without saying anything to him.
- Do you think he left by accident? - That evening the staff comrade said to the officer of the cavalry guard about Yermolov. - These are things, this is all on purpose. Give Konovnitsyn a ride. Look, what porridge will be tomorrow!

The next day, early in the morning, the decrepit Kutuzov got up, prayed to God, dressed, and with the unpleasant knowledge that he should lead a battle, which he did not approve of, got into a carriage and drove out of Letashevka, five miles behind Tarutin, to that place, where the advancing columns were to be assembled. Kutuzov rode, falling asleep and waking up and listening to see if there were any shots on the right, was the case starting? But it was still quiet. The dawn of a damp and cloudy autumn day was just beginning. Approaching Tarutin, Kutuzov noticed the cavalrymen leading the horses to the watering hole across the road along which the carriage was traveling. Kutuzov looked at them closely, stopped the carriage and asked which regiment? The cavalrymen were from the column that should have been already far ahead in ambush. "A mistake, maybe," thought the old commander-in-chief. But, having driven even further, Kutuzov saw infantry regiments, guns in the box, soldiers with porridge and firewood, in underpants. An officer was called. The officer reported that there was no order to march.

The life and works of the artist Fyodor Solntsev
“Solntsev was one of those best and few,
who taught us all to appreciate and love
real root Russia ".
V.V. Stasov

In one of the halls of the State Tretyakov Gallery, a small painting "Peasant Family" is exhibited, made in 1824 by a graduate of the Academy of Arts as a program for the Small (second) gold medal. A traditional programmatic task with an uncomplicated plot, an uncomplicated but well-thought-out compositional structure, a warm flavor is a real academic work.

She earned the recognition and approval of the members of the commission, its author received a gold medal, and the young artist received the right to a pensioner's trip, which he did not use. This picture at the end of the XIX century. took P.M. Tretyakov, students of the Academy of Arts made educational copies from it. And who could then, in 1824, imagine that this simple programmatic work would begin the great path of an outstanding Russian artist, without whom a conversation about the culture of the 19th century is unthinkable today. in general, about Russian architecture and Russian books, in particular. The name of this artist is Fyodor Grigorievich Solntsev (1801-1892).

Russian science owes Solntsev's work to the collection of "Antiquities of the Russian State" and "Kerch and Phanagorian Antiquities". According to Solntsev's drawings, the towers and churches of the Moscow Kremlin were restored, the halls of the Kremlin Palace were decorated. He owns the honor of the discovery and restoration of mosaics and frescoes of St. Sophia of Kiev, the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Dmitrov Cathedral in Vladimir.

In 1876, during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the artistic and archaeological activity of F.G. Solntsev, the editor-in-chief of the famous magazine "Russian Starina" Mikhail Ivanovich Semevsky said: "Solntsev's drawings, in scientific and artistic terms, are a picturesque chronicle of Ancient Russia, a source of the revival of the domestic style. And if Karamzin found living colors for the style of his history in the annals and other archaeographic monuments of our Fatherland; If Pushkin found a living, fresh stream in folk tales, with which he renewed the language of Patriotic poetry, then the artist Solntsev, with his works, awakened in Russian artists a sense of national identity and respect for the images bequeathed to us by our ancestors. "

Fedor Grigorievich Solntsev was born on April 14, 1801 in the village. Verkhne-Nikulsky, Mologsky district, Yaroslavl province, in the family of landlord (serfs) peasants, Count Musin-Pushkin. After the birth of his son Fyodor, his father, Grigory Kondratyevich, left for St. Petersburg and began to work as a cashier at the imperial theaters. Soon, the older brother, Denis, also moved to the northern capital. Fedor and his mother Elizaveta Frolovna remained in the village. Thanks to the efforts of his mother, a former literate woman, he began to learn to read. But study as a whole was given with difficulty. It was much more interesting to draw or copy popular prints, to play on the bank of a stream that flows into the famous river Sit.

When, in 1815, his father, as usual, visited his family, they complained to him about a negligent child who was only interested in drawing various village and church objects. Grigory Kondratyevich, apparently possessing a good instinct, took the child with him to St. Petersburg. Here, on the Admiralty Square in the house of Count Kutaisov, living with his brother and father, Fyodor Grigorievich began to study arithmetic, French and German, study a number of general education subjects, as well as drawing.

While Fyodor Grigorievich was quietly studying with his brother, his father fussed about getting him into the Academy of Arts. This happened in the same 1815. Once, on the orders of Grigory Kondratyevich, he went to the inspector of academic classes, the famous artist K.I. Golovachevsky, Fyodor Solntsev was immediately enrolled in the number of his own pupils. In 1815 he was assigned to the first drawing class. Less than six months later, Solntsev found himself in a full-scale class. Moving into the third age, F.G. Solntsev chose historical and portrait painting as his specialty, and began to work under the guidance of famous Russian painters, professors S.S. Shchukin, A.A. Egorova and A.G. Varneka. Solntsev worked a lot and interestingly, took part in the painting of the Kazan Cathedral. Soon the director of the Imperial Public Library A.N. Olenin, who became President of the Academy of Arts in 1817. "An amateur and connoisseur of antiquities", widely erudite in matters of literature and art, historian, archaeologist and ethnographer, he attracted the young artist to perform various works and orders, aiming at artistic and archaeological research. A.N. Olenin contributed to the formation and formation of a unique historical painter, expert in archeology and the history of Russia.

In 1829, almost five years after Solntsev graduated from the Academy of Arts, Olenin recruited him to work on the publication of a book about Ryazan antiquities. F.G. Solntsev made drawings of Ryazan antiquities: precious plaques, barmas, rings. He later recalled this work: “Aleksey Nikolayevich invited me to draw 'Ryazan antiquities'. I set to work. It was necessary to draw in the office of Alexei Nikolaevich. By the way, I had a badge drawn, and this drawing was lying on the table. Once a professor of perspective - M.N. Vorobiev. Noticing a badge on the table and taking it for a real one, he wanted to move it with his hand, but seeing his mistake, he said: "Is it really drawn!" On this occasion, Aleksey Nikolayevich remarked: "Yes, the best praise for art cannot be done."

The work on the Ryazan antiquities finally linked the life and work of Fyodor Grigorievich with archeology.

The most important stage in the creative biography of F.G. Solntsev became the 30s of the XIX century. At that time, he worked in Moscow, removing drawings from the most ancient things stored in the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin and its cathedrals, making watercolor sketches of various views of Moscow. Some of these drawings were made for the Russian historian, full member of the Imperial Society of Russian History and Antiquities - Ivan Mikhailovich Snegirev. In an introductory article to one of them, the publisher August Semyon noted:

“A description of the antiquities of the first throne, the royal Russian capital, worthy of the greatness of the subject and the reverent attention of the Russian people and the Russian land to the shrines and monuments of Moscow, has long been the common desire of all enlightened people. The study of Patriotic monuments is the duty of everyone who loves his Motherland. Preserving them in descriptions and images from accidental death and destruction of time should be revered as a testament to our respect for ancestors and the honor of the people.

By a lucky chance, the long-desired enterprise found itself a zealous patron in the former, forever unforgettable mayor of Moscow, Prince D.V. Golitsyn. The description of the monuments of Moscow antiquity was entrusted to the scientist connoisseur of Russian antiquities I.M. Snegirev. Curious descriptions of Mr. Snegirev were enriched with drawings of the excellent isographer of Russian antiquities, academician F.G. Solntseva.

The elegance of the decoration of the drawings and the completeness and clarity of the descriptions aroused concordant praise from all our not only Russians, but also foreign newspapers and magazines, which unanimously recognized the Monuments of Moscow Antiquity as the first magnificent publication of all that have been published in Russia so far. "

This joint work of outstanding Russian researchers I.M. Snegirev and F.G. Solntsev, along with "Monuments of Old Russian Architecture" by F.F. Richter and "Russian antiquity" by A.A. Martynov and I.M. Snegireva laid the foundation for the education of Russian architects in terms of national heritage.

In May 1830, the work of the artist F.G. Solntsev on "copying our ancient customs, robes, weapons, church and royal utensils, belongings, horse harness and other items belonging to historical, archaeological and ethnographic information", which were in Moscow and stored in the Armory. Solntsev's work in the Kremlin and in the Armory was assisted by prominent public and state figures of the 19th century: the Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret (Drozdov), the president of the Moscow palace office, Prince V.V. Yusupov, historian M.P. Pogodin and, of course, A.N. Olenin.

Created by F.G. Solntsev's collection of drawings of Russian antiquity (and there were more than three thousand by the end of the 40s) attracted the attention of Emperor Nicholas I, and he granted about one hundred thousand silver rubles for their publication. Such a donation from the emperor for publication caused a lively response in the public and scientific circles of Russia. In the journal "Moskvityanin" historian M.P. Pogodin noted that "lovers of Patriotic antiquity and history bless the royal generosity" and "look forward to a magnificent publication." And 20 years after the publication of "Antiquities of the Russian State" by M.P. Pogodin writes: “The most important and together the most magnificent edition of our monuments, in fact archaeological, is in the“ Antiquities of the Russian State ”. Archeology received a rich manual in this magnificent edition! "

V.V. Stasov, giving a speech in memory of F.G. Solntsev, highly appreciated the "Antiquities of the Russian State". He said: "The book came to the general taste, it constituted an era in Russian historical consciousness and had a tremendous impact on the growth of all the last artistic generations of ours."

The works of F.G. Solntsev was assisted in every possible way by Emperor Nicholas I, who brought national traditions to the fore. Among them, some attention was paid to Russian historical relics.

The enormous work done by Solntsev to restore the Terem Palace of the Moscow Kremlin was highly appreciated by the emperor. He was awarded a diamond ring and was awarded the Knight Commander of the Order of St. Vladimir 4 degrees.

Nicholas I issued a number of orders related to Russian antiquity. In Kiev, in 1832, the remains of the Golden Gate were uncovered, and from 1835 a special Commission for the Research of Antiquities was operating. The collected collections entered the Kiev University, where an archaeological museum was opened on March 17, 1837. In 1847, an essay by the Kiev civil governor I.I. Fundukley "Review of Kiev", and in 1848 - "Review of graves, ramparts and settlements of the Kiev province." Most of the buildings and things were presented in drawings and drawings. The engravings for the book were created according to the drawings of F.G. Solntseva.

It was F.G. Solntsev was honored with the discovery and restoration of the famous frescoes and mosaics of the 11th century. in the Kiev Sophia Cathedral, the existence of which until 1843 no one suspected. “It has long been noticeable in one of the side offices of the Cathedral, on the southern side, on the vault, ancient images of angels, seraphim and cherubim, and one could look closely and read Greek inscriptions here,” Archpriest I.M. Skvortsov in his book about the restoration of the cathedral, published in 1854. But this was only a part of the 8-century frescoes that still had to be looked for on all the walls of the cathedral. In 1843, “when in the altar of the limit of the Monks Anthony and Theodosius, after the accidental fall of the plaster, there were traces of fresco images, who was on some business in Kiev, academician F.G. Solntsev had the idea of ​​the existence of such images throughout the Yaroslav's temple. This idea was confirmed when we tried to clean the whitewash and newest tint in different places. Thus, this matter seemed worthy of the attention of the Highest, it was reported to the Sovereign Emperor, and His Majesty deigned to instruct the Holy Synod to find means, both for the opening and renewal of ancient frescoes on all the walls and pillars of the Kiev-Sophia Cathedral. Consequently, a committee has been drawn up for the renewal of this council in all parts of it; moreover, in accordance with the highest will, the whole part of the picturesque is entrusted to the main supervision of Academician Solntsev. "

Restoring frescoes and revealing the mosaics of St. Sophia Cathedral, F.G. Solntsev copied his painting with jewelry care. In March 1853 he submitted 80 drawings to the Imperial Russian Archaeological Society for publication. The Archaeological Society agreed to take over the publication work, deciding to lithochrome and engrave the drawings. At the same time, the emperor ordered that the publication of new drawings by F.G. Solntsev was a continuation of the "Antiquities of the Russian State". But due to lack of funds, the process of preparing the publication dragged on for many years and began only in 1866. In 1871, the first issue of Antiquities, the Kiev Sophia Cathedral, was published.

From 1830 to 1853 F.G. Solntsev traveled a lot to ancient Russian cities, studying and sketching objects and ancient monuments, making ethnographic sketches. “From that time to the present from the antiquities of the Kerch, Moscow, Trinity-Sergius Lavra, New Jerusalem and their environs, in Ryazan, Vladimir, Kiev, Novgorod, Pskov, Smolensk, Chernigov, Vitebsk, Mogilev and many other county cities, as well as in the sacristy of the Imperial Winter Palace in St. Petersburg was made by Solntsev watercolors and presented to the Emperor up to 2000 drawings. Moreover, he is engaged in drawing with watercolors and for other Imperial commissions, as well as for the newly built Kremlin Palace in Moscow. Under his supervision, old painting was renewed in the Kiev-Assumption Lavra and in the Vladimirsky Dmitrovsky cathedrals, and ancient frescoes were renewed in the Kiev-Sophia cathedral.

Solntsev for his labors was most mercifully awarded the orders: St. Vladimir 4th degree, St. Stanislaus 2nd degree with a crown and St. Anna of the 2nd degree, and for the painting performed in the program from the Imperial Academy of Arts, he was awarded an Academician.

In 1836 F.G. Solntsev was awarded the title of academician for his work. From 1844 to 1867 he taught icon painting at the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, for which he received the Order of St. Anna 2nd degree and the order of St. Vladimir 3rd degree. In 1858-1866. under his supervision, more than 200 iconostases were made for churches in western Russian provinces by order of the Ministry of State Property. He himself made sketches of images, crosses, banners and so on.

Working with the monuments of ancient Russian art and household items, studying the monuments of Russian antiquity, F.G. Solntsev constantly came into contact with Russian handwritten books, from which he drew the information necessary to date the objects under study, to determine the place of their creation and purpose.

While working in the Moscow Kremlin in the 30s. XIX century. with objects of Russian antiquity of the Armory Chamber, the artist's attention was attracted by such masterpieces of Russian book literature as Izbornik Svyatoslav 1073, Tsarist letters. At the Moscow Synodal Printing House, he drew attention to the unique Yuryev Gospel, to the old printed books. F.G. Solntsev copied the most interesting materials: headpieces, capital letters, samples of writing from different eras, i.e. everything that could be useful to the artist for understanding, characterizing and reproducing a particular era. The collection of drawings and watercolors by F.G. Solntsev, stored in the Department of Manuscripts of the Russian National Library, there were a number of sheets representing ancient Russian book art. It can be assumed that F.G. Solntsev thought about systematizing the visual material contained in handwritten and early printed books, thinking about creating an album on the history of Russian book ornament.

Since the end of the 30s, when Emperor Nicholas I received F.G. Solntsev, under his patronage, for members of the imperial family, the artist created prayer books and other books of spiritual content. One of them was the book "Holidays in the House of the Russian Orthodox Tsar".

For members of the imperial family F.G. Solntsev also wrote: A Prayer Book for Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I; Prayer book for Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II; Prayer books to guardian angels for the Grand Duchesses Maria Nikolaevna, Olga Nikolaevna and Maria Alexandrovna; Lives of the Chosen Saints; "Holidays in the House of the Russian Orthodox Tsar"; Life of Sergius of Radonezh; Service to St. Mary Magdalene; “Russian saints who stand before God for the Tsar and Holy Russia”; “Significant days in the House of Emperor Alexander III”.

For several years F.G. Solntsev often visited M.P. Volkonskaya, daughter-in-law of the head of the Palace Chancellery, Oberhof Marshal P.M. Volkonsky, who took care of the artist after the death of A.N. Venison. Artists, writers, composers gathered in the house of Maria Petrovna, among them professor N.I. Pokhvisnev, L. Kikina, L. Lvov, M.A. Mezhakova, P.V. Basin. In the circle of M.P. Volkonskaya in the 50s of the 19th century. under the leadership of Solntsev and with his direct participation, the manuscript book "The Prayer Book with the Month" was created.

They wrote about this handwritten book in the Stolitsa i Usadba magazine, drawing attention to the obverse Mesyatseslov located at the end of the book. These are images of saints, as well as feasts of the Lord and Twelve. “You can imagine how much work it cost, for example, to place on a space less than four inches high and about three widths - the image of the daily saints celebrated throughout the month. To highlight the faces and vestments of semi-topped figures, one had to use a magnifying glass and have a real reserve of patience, and, with all possible diligence, closer than two or three months it was impossible to finish the table with all the saints of thirty days and the images of the twelve feasts that were part of them. "

By order of Princess L.N. Menshikova F.G. Solntsev created a unique, extraordinary beauty handwritten book "The Gospel of John". Academicians G.G. Gagarin and Premazzi.

The logical result of turning to the Russian handwritten tradition was the creation in the early 60s. XIX century. on the instructions of the Holy Synod of Big Facial Saints. In preparing the Saints, the artist used nine icon-painting originals of the 14th - 15th centuries. and performed the work of a historian and ethnographer. He also used a lot of pictorial images - icons, drawings, his own drawings. In 1866 the Saints were published. They consisted of 12 sheets, 48 ​​weeks each, and each week 100 figures of saints. Nestor Kukolnik, anticipating the release of the Svyattsy, wrote that "the publication would be of great benefit to artists in their performance of church painting." The Solntsevskaya Svyattsy "represented a whole reference lexicon, an archaeological museum."

It became quite logical for F.G. Solntseva work on the design and illustration of various printed publications - books and magazines - using the design principles of Russian handwritten books.

In the 40s, while working in Kiev, the artist met Metropolitan Filaret (Gumilevsky). This acquaintance grew into a close collaboration. For the works undertaken by Filaret, F.G. Solntsev made over 400 drawings. Metropolitan Filaret's works were reprinted several times in the second half. XIX - early. XX centuries. and all the time they came out with illustrations by F.G. Solntseva. Many of these illustrations have been used for other publications, carried out by order of the Holy Synod. Drawings for various publications dedicated to the saints glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church, F.G. Solntsev performed many times. Among them there are illustrations created at the request of I.P. Khrushchov for his books about holy ascetics published in the series "People's Readings". Drawings by F.G. Solntsev were used in the reprint of "Reflections on the Divine Liturgy" by N.V. Gogol.

Love for Russian history, for "Russian antiquities" brought together and made friends F.G. Solntsev with M.I. Semevsky - editor of the Russian Starina magazine. For more than 30 years (before his death), the artist created screensavers, vignettes and endings for the design of this magazine.

The feeling of love for the ancient Russian book tradition of F.G. Solntsev tried to instill in his students, among whom was A.P. Ryabushkin. Together they wrote congratulatory addresses, decorating them in the Russian style. A.P. Ryabushkin independently created several handwritten books. Old Russian handwritten tradition and handwritten book tradition, the development of which in the 19th century. facilitated by F.G. Solntsev, contributed to the fact that handwritten books began to be created by Russian artists, including V.M. Vasnetsov, M.V. Nesterov, D.S. Stelletsky.

In 1876, the fiftieth anniversary of the artistic and archaeological activity of F.G. Solntseva. From the Imperial Archaeological Society F.G. Solntsev received a large gold medal with his portrait, knocked out on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of artistic and archaeological activity. And in the magazine "Russian antiquity" M.I. Semevsky published the artist's memoirs "My Life and Artistic and Archaeological Works". In November 1886, the Academy of Arts honored the 50th anniversary of F.G. Solntsev the title of academician.

Little is known about the last 15 years of the artist's life and work. And these years were full of everyday painstaking work for the Synod and the Synodal Printing House, for the magazine "Russian Starina", for various publishing houses, and the execution of private orders. During these years, Solntsev continued to carry out a large trustee work for scholars from state peasants - students at the Imperial Academy of Arts.

Solntsev worked until the very last day, until his death. In the "Formulary list about the service of the former enlisted in the Imperial Academy of Arts for the compilation of a complete collection of archaeological and ethnographic drawings of the professor and honorary free associate of the Academy" the last entry made in 1892 reads: "By the will of God he died."

The artist was buried with honors at the Volkovo cemetery.

Solntsev Fedor Grigorievich (1801-1892)

Irina Bogatskaya. Antiquities of the Russian State in the Works of Fyodor Solntsev. "RI" No. 1/2005.

Fedor Grigorievich Solntsev (1801-1892) - Russian graphic artist was born on April 14, 1801 in the village of Verkhnenikulsky, Mologsky district, Yaroslavl province, into a family of peasants, Count Musin-Pushkin. In 1815 he was assigned to the Academy of Arts. The President of the Academy of Arts, director of the Imperial Public Library A.N. Olenin, he began to attract Solntsev for the execution of various works and orders, aiming at artistic and archaeological research. In 1829 F.G. Solntsev made drawings of Ryazan antiquities: precious plaques, barmas, rings. This work finally linked the life and work of Fyodor Grigorievich with archeology: his contemporaries called him exclusively an artist-archaeologist, and later his half-century artistic and archaeological activity was awarded the gold medal of the Imperial Russian Archaeological Society. Since the end of the 20s. XIX century. F.G. Solntsev became the main assistant to A.N. Olenin in the publication of archaeological works. At the beginning of 1830 he painted "Kerch" and "Phanagorian antiquities". In the 20s of the XIX century. A.N. Olenin attracted Solntsev to work on the creation of projects for various uniforms.

The 30s of the XIX century became a new stage in the creative biography of F.G. Solntseva. He worked in Moscow, removing drawings from the most ancient things stored in the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin and its cathedrals, making watercolor sketches of various views of Moscow. Some of these drawings were made for the works of the Russian historian, a full member of the Imperial Society of Russian History and Antiquities - Ivan Mikhailovich Snegirev, who was engaged in the study of Russian antiquities. Created by F.G. Solntsev's collection of drawings of Russian antiquity from the 6th to the 18th century was used in the publication of Antiquities of the Russian State (1849-1853). The edition consisted of 500 large-format drawings.

From 1830 to 1853 F.G. Solntsev traveled a lot to ancient Russian cities, studying and sketching objects and ancient monuments, making ethnographic sketches. In 1847, an essay by the Kiev civil governor I.I. Funduklea "Kiev Review", Most of the buildings and things that were described in the "Kiev Review" are presented in pictures and drawings. The engravings for the book were created according to the drawings of F.G. Solntseva. F.G. Solntsev restored frescoes and uncovered the mosaics of the Kiev Sophia Cathedral (X1 century), copied its paintings with jewelry thoroughness. In March 1853 he submitted 80 drawings to the Imperial Russian Archaeological Society for publication. Due to lack of funds, the preparation of the publication dragged on for many years and began only in 1866. In 1871, the first issue of Antiquities, the Kiev Sophia Cathedral, was published.

In 1836 F.G. Solntsev was awarded the title of academician. From 1844 to 1867 he taught icon painting at the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, for which he received the Order of St. Anna 2nd degree and the order of St. Vladimir 3rd degree. In 1858-1866. under his supervision, more than 200 iconostases were made for churches in western Russian provinces by order of the Ministry of State Property. He himself made sketches of images, crosses, banners and so on.

The artist's collaboration with the publishing department of the Holy Synod was fruitful. To the publication of the "Lives of the Saints Revered by the Orthodox Church" by F.G. Solntsev made 400 drawings. According to Solntsev's drawings, the Antimension was published. With his illustrations, the books "Explanations for the Liturgy" by Dmitrievsky, "Explanations for the Liturgy" by N.V. Gogol and others.

Since the end of the 30s, when Emperor Nicholas I received F.G. Solntsev, under his patronage, for members of the imperial family, the artist created a number of handwritten books: Prayer Book for Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I; Prayer book for Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II; Prayer books to guardian angels for the Grand Duchesses Maria Nikolaevna, Olga Nikolaevna and Maria Alexandrovna; Lives of the Chosen Saints; "Holidays in the House of the Russian Orthodox Tsar"; Life of Sergius of Radonezh; Service to St. Mary Magdalene; “Russian saints who stand before God for the Tsar and Holy Russia”; “Significant days in the House of Emperor Alexander III”. In the 50s of the nineteenth century. the "Prayer Book with Months" was created by order and with the participation of Princess M.P. Volkonskaya. Analysis of the painting technique shows that two artists worked on the design. The main work was done by F.G. Solntsev and only a small part - P.V. Basin. Around the same years, in 1854, by order of Princess Leonilla Nikolaevna Menshikova F.G. Solntsev created a unique handwritten book "The Gospel of John", which in 1887, according to the will of the princess, entered the Department of Manuscripts of the Imperial Public Library.

The second half of the artist's life was filled with equally important and serious works. Since the 50s. XIX century. F.G. Solntsev took part in painting work to fix the interior in the Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. In 1861-1862. he renewed the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and in 1863-1864. oversaw the renovation of the Lavra Church of the Holy Spirit.

In the 1860s. strong friendship and cooperation tied F.G. Solntsev with journalist, publisher and writer M.I. Semevsky. For 30 years, the magazine "Russian Starina" was published in the design of the artist Solntsev. In 1873, at the Imperial Russian Archaeological Society, a special commission of 5 members was formed, chaired by N.I. Stoyanovsky, for the publication of numerous works of Olenin, who died in 1843. Some of them were published already in 1877. 100 illustrations included in "Archaeological Works" belonged to F.G. Solntsev. (Antiquities of the Cimmerian Bosphorus, stored in the Imperial Museum of the Hermitage. Fig. F. G. Solntsev. St. Petersburg, 1854.2 vols .; Olenin A.N. Archaeological works in 4 vols. Edited by N.I. 100 photographs by F.G.Solntsev.SPb., 1877, 1881, 1882.)

Fyodor Grigorievich Solntsev lived a long life - almost the entire 19th century. Before his eyes, one historical epoch was replaced by another, and the artistic activity of this humble worker of art had a strong impact on the entire epoch, on the work of entire generations, affirming the "Russian style".

Solntsev Fedor Grigorievich

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The great Russian critic V.G. Belinsky, analyzing the poems of M.Yu. Lermontov, wrote: “Our century is primarily a historical century. All thoughts, all our questions and answers to them, all our activity grows from the historical soil and on the historical soil ”(1). Indeed, thanks to the development of literature and art, the efforts of the great and talented organizers of Russian education and science, the efforts of Russian statesmen, among whom were the State Chancellor N.P. Rumyantsev and director of the Imperial Academy of Arts A.N. Olenin, a genuine interest in Russian history, in the antiquities of the state, has increased. Archeology (or ancient studies) goes its own way of formation and development - the science of all historical antiquities without exception. Created and methodologically developed by A.N. Olenin art archeology. The concept of "artistic archeology included not only accurate sketches of archaeological antiquities and monuments of ancient Russian architecture, with respect to scale, but their detailed source study and description, as well as the solution of issues of dating and attribution, i.e. conducting so-called external criticism of the source. The artist F.G. Solntsev. This artist also owns the honor of developing (together with Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) and Archimandrite Photius) a new icon-painting canon, which corresponded to ancient Russian traditions, developments of the post-Petrine era and the trends of modern times.

The creative path of F.G. Solntseva

Artist, painter, icon painter, graphic artist, illustrator Fyodor Grigorievich Solntsev (1801-1892), nicknamed by his contemporaries "artist-archaeologist" for his great achievements in artistic archeology, became one of the founders of the Russian style in Russian art of the 19th century. Russian science owes Solntsev's work to the collection of "Antiquities of the Russian State" (2). According to Solntsev's drawings, the towers and churches of the Moscow Kremlin were restored, the halls of the Imperial Kremlin Palace were decorated. He owns the honor of the discovery and restoration of mosaics and frescoes of St. Sophia of Kiev, the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Dmitrov Cathedral in Vladimir.

In 1876, during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the artistic and archaeological activity of F.G. Solntseva, the editor-in-chief of the famous magazine "Russian Starina" Mikhail Ivanovich Semevsky pointed out that "the artist Solntsev, with his works, awakened in Russian artists a sense of national identity and respect for the images bequeathed to us by our ancestors" (3).

Fyodor Solntsev was born on April 14, 1801 into a family of serfs. Father, Grigory Konstantinovich, served in the palace department as a cashier at the imperial theaters. Mother, Elizaveta Frolovna, lived as a peasant, lived and died in the village. Verkhne-Nikulsky, where she was buried in the village cemetery.

In 1815 Fyodor Solntsev, at the insistence of his father, left the village and moved to St. Petersburg. With the assistance of the artist K.I. Golovachevsky in the same year entered the Imperial Academy of Arts in the class of historical, portrait and miniature painting. His teachers were famous Russian painters, professors S.S. Shchukin, A.E. Egorov and A.G. Varnek, the president of the Academy A.N. Olenin. For his thesis "A Peasant Family Before Dinner" (1824) he was awarded a gold medal of the second dignity. Having received the title of an artist of the 14th grade and a certificate of the 1st degree (4), he remained a boarder in the class of portrait painting and was enlisted in the service of the Academy of Arts "in terms of archaeological and ethnographic".

In the boarder years, active classes in church painting began. First of all, the young artist took part in the painting of the St. Petersburg church of the righteous Zechariah and Elizabeth at the Patriotic Institute and painted the image of the Evangelist Matthew in the sail of the Kazan Cathedral. For the Church of the Holy Trinity in the village of Verkhne-Nikulsky in 1827, he created several images and sketches for wall painting. One of the icons has survived: this is the "Archangel Gabriel". The Gospel theme "Render the Caesarean to Caesarean, and the Gods of God" formed the basis of the composition of the final boarding work - the watercolor "The Savior and the Pharisees" - which was awarded the gold medal of the first dignity.

The artist first came to fame after the execution and publication of drawings of objects from the Ryazan hoard, made especially for scientific research by A.N. Olenin, published in 1831 (5) and went down in history under the name "Ryazan antiquities".

In 1836 Fyodor Solntsev received the title of Academician for his program watercolor work “Meeting of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich with the Greek Emperor John Tzimiskes on the Danube in 971”.

1830s - 1850s were filled with scientific and artistic trips to ancient Russian cities, monasteries and churches, artistic research of objects and ancient monuments, fixation, measurement of ancient monuments of architecture, painting, church utensils, old books, household items. Among the cities were Vladimir, Suzdal, Yuryev-Polsky, Kolomna, Aleksandrov, Zvenigorod, Tver, Torzhok, Ostashkov, Tula, Voronezh, Novgorod, Pskov, Ladoga, Belozersk, Smolensk, Oryol, Old and New Ryazan, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Kazan, Kiev, Chernigov, Poltava, Mogilev, Vitebsk.

The beginning of work on the artistic fixation of church-archaeological monuments was a business trip in 1830 to Moscow, according to the instructions of the Academy of Arts, “to sketch our ancient customs, clothes, weapons, church and royal utensils, belongings, horse harness and other items belonging to the historical, archaeological and ethnographic information ”. Over the next ten years, F.G. Solntsev annually came from St. Petersburg to Moscow. Here he painted "antiquities" stored in the Armory, cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin and Moscow churches and monasteries, made watercolor sketches of various views of Moscow, having received a personal order from Emperor Nicholas I to record "the image of the Donskoy Mother of God, the royal place, all the crown of Monomakh, the crown of Astrakhan, Siberian and Kazan and various other things ”(6).

In 1835-1838, on the eve of the start of work on the construction of the Imperial Palace and the new building of the Armory, F.G. Solntsev participated in the restoration work in the Moscow Kremlin, renewing the ancient Terem, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, Lazarev Resurrection, the Nativity and Holy Cross churches.

Since the 1830s, the artist F.G. Solntsev began to work closely with the architect K.A. Tonom, working in Moscow and St. Petersburg. For the new Imperial Palace, which was being built in the Moscow Kremlin, Solntsev, as the main artist "in terms of painting", designed parquets, front doors of the order halls (Georgievsky, Aleksandrovsky and Ekaterininsky), tapestries, curtains and carpets. Artistic parquets of the ceremonial "order" halls of the palace, made according to the sketches of F.G. Solntsev (1843-1845), the beauty and complexity of the work have no analogues.

By the early 1840s. academician of painting F.G. Solntsev created about three thousand drawings representing the antiquities of the Russian state: these are views of various cities, monasteries, temples, ancient buildings, their interiors, sketches, measurements and plans of ancient architectural structures, clothes, vestments, church utensils, old books, household items, ethnographic sketches, etc. From the drawings of Moscow and Russian antiquities made for the publication of "Antiquities of the Russian State", undertaken on the initiative and at the personal expense of Emperor Nicholas I, by the commission (S.G. Stroganov, M.N. Zagoskin, I.M. Snegirev and A.F. Veltman) 509 drawings were selected, chromolithographed in France. According to their content, the drawings were divided into several sections in accordance with the content of the text volumes: 1 volume - church utensils and vestments, 2 volumes - royal vestments, 3 volumes - weapons, 4 volumes - tableware, 5 - Russian architecture ( 7). The publication was published in 1849-1853.

The artist is known for his restoration work (8). In 1842 he participated in the restoration of the ancient wall painting of the Novgorod Znamensky Cathedral; in 1843-1853 carried out work on the discovery and renewal of the ancient painting of the Kiev Sophia Cathedral and restored the frescoes of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra; in 1844 - supervised restoration work in the Dmitrovsky Vladimir Cathedral; in 1844 and 1859 - discovered ancient frescoes in the Assumption Vladimir Cathedral; in 1859 - frescoes of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl and the Vladimir Assumption Monastery (9).

With great interest and love, the artist worked on the creation of handwritten books. He created personal liturgical and reading books for members of the imperial family, on private orders and in literary and artistic circles.

Among the objects of decorative and applied art, created according to drawings and sketches by F.G. Solntsev, the famous "Kremlin" (1837-1838) and Konstantinovsky sets (1847-1848), drawings of furniture in the Old Russian style in memory of the deceased daughter of Nicholas I, Alexandra Nikolaevna, for the prayer room of the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoye Selo.

Fyodor Solntsev became the creator of eight drawings of caskets-arks, intended for keeping state letters, such as the certificate of confirmation of Ivan IV in the rank of tsar, records of the annexation of principalities and regions to Moscow, statutory and princely agreements, royal letters (1852-1853). The chests were made of bronze in 1857-1858. in St. Petersburg at the F. Chopin factory

From 1858 and almost until his death, through the Ministry of the Interior F.G. Solntsev carried out trusteeship work for scholars from state peasants - students at the Imperial Academy of Arts. Among his students, the Russian artist A.P. Ryabushkin and engraver I.P. Sorry.

Fyodor Grigorievich died on March 3, 1892. He was buried in St. Petersburg at the Volkov cemetery. On his gravestone is the inscription: “Professor of the Imperial Academy of Arts Fyodor Grigorievich Solntsev. An archaeologist who paved the way for the success of Russian church icon painting ”.

Fedor Solntsev and Church building in the 19th century

The beginning of the work of F.G. Solntsev commissioned by the Holy Synod to research the state of "wall painting in the Novgorod Znamensky Cathedral" (10) and the development of sketches for iconostases and murals for cathedrals under construction in St. Petersburg.

In 1839-1847. the artist took part in the construction according to the project of K.A. The tone of the large five-domed church in the name of St. Mitrofan of Voronezh at the Mitrofanievsky cemetery. He developed sketches for a five-tiered iconostasis and painting of vaults (11). New carved linden iconostases and wall paintings based on a sketch by F.G. Solntsev were created in 1850-1851. for the Church of the Nativity of Christ on Rozhdestvenskaya Street (12). In 1862-1863. F.G. Solntsev worked at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, creating sketches of murals for the walls and ceiling of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as sketches for the murals of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (13). P.S. Titov. In 1869, according to the sketch by F.G. Solntsev, the ceiling of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Voznesensky passage was painted (12). Over the creation and decoration of temples, together with F.G. Solntsev (as in the years of study at the Academy), A.V. Notbek, A.T. Markov, M.I. Scotty.

For the churches of St. Petersburg, the artist also made sketches of frames, crosses, painted icons. He painted icons for the Church of the Holy Martyr Myron, which was built on the Obvodny Canal in 1849-1855. For the Cathedral of St. Spyridon of Trimifuntsky (Admiralty) in 1863, the image of the Savior was created (15). The most interesting work was the creation of a sketch of the setting for the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" - one of the most revered icons of St. Petersburg, kept in the Church of Sorrows. The richest golden riza with precious stones, made according to the drawing of F.G. Solntsev in the studio of F.A. Verkhovtseva, decorated it in 1859) (16). In the 1870s. F.G. Solntsev, together with others, donated his icons to the Church of the Holy Trinity at the Holy Trinity Community of Sisters of Mercy. In 1885, according to a drawing by F.G. Solntsev made a beautiful altar cross from wood, which Princess E.M. Oldenburgskaya in the same year presented the Church of the Great Martyr Catherine at the Imperial School of Jurisprudence. In 1863 he created drawings for the construction of a new carved iconostasis for the chapel of St. Savva of the Consecrated Catherine Church of the Moscow Novospassky Monastery.

F.G. Solntsev worked on the creation of sketches of iconostases for cathedrals in ancient Russian cities, including for the cathedral in the name of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the city of Kirillov. Carved iconostases made according to his drawings were brought to Kirillov from St. Petersburg in 1859.

In the XIX century. the construction and improvement of new churches in Russia was in charge of the Ministry of State Property. It was to this Ministry that F.G. Solntsev with the aim of "producing icon painting for newly built rural churches." In the same year, in connection with the action of reuniting with the Orthodox Church under Emperor Nicholas I of one and a half million Uniates of Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine, he began to supervise the work on the manufacture of iconostases for the churches of the Western provinces, where the restoration and repair of destroyed churches, both Uniate and Catholic churches were rebuilt for Orthodox in order to strengthen the position of the Orthodox population. This service lasted for eight years, until 1866. During this time, under his supervision, more than 200 iconostases were made for the churches of the western provinces. Sketches by F.G. Solntsev did it himself, and N.A. Maikov, A.A. Vasiliev, P.S. Titov.

Often F.G. Solntsev carried out private orders for the creation of icons and sketches of church utensils, as evidenced by numerous entries in his diaries, for example, he created drawings “Mr. Colonel Ilovaisky "," Prince Volkonsky "," for Mr. Korablev "," Priest Polisadov "," Mr. Verkhovtsev "," the Community of Sisters of Mercy "," the Church of the Nativity of Christ on the Sands "," for the city of Shiryaev "," for Mrs. Vsevolozhskaya "," on Mount Athos "," Mrs. Zbomirskaya "," for the Pochaev Lavra "(17).

In 1885-1892. F.G. Solntsev made drawings of icons and church utensils for the church in the name of St. Alexander Svirsky of the Vaulov estates of Senator V.P. Mordvinova. Based on these drawings, his disciple: "icon painter Platon Ivanovich Brusnikov" and "Academician Vasily Vasilyevich Vasiliev" painted images of the holy ascetics of Orthodoxy. After the 1917 revolution and the closure and destruction of churches and monasteries, some of these icons ended up in private collections and museums. Several icons and drawings ended up in the Rostov Museum. Among others, three icons of St. Alexander Svirsky "in his life" have survived. On the back of one of them there is an entry: “This depiction of miracles of the Monk Alexander Svirskiy wrote for the church named after this saint of God in the estate of Vladimir Pavlovich Mordvinov in the village of Vaulove Romanov-Borisoglebsk district of the Yaroslavl province in the drawing of Professor Theodor Grigovyev, according to the drawing of Professor Theodor Grigovyev. January 1892, the iconic painter Platon Ivanovich Brusnikov "(18).

F.G. Solntsev and the development of canons of icon painting

In 1843 F.G. Solntsev created a drawing of the Antimension, approved by the Holy Synod. Engraved, on the recommendation of F.G. Solntseva, L.A. Seryakov (19), Antimins was replicated for several years. Further processing of Antimins was also entrusted to F.G. Solntsev, as evidenced by some reports to the Holy Synod. For example, on July 17, 1864, from the economic department of the Ober-Prosecutor, the “made new drawing of the Antimension with the changes indicated” was submitted to the Ober-Prosecutor (20). Lively participation in the review and revision of the works of F.G. Solntsev was received by the Metropolitan of Moscow Filaret (Drozdov). Reflecting on the Antimins drawing, he noted that it was compiled "in accordance with the definition of the Synod" and pointed out to the artist that "the faces of Joseph and Nicodemus express pious attention", but "the faces of the holy women are not so remarkable." The Metropolitan expressed his dissatisfaction with “the face of the holy Apostle John,” which “represented a childlike appearance, without expressing any spiritual character. No love for the Lord, no sorrow. " The most serious was the remark concerning the order of placing the figures: “According to the ancient custom, the faces of husbands and wives did not mix, but separated. Therefore, it was better to put John directly next to Joseph, and Mary Kleopova, who breaks them, further after the Mother of God ”(21).

One of the most serious questions of 19th century art was the canons of icon painting. Much attention was paid to them both by the Holy Synod and at the Stroganov School, which trained icon painters, scientists and artists. Great attention was paid to this problem by the Society of Lovers of Old Russian Art, created at the Moscow Public and Rumyantsev Museums. Its members studied the history of icon painting and made recommendations in connection with the prospects for its development in the second half of the 19th century (22). So V.I. Butovsky, as the director of the Stroganov School and a member of the Society of Lovers of Old Russian Art, prepared and published the Stroganov icon-painting original. At the end of the XIX century. Russian scientist N.V. Pokrovsky made a wonderful monument of Russian church art "The Siysk icon-painting original" (23) as the property of science and artists.

The artist did not leave theoretical works on the topic of the peculiarities of icon painting of the new era, and he did not specifically deal with theoretical problems. With his creativity, he tried to answer this question, showing, "how correctly, in reasonable proportions, combine the traditions of icon painting of Muscovite Russia with the innovations of modern times." Having chosen his own path, the artist, according to the historian and art critic B.V. Sapunova, with his work, proved that "direct perspective, chiaroscuro, subtle color transitions, and three-dimensional images on one icon can coexist with reminiscences of icon painting of past centuries - reverse perspective, flat depiction of elongated figures, conventional landscape and other components of ancient Russian icon painting" (24).

The logical result of the restoration and icon painting work of F.G. Solntsev, the result of the development of sketches of iconostases for the churches under construction and reconstructed in the Western provinces of Russia, for the churches of Moscow and St. Petersburg, the result of the study of the icon-painting originals at the disposal of the painters, was the creation of large obverse Saints. In the early 60s. XIX century. on the instructions of the Holy Synod, he began to create them.

"Facial Saints" by F.G. Solntseva

F.G. Solntsev in a conversation with Archimandrite Photius during a visit to the Yuryevsky Novgorod monastery in 1833 (25). The conversation that took place between Solntsev and Archimandrite Photius is extremely interesting, since it allows us to understand the artist who conceived the creation of the obverse calendar corresponding to the current state of various strata of society. Solntsev, as an iconographer, was looking for "a successful synthesis of elements of traditional icon painting with the innovations of secular painting of modern times" (26).

During a conversation with Archimandrite Photius, explaining the purpose of the Novgorod trip, Fyodor Solntsev noted that “he had come to look for antiquities in order to compile a complete pictorial course in archeology and ethnography for artists”. In response to the artist, the abbot of the monastery brought "an icon-painting original, which contained instructions on how the saints should be portrayed." “I looked at the original<...>and noticed, - writes Solntsev, - "... for an artist this is not enough. An artist must also be a tailor; he needs to know what kind of vestments, in what century they were worn; but here there are no descriptions of costumes and church vestments" "(27) ... Archimandrite Photius agreed with this comment of the artist.

In a review preceding the release of the new printed Saints, the playwright and poet Nestor Kukolnik (1809-1868) wrote that “the publication would be of great benefit to artists in their performance of church painting” (28).

The need for their early development became tangible in connection with the creation of a drawing class and the beginning of teaching icon painting in the seminary. In March 1845, he addressed a note to the Ober-Prosecutor N.A. Protasova. On its basis, the Office of the Orthodox Confession of the Most Holy Governing Synod drew up a letter with the following content:

“Academician Solntsev, teaching drawing at the St. Petersburg Seminary, introduced a note to the Spiritual and Educational Directorate, in which he explained that in order to prepare students for painting with paints, it is necessary to have authentic images of the faces of saints, their clothes and accessories, which were adhered to by ancient icon painters and which are not fully preserved until now in some Russian monasteries. With the intention to compile a complete collection of such originals, to draw them correctly and carefully, but also to paint in the ancient Greek taste, Solntsev asks for permission to do so, and together with evidence, according to which he could take from monasteries known to him, for consideration or personally, or by correspondence, old books and saints, with the return of these after the need has passed. When this work is completely finished, Solntsev asks to buy him at the local seminary for guidance and allow him to use the publication thereof to the public as a publisher.

The Spiritual and Educational Directorate of the Holy Synod, finding the publication of the complete collection of the faces of the saints of God, undertaken by Academician Solntsev, very useful in relation to the drawing class opened in the local seminary, making drawings, preliminary release to the public, presented them for consideration by the Spiritual Censorship in accordance with the established procedure. As for the alleged borrowing of old books and saints from monasteries, then, due to the attention to the special importance of these items as monuments of antiquity, it is necessary to charge Solntsev, so that, if required, he would always refer to the Spiritual Educational Directorate, which is on vacation. they must be asked permission from the Holy Synod ”(29).

On the submitted petition on April 3, 1845, the Synod adopted a positive decision. “The Holy Synod,” said the Decree, “finding the publication of the complete collection of the faces of the saints of God, undertaken by Academician Solntsev, is very useful in relation to the drawing class opened in the local seminary, in accordance with the opinion of the Spiritual and Educational Directorate determines: to allow Academician Solntsev to publish a collection of the faces of saints pleasers "(30).

When preparing the obverse Saints, the artist used nine icon-painting originals of the 14th-15th centuries (31) and performed the work of a historian and iconographer. He also used a lot of pictorial images - icons, drawings, his own drawings. Members of the Society of Old Russian Art, characterizing the work carried out by Solntsev and pointing out its significance, noted: “The Facial Saints are an urgent need for churches, icon painters, and the public. Ancient facial originals are in many ways unsatisfactory, moreover, they are bibliographic rarities. No matter how Mr. Solntsev fulfills his task, his Holy Calendar will in any case be of undoubted benefit. ... Based on the finished originals of the Svyatsev works by F.G. Solntsev, you can see that the famous academician-icon painter devoted his whole life to the study of everything related to this subject. In order to preserve in the images the ancient character of the Suns in the very types of persons depicted, their setting, vestments and clothing, he had to carry out a lot of research and was guided by many ancient monuments, such as the surviving Kiev wall icon painting and mosaics, Greek saints of the 11th century,<...>Saints of Novgorod, Belozersk, Tikhvin, Suzdal, Stroganov and published on paper in 1714 during the reign of Peter I, as well as ancient icons preserved in our churches, ancient manuscripts and utensils and biographies of the holy fathers ”(32).

The Saints were published in 1866. They consisted of 12 sheets, 48 ​​weeks in each, and in each week there were 100 figures of saints. The Solntsevskaya Svyattsy, according to V. Vladimirsky, "represented a whole reference lexicon, an archaeological museum" (33). Fyodor Grigorievich himself, recalling his work on them, called them "perhaps his largest work for the Holy Synod" (34). In the XIX - early XX centuries. Svyattsy F.G. Solntsev were repeatedly reprinted in color and black-and-white versions with a different set of images of saints.

Analyzing the icon-painting style of F.G. Solntsev and noting the organic nature of the combination of the tradition of the Old Russian icon with the innovations of academic painting, B.V. Sapunov showed how the artist managed to achieve this. He wrote: “By the nature of the writing, the miniatures repeat the scheme of compositions of the“ selected saints ”on the Menaion icons of Moscow Russia. The same frozen figures, elongated proportions, the same "breeches" - "hills" of ancient Russian icons. The same traditional reverse perspective. But the faces of the saints are made in accordance with the norms of modern academic painting ”(35).

Illustrating the works of Archbishop Filaret (Gumilevsky) became a kind of continuation of the work on the monthly series of icons. For the publication of his works "Lives of Saints Revered by the Orthodox Church", "Saints of the South Slavs" and "Lives of the Holy Ascetics of the Eastern Church", he made more than 400 drawings (36).

The icon-painting heritage of F.G. Solntsev could be huge. But, unfortunately, only a small part of his works have survived, especially with regard to sketches of icons and church paintings and the icons themselves. Many of the temples, in the creation of the image of which the artist took part, were destroyed. His drawings were lost or went to private collections.

The sources at our disposal allow us to say that one of the important problems for F.G. Solntsev was working on the development of the icon-painting canon of the Russian Orthodox Church for the period of the new historical era.

1. Russian writers about literary work. - L., 1954 .-- T. 1. - S. 564.

2. Antiquities of the Russian state. Rice. F.G. Solntseva. - M., 1849-1853. - Issue. I-VI.

3. Large gold medal presented by the Imperial Archaeological Society to Professor F.G. Solntsev May 20, 1876 // Russian antiquity. - 1876 .-- T. XVI. - S. 305.

4. Petrov P.N. Collection of materials on the history of the Imperial St. Petersburg Academy of Arts for 100 years of its existence. - SPb., 1865. - Part II: 1811-1843. - S. 187, 214; 1866 .-- Part III: 1852-1864.

5. Olenin A.N. Ryazan Russian Antiquities or News of the Old and Rich Grand Ducal or Tsarist Decorations Found in 1822 near the village of Staraya Ryazan. SPb., 1831.

6. Solntsev F.G. Solntsev F.G. My life and artistic and archaeological works // Russian antiquity. - 1876 .-- T. XV I. - S. 275-277.

7. See: Antiquities of the Russian State. Rice. F.G. Solntseva. Descriptions A.F. Veltman and I.M. Snegireva. - M., 1849-1853. - Issue. I-VI.

8. The restoration works of F.G. Solntsev were evaluated differently by both his contemporaries and modern experts. See: G.I. Vzdornov. The history of the discovery and study of Russian medieval painting. XIX century. - M., 1986; A.A. Farmozov Russian society and protection of cultural monuments. - M., 1990; Lisovskiy V.G. Academy of Arts. SPb., 1997; Timofeeva T.P., Novakovskaya-Bukhman S.M. Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. M., 2003; Trifonova A. Ancient Novgorod Fyodor Solntsev // Homeland. - 2007. - No. 6. - S. 117-118.

9. See: P.G. Lebedintsev. Renewal of the Kiev-Sophia Cathedral in 1843-1853 Kiev, 1879; P.G. Lebedintsev Renewal of wall painting in the great church of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra in 1840-1843. // Kiev Diocesan Gazette. - 1878. - No. 11. - Dept. II. - S. 335-345; Architectural Monuments in Pre-Revolutionary Russia: Essays on the History of Restoration. / Under. ed. A.S. Shchenkova. - M., 2002.

10. Sobko N.P. F.G. Solntsev and his artistic and archaeological activity ... p. 481.

11. See: Historical Cemeteries of St. Petersburg. Reference guide. SPb., 1993. S. 100; Antonov V.V., Kobak A.V. Shrines of St. Petersburg. Historical and church encyclopedia in three volumes. SPb., 1996.T. 3.S. 177.

12. Antonov V.V., Kobak A.V. Shrines of St. Petersburg ... 1994.Vol. 1.P. 220-221.

13. Antonov V.V., Kobak A.V. Decree. op. S. 36, 45.

14. Ibid. P. 167.

15. Ibid. P. 130.

16. Antonov V.V., Kobak A.V. Decree. op. P. 151.

17. Sobko N.P. About artists and figures of the Academy of Arts, extracts from reports. Solntsev Fedor Grigorievich, painter // OR RNB. F. 708 (N.P. Sobko). No. 875. LL. 92 - 141.

18. Vaulovsky Assumption Women's Skete / Comp. T.I. Ornatskaya. - M., 2003.

19. L.A. Seryakov recalled: “Upon arrival from abroad soybeans, the first work in St. Petersburg was for the Holy Synod on the recommendation of Academician F.G. Solntseva: I was ordered to make an engraving of Antimins from a drawing by Fyodor Grigorievich, for which I received 900 rubles. Then I was overwhelmed with work ... ". See: L.A. Seryakov My work life. The story of the engraver, academician L.A. Seryakov. 1824-1875 // Russian antiquity, 1875.Vol. XIV. No. 11.P. 514.

20. RGIA. F. 832. Op. 1.D. 87.1864 L. 39-39 rev.

21. RGIA. F. 832. Op. 1.D. 87.1864 L. 40-40 rev.

22. For more details see: G.V. Aksenova. IN AND. Butovsky - the first director of the Stroganov School // Problems of New and Contemporary History of Russia. Sat. Art. M., 1999.S. 138-151.

23. Pokrovsky N.V. Siya icon-painting original. SPb., 1895-1898.

24. Sapunov B.V. F.G. Solntsev is a symbolic figure of the art of the Synodal period // Museum Notes. Articles and reports of the Museum Department of the Institute of Biology of Internal Troops of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Rybinsk-Mikhailov Posad, 2007. Issue. I. S. 69-70.

25. See: F.G. Solntsev. My life ... T. XV. P. 152.

26. Sapunov B.V. Orthodoxy and Russian mentality. SPb., 2001 (manuscript). P. 3.

27. Solntsev F.G. My life ... T. XV. P. 152.

28. Art newspaper. SPb., 1837. No. 16.P. 256.

29. On permission to Solntsev to publish a collection of faces of saints // RGIA. F. 796. Op. 126. No. 403. LL. 1-2.

30. On permission to Solntsev to publish a collection of images of saints ... L. 3-3 rev.

31. Solntsev F.G. My life ... T. XVI. P. 300.

32. Facial Saints based on drawings by Academician Solntsev // Collection for 1866, published by the Society of Old Russian Art at the Moscow Public Museum. M., 1866.S. ​​156-157.

33. Vladimirsky V. (priest Vasily). Notes on the Saints of the city of Solntsev // Psychological reading, 1866. No. 7. Book. 2. Dept. II. S.104-107.

34. Solntsev F.G. My life ... T. XVI. P. 300.

35. Sapunov B.V. F.G. Solntsev is a symbolic figure in the art of the Synodal period ... p. 71.

36. Filaret (Gumilevsky). Lives of Saints Revered by the Orthodox Church. SPb., 1892; SPb., 1900.12 vols .; Filaret (Gumilevsky). Saints of the South Slavs. SPb., 1893; Filaret (Gumilevsky). Lives of the holy ascetics of the eastern church. SPb., 1885; SPb., 1898.

Galina Aksenova

Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor

Born in the village of Verkhne-Nikulskoye near Rybinsk (now Vereteyskoye rural settlement of the Nekouzsky district of the Yaroslavl region), in a family of serfs, on the estate of Count I.A.Musin-Pushkin.

Father - Grigory Kondratyevich Solntsev, mother - Elizaveta Frolovna. In total, they had 4 sons and 1 daughter.

Fyodor's younger brother, Yegor (1818-1865), also became a famous artist.

The count discovered Fyodor's talent and freed the Solntsev family from serfdom, which allowed Grigory Kondratyevich to send his son to the Academy of Arts in 1815.

At the end of the academic course, in 1824, for the painting "Peasant family", he received a small gold medal, and in 1827, for the painting "Render Caesar's things to Caesar, and God's Gods" - a large gold medal.

In 1830, at the highest command and commission of Olenin, he went to Moscow and other places “to copy our ancient customs, clothes, weapons, church and royal utensils, belongings, horse harness, and so on. objects ".

For all the time he drew more than 3000 high-precision drawings, sketches, distinguished by great detail.

They depicted historical household items, icons, structures, clothing, weapons, armor, etc.

About 700 of these sketches made up the main part of the publication "Antiquities of the Russian State", conceived by Olenin and carried out after his death by Emperor Nicholas I in a print run of 600 copies.

In 1836, for the painting “The meeting led. book Svyatoslav with John Tzimiskes ”Fyodor Grigorievich was made an academician.

In addition, Solntsev took part in the painting and restoration of many Temples.

In 1876, in honor of the 50th anniversary of his activity, he was elevated to the rank of professor.

He died in 1892 and was buried at the Volkovskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg.

The museum of the artist-archaeologist F.G.Solntsev is located in Borka (Yaroslavl region).

Works:
"Ryazan antiquities"
"Monuments of Moscow Antiquity"
"Antiquities of the Russian State" (from 1846 to 1853). Issue "Kiev Sophia Cathedral" (1871)
"Clothes of the Russian State"
"Kerch and Phanagorian antiquities"
"Motives of ornaments taken from old Russian works"
"Review of Kiev" by the Kiev civil governor I. I. Fundukley (1847)
"Review of the graves, ramparts and settlements of the Kiev province" (1848)

A number of handwritten books for the royal family: Prayer Book for Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I; Prayer book for Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II; Prayer books to guardian angels for the Grand Duchesses Maria Nikolaevna, Olga Nikolaevna and Maria Alexandrovna; Lives of the Chosen Saints; "Holidays in the House of the Russian Orthodox Tsar"; Life of Sergius of Radonezh; Service to St. Mary Magdalene; “Russian saints who stand before God for the Tsar and Holy Russia”; “Significant days in the House of Emperor Alexander III”.
"The Gospel of John" commissioned by Princess Leonilla Nikolaevna Menshikova (1854)
Solnevskaya "Saints"
illustrations for the works of Metropolitan Filaret
Memoirs "My life and artistic and archaeological works"

SUNS Fedor Grigorievich (April 14, 1801, the village of Verkhne-Nikulsky, Mologsky district, Yaroslavl province - 1892, Petersburg) - artist, archaeologist, restorer.

From the family of a serf peasant, Count I.A. Musin-Pushkin. Soon after the birth of Fedor, his father, having received a job as a cashier at the Imperial Theaters, left for St. Petersburg. Fedor remained in the village with his mother, who in the sixth year began to teach him to read and write. But the efforts of the mother, and then of the estate manager of the Counts Musin-Pushkin, were unsuccessful - the boy painted his notebooks instead of lessons. The father, who noticed his son's penchant for drawing, took him to St. Petersburg.

In 1815 Solntsev entered the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, where he discovered extraordinary success. Studied with S. Shchukin and A. Egorov. He specialized in “archaeological and ethnographic”. In 1824, at the end of the course, he received a small gold medal for the painting "Peasant Family". As a promising student, he was left at the Academy, and in 1827 he received a large gold medal for the painting "Render Caesar to Caesar, and God's Gods".

While still a student, Solntsev discovered an amazing gift of copying, to which the president of the Academy A.N. Olenin drew attention. The first task for Solntsev were copies of Ryazan Antiquities, found in 1822, which he made with such skill that, according to legend, the professor of perspective M. P. Vorobyov took the painted badge for the real one and tried to take it in his hands. In the 1830s, Solntsev traveled a lot in old Russian cities, making sketches of utensils and weapons, objects of church worship, archaeological finds, buildings, icons, frescoes. Preserved about 5 thousand watercolor drawings depicting the antiquities of Kiev, Chernigov, Novgorod, Smolensk, Polotsk, Ryazan, Vladimir, Suzdal, Moscow, many monasteries. An album of drawings "Types and costumes of the peoples of Russia" was made from nature.

Nicholas I took Solntsev under his personal protection. "By the highest command" Solntsev created landscapes on which the tsar painted battle scenes, carried out major restoration work, and published art publications. Solntsev's artistic activity was thus. included in the context of the official ideologeme "Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Narodnost". In 1834 Solntsev took part in the restoration of the frescoes of the Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir (XII century). In 1835 he composed projects for the restoration of the tsar's palaces in the Kremlin, according to which they were renewed, for this work he was awarded the Vladimir Cross. In 1836 he received the title of academician for the painting "The Meeting of the Grand Duke Svyatoslav with John Tzimiskes". In 1838 Solntsev created drawings for the parquet floor of the Georgievsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace (architect K.A.Ton). In 1843-1851 he supervised the restoration of frescoes in the Kiev Sophia Cathedral (XI century).

The principles of scientific restoration were still in their infancy, and the "renewal" was carried out in the spirit of the then prevailing tastes. The losses were completed, all the frescoes were crudely painted in oil paint, many images were painted anew. Artisans-icon painters were involved in the work, cleaning off ancient paintings with a knife and an ax. The imperfection of such a restoration was already recognized by contemporaries. Solntsev's watercolors became the basis for 700 lithographic drawings of the major 6-volume edition of Antiquities of the Russian State (1846−1853). In his atlas, miraculous icons, miniatures of manuscripts, parsuns, and frescoes were reproduced. In 1853, according to Solntsev's drawings, church utensils and vestments of priests were made for St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg (architect O. Montferrand), whose frescoes were painted by Fyodor's younger brother, Yegor, a graduate of the Academy of Arts.

In the 1850s, Solntsev was in charge of the work on the manufacture of iconostases for the churches of the western provinces, participated in the temporary commission for the analysis of the ancient acts of the South-West of Russia. In 1859 he became a member of the Imperial Archaeological Commission. In 1863 Solntsev was awarded the title of "honorary free fellowship" of the Academy of Arts. In 1876 he received the title of professor and a gold medal was struck in honor of the 50th anniversary of his activity.

For 30 years, Solntsev was the trustee of the department of gifted children of serfs at the Academy of Arts. He created a picturesque encyclopedia of Russian medieval and folk life in its material monuments. Solntsev contributed to the development of icon painting and applied church art, composing samples "in the old Russian style" for artists, furniture makers, goldsmiths, etc. He was awarded the orders of St. Anna, III degree (1835) and St. Stanislav I degree (1888). Along with K. A. Ton, he is considered the pioneer of the "Russian style" in Russian art.

Solntsev's works are kept in many museums, including the RIAHMZ, and the album "Types and Costumes of the Peoples of Russia" is in the Slavic-Baltic section of the New York Public Library.