Religious paintings and their description. Religious painting

10 Main Works of Church Fine Art: Mural, Icons and Mosaic

Prepared Irina Langov

1. Roman catacombs

Early Christian art

Meal. Fresco from Catacomb Peter and Maccellin. IV century Diomedia.

Prior to the beginning of the IV century, Christianity in the Roman Empire was Gonimimo, and Christians often used catacombs for their meetings - the Underground Cemeteries of the Romans, - in which in the second century they burned their dead. Here on the relics of martyrs they committed the main Christian sacrament - the Eucharist Eucharist (Greek. "Thanksgiving") - a Tain-property in which the true body and the truth of the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ are taught under the guise of bread and wine.What is evidenced by images on the walls of catacombs. The first communities, consisting of Jews, were far from the visual arts, but as the apostolic sermon was distributed to the church, all the pains of pagans were joined, for which the images were familiar and understood. In Kata-Combach, we can trace how Christian art originated.

In total, Rome has over 60 catacombs, their length is about 170 ki-Lometers. But today only a few Catacombs Priscillas, Callista, Domitil-Lians, Peter and Makerlin, Commodillas, Kata-Komba on Via Latina and others.. These underground mustache finanters are galleries or corridors, in the walls of which are the sobl-niches in the form of niches closed by plates. Sometimes the corridors are expanded-smiling, forming rooms - Cubiculas with niches for sarcophagus. On the walls and their dahs of these halls, paintings and inscriptions are preserved on the plates. Range of image - from primitive graffiti to complex plot and decorative com situations similar to Pompian frescoes.

Early Christian art permeated deep symbolism. The most common symbols are fish, anchor, ship, grape vine, lamb, basket with bread, phenix bird and others. For example, the fish was perceived as a symbol of baptism and the Eucharist. One of the early images of the fish and the Cor-Zina with breads we find in the catacombs of Callista, it dates back to the second century. The fish also symbolized the Christ himself, since the Greek word "Igtyus" (fish) was read by the first Christians as an acronym, in which letters unfold in the phrase "Jesus Christ of God's Son Savior" (ἰησοὺς χριΣὸς θες υὸςὸς ΣΩήή).

Fish and basket with breads. Fresco from Caliacist Calicist. II centuryWikimedia Commons

Good shepherd. Fresco from Catacomom Domilly. Iii centuryWikimedia Commons

Jesus Christ. Fresco from Catacomom Commodilla. End of IV centuryWikimedia Commons

Orpheus. Fresco from Catacomom Domilly. Iii centuryWikimedia Commons

It is important to note that the image of Christ up to the IV century is hidden under different SIM-LAM and allegories. For example, it often meets the image of a kind shepherd - a shepherd-shepherd boy with a lamb on the shoulders, sending to the words of the Savior: "I am a kind shepherd ..." (John 10:14). Another most important symbol of Christ was the Lamb, often portrayed in a circle, with a nimber around his head. And only in the 4th century, images appear in which we learn a more familiar image of Nar-Stow as the Godhead (for example, in Catacombs Commodillas).

Christians often rethought and pagan images. For example, at the station in Ka-Tombach, Domilly depicts Orpheus, sitting on a stone with a lyra in Ru kakh; Around him - birds and animals listening to his singing. The whole composition is inscribed in the octagon, on the edges of which the biblical scenes are located: Daniel in the Rava Lionin; Moses, raising water from the rock; Resurrection of Laza-rod. All these plots are the prototype of the image of Christ and his recreation-seed. So the Orpheus in this context also correlates with Christ, headed to hell to bring sinners sinners.

But more often in the painting of the catacomb used the Old Testament Plots: Noah with the Ark; Sacrifice of Abraham; Jacob's solester; Ion, absorbed by whale; Daniel, Moses, three years in oven fiery and others. From Novosvet-nose - worship of the Magi, the conversation of Christ with Samarita, the resurrection of Lazarus. A lot on the walls of catacombs of images, which can be interpreted both by both the Eucharist, and as memorial meals. Often there are images of praying people - Oranta and Orantov. Some female images are socially worn with the Virgin. It must be said that the image of the Virgin appears in Kata-Combas earlier than the image of Christ in human appearance. The most ancient image of Our Lady in Catakombach Priscilla dates back to the second century: Mary here is represented by a baby sitting in her arms, and a young man stands next to the star (express different versions: Prophet Isaiah, Valaam, husband Mary Joseph wrap).

With the invasion of barbarians and the fall of Rome begins to plunder the burden, in the catacombs ceases to bury. By order of Pope Paul I (700-767) buried in the catacombs of dads transfer to the city and the temples are built over their relics, and the catacombs are closed. So by the VIII century, the history of catacombs is completed.

2. Icon "Christ Pant Crator"

Monastery of St. Catherine on Sinai, Egypt, VI Century

Monastery of St. Catherine on Sinai /Wikimedia Commons

"Christ Pantokrator" (Greek. "Almighty") - the most famous icon of the Dobi-Network Period Iconobracy - Heretical movement, expressed in denial of reverence of icons and persecutions for them. In the period from VIII to the 9th century, official recognition in the Eastern Church received several times.. She is written on the blackboard in the technique of Enkautics Encaustic - The technique of painting, in which the binding of paints is wax, and not butter, like, for example, in oil painting.which has long been used in antique art; All early icons are written in this technique. 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; Pastomous strokes Pastozny smear - Thick smear of in-making paint. Clearly shape, showing the volume and three dimensions of the space. There is still no striving for planes and conventions, as it will be later in canonical icon-pisi. In front of the artist stood the task to show the reality of the award, and he stranded to convey the maximum feeling of the human flesh of Christ. At the same time, he does not miss the spiritual side, which is in the face, especially in the look, strength and power, instantly affecting 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 beard, surrounded by a nimba with a cross in him, calm and pacified. Christ is closed in a navy blue tunic with a golden claw Clasp - Decoration, creeped in the form of a vertical strip from the shoulder to the lower edge of the clothing. and purple cloak - the robes of emperors. Figu-RA is depicted on the belt, but Niche, which we see behind the Savior's back, allows you to assume that he sends on the throne, followed by the goal of the sky. Desnaius ( right hand) Christ blesses, in his left hand holds the gospel in precious, decorated with gold and sailions.

The image is a majestic, even triumphal, and at the same time extraordinarily at-instrument. It feels harmony, but it is largely built on dis-co-nans. The viewer can not not notice an explicit asymmetry in the face of Christ, especially benxically, as the eyes are written. Researchers explain this effect in different ways. Some build it to the traditions of ancient art when bo-gov was depicted a punishing eye, another glad. For a more convicted version, a controversy with monophysites reflected here, who argued with one nature in Christ - the Divine, which absorbs his human attitude. And as an answer, the artist depicts Christ, emphasizing in it one-time and divinity, and humanity.

Apparently, this icon was written in Constantinople and fell into the Si-Nia Monastery as the contribution of Emperor Justinian, who was Kti, that is, the donor, the monastery. The highest quality of performance and theological depth of the development of the image speak in favor of its metropolitan origin.

3. Mosaic "Our Lady on the throne"

Saint Sophia Cathedral - Wisdom of God, Constantinople, IX century

Saint Sophia Cathedral, Istanbul / Diomedia.

After a long, more than one hundred years of the iconocrocal crisis in 867, on the imperial decree, began to decorate the mosaics Cathedral of the Holy Co-Fii in Constantinople. One of the first mosaic compositions was the image of the Mother of God on the throne in Konhe Konha - half-chain overlap over half-cylindric parts of buildings, for example apsides.. It is possible that this image recovered the image that was destroyed by icon-fighters. The Russian pilgrim from Novgorod Anthony, who visited Konstanti-Nopol about 1200, left in his notes mention that the mosaic of Alta-Rich Saint Sophia was performed by Lazar. Indeed, in Konstantinople, Izographer Vazar who was affected by the iconoborets, and after the Cathedral of 843, restored the iconation, he received popular recognition. However, in 855, he was sent to Rome as an ambassador of Emperor Mikhail III to Pope Benedict III and died about 865, so he could not be the author of the Kon-hundred-Ntyteopol mosaic. But the glory of him as a victim from the iconoborets tied this image with his name.

This image of Our Lady is one of the most beautiful in the Byzantine monuumen-tali painting. On a golden shining background, on the throne, decorated with drago-valuable stones, the High Pillows agreed by the Virgin. She holds in front of Christ's baby, squeezing her knees, like on the throne. And on the sides, on the arch, there are two archangels in the vestments of the comrades, with spears and the grazles, guarding the throne. On the edge of the konhi - the inscription, almost lost: "Images that deceivers here are lowered, the beneficial rulers restored."

Lick of Our Lady of Nobility and beautiful, there are no more asceticism and buildings, which will be characteristic for later Byzantine images, there are still many ancient antique: rounded sowing faces, beautifully outlined lips, straight nose. The view of the big eye under the bent arcs of the eyebrows is given to the side, the chastity of the virgin is visible, for which the eyes of thousands of people entering the temple are directed. In the figure, the Mother of God feels the royal knowledge and at the same time a truly female grace. Her robe of deep blue, decorated with three golden stars, falls as soft folds, underlined the monumentality of the shape. Thin hands of Our Lady with long fingers Stick the baby of Christ, defending it and at the same time being the world. The baby's face is very alive, childish chubby, although the proportions of the body are more eligible, but the golden royal robe, a straight posture and a blessing gesture are designed to show: in front of us the True Tsar, and he squeezes him with the Kesensky Destinations.

The iconographic type of Our Lady on the throne with the infant Christ has gained obso-bible popularity in the 9th century, a post-co-era, as a symbol of Orthodoxy. And often he was placed in the apse of the temple, a seemingly visible phenomenon of the heavenly kingdom and the mystery of the award. We will meet it in the Church of St. Sophia in Thessaloniki, in Santa Maria-In-House-Nick in Rome and in other places. But Constantinople masters developed a special type of image, in which the body beauty and beauty of the spiritual coincided, the thinning perfection and theological depth is harmoniously sucking. In any case, artists sought to this ideal. Such and the image of a wise mother from St. Sophia, who posted the beginning of the so-called Macedonian Renaissance - such a name received art from the middle of IX to the beginning of the XI century.

4. Fresco "Resurrection"

Choir Monastery, Constantinople, XIV Century

Monastery Chora, Istanbul / Diomedia.

The last two centuries of Byzantine art are referred to as Paleologovsky Ranes-Sansse. The name is given by the ruling dynasty of Paleologists, the latter in the witty-Rii of Byzantium. The empire kneaded to the sunset, tested by the Turks, she lost the territory, strength, power. But her art was on takeoff. And this one of the examples is the image of the resurrection from the Khora monastery.

The Konstantinople Khora Monastery dedicated to Christ the Savior, according to Denmark, was founded in the VI century Reverend Savoy consecrated. At the beginning of the XI century, with the Byzantine Emperor Alexei Komnin, his mothermark Maria Duka ordered to build a new temple and turned it into the royal sleeping. In the XIV century, between 1316 and 1321, the temple was again rebuilt and stamped by the efforts of Theodore Metohita - the Great Logo Logo - Supreme official (auditor, Kanz Ler) of the Tsarist or Patriarchal Office in Byzantium. at the court Andro-Nika II Andronician II Paleologist (1259-1332) - Emperor of the Byzantine Empire in 1282-1328 goes.. (On one of the mosaics of the temple, he is depicted at the legs of Christ with the temple in his hands.)

Mosaics and frescoes Choir are created by the best Constantinople masters and are masterpieces of the Latestress art. But the image of re-peckers stands out especially, because in its magnificent artistic form, the eschatological ideas of the era are expressed. The composition is located on the eastern Wall of Paraklesia (South Appeaded), where the tomb stood, as apparently, the choice of the topic is explained. The interpretation of the plot is associated with the ideas of Grigory Palama - Apologue of Isychasm and the teachings about divine energies Isicham in the Byzantine monastic trad-di called special form Prayers, in which the mind is silent, is in a state of isoi, silence. The main purpose of this prayer is the achievement of internal illumination by the special Favorsk light, thereby seen the apostles in the time of the transformation of the Lord..

The image of the resurrection is located on the curved surface of the apse, which will strengthen its spatial dynamics. In the center we see Christ Risen in White Shining Clothes on the Background of Dazzling White Blue Mandorla Mandorla (Ital. Mandorla - "Almondlin") - in the Christian iconography, almond-shaped or round radiance around the figure of Christ or the Mother of God, symbolizing their heavenly fame.. His figure is like a bunch of energy that spreads the waves of light in all directions, accelerating the darkness. The Savior is a wide, energetic step passes the abyss of hell, one can say - it flies it, because one of his leg rests on the broken sash of the hellish gates, and the other hangs over the abyss. Holy's face is solemn and focused. He is fascinated by Adam and Eve, lifting them over coffins, and they, as it were, hook in the Neva-co-bridge. On the right and to the left of Christ, the righteous stands, whom he withdraws from the kingdom of death: John the Baptist, Tsari David and Solomon, Abel and others. And in the black abyss of hell, deployed under the legs of the Savior, visible chains, hooks, locks, ticks and other symbols of hellish torments, and there - the associated figure: this is the defeated Satan, devoid of his strength and power. Above the Savior White Letters on the Dark Background "Anastasis" (Greek. "Resurrection").

The Iconography of the Resurrection of Christ in such an exhaust, which also received the name of the "Descent to Hell", arises in the Byzantine art in the post-but-boric era, when the theological and liturgical interpretation of the image began to prevail over historical. In the Gospel, we will not find the descriptions of the resurrection of Christ, it remains a mystery, but, reflecting on the mystery of the re-peckers, theologians, and after them and the icon paints, created an image that is in trouble of Christ over Hell and death. And this image calls not to the past, as a memory of the event that happened at a certain point of history, it is facing the future, as the exercise of the aspiration of universal rebar, which began with the resurrection of Christ and entails the resurrection of all mankind . This is a space event - it is no coincidence on the arch of Parakulia, over the composition of the resurrection, we see the image of a terrible court and angels, coating the scroll of the sky.

5. Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

First third of the XII century

The image was written in Constantinople and brought in the 1930s of the XII century as a gift of the Konstantinople Patriarch Kiev Prince Yuri long-tug. Icon set in Vyshgorod Now district Center in the Kiev region; Located on the right bank of the Dnieper, 8 km from Kiev.where she became famous for wonders. In 1155, the son of Yuri Andrei Bogolyubsky took her to Vladimir, here the icon was located more than two centuries. In 1395, at the destruction of the Grand Duke Vasi-Lia Dmitrievich, it was brought to Moscow, to the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, where she stayed until 1918, when she was taken to restoration. Now she is located in the State Tretyakov Gallery. With this icon, there are links about numerous wonders, including the deliverance of Moscow from Our Tamerlane in 1395. In front of her chose Metropolitans and patriarchs, monarchs were crowned for the kingdom. Vladimirskaya Virgin Release as Talis-Mans of Russian Earth.

Unfortunately, the icon is not very good conservation; According to the restoration works of 1918, it was repeatedly rewritten: in the first half of the XIII century after Batueva ruin; at the beginning of the XV century; In 1514, in 1566, in 1896. From the initial painting only the faces of Our Lady and Infant Christ Christ are preserved, part of the Chepts and Kaima Cape - Maforia Mafori. - Women's robe in the form of a fee closing almost the entire figure of Our Lady. With a golden assist Assist - In the iconopisses of the touches of gold or silver on the folds of clothes, the wings of ang-fish, on the subjects, symbolizing the definition of divine light., part of the fucking with the golden assist of Hiton Jesus and the shirt-visible from under him, brush left and part of the right hand of the baby, the remains of the gold background with fragments of the inscription: "MR. .. "

Nevertheless, the image has retained its charm and high spiritual heat. It is precast on the combination of tenderness and strength: the Mother of God presses his son, wanting to protect against the future suffering, and he gently presses her cheek and hugs his hand. Jesus's eyes with love are fixed to the mother, and her eyes look at the viewer. And in this piercing look, a whole range of feelings - from pain and compassion to hope and forgiveness. This iconogray, developed in Byzantium, received the name "Uming" in Russia, which is not a completely accurate translation greek words "Elyus" - "mercy-Waa", so called many images of Our Lady. In Byzantium, this iconography was called "GlycoFilus" - "Sweet Lobzia".

Coloring icons (we are talking about the faces) built on a combination of transparent ocher and color linings with tonal transitions, lesters (plave) and thin ledge smears of light, which creates the effect of a gentle, almost breathable root. The eyes of the Virgin Mary, they are written by the light-co-rich-no-howl paint, with a red smear in tears. Beautifully outlined lips written three shades. The face framed blue with dark blue warehouses Chespec, outlined by almost black contour. The baby's face is written soft-ko, transparent ocher and girlfriend create a warm soft infant-skin-skinned effect. Live, direct expression of the face of Jesus also creates, at the expense of energetic paint smears, pushing the form. All this testifies to the high mastery of the artist created this image.

The Dark Cherry Madhores of Our Lady and Golden Hiton of the Bogomladsena are written much later than the faces, but in general they harmoniously fit into the image, creating a beautiful contrast, and the general silhouette of figures connected by the arms into a single integer, is a kind of pedestal for beautiful faces.

Vladimir icon double-sided, remote (that is, to commit different processions, cross moves), On the back is written the throne with the tools of the country (the beginning of the XV century). On the throne, covered with a red, decorated with a golden ornament with golden kimes cloth, lie nails, a thorns and book-hectare in a golden binding, and on it - a white dove with a golden nymb. The cross, spear and cane towers over the pre-Stub. If you read the image of the Bogoma-Te-Ri in unity with the turnover, the tender hugs of Our Lady and the Son become a prototype of the future suffering of the Savior; Pressing the baby's breasts of Nar Stow, the Virgin mourns his death. That is what B. Ancient Russia And Pony-Ma-Lee The image of the Mother of God, which gives rise to Christ for the redemptive sacrifice in the name of the salvation of mankind.

6. Icon "Savior Independent"

Novgorod, XII century

State Tretyakov Gallery / Wikimedia Commons

Double-sided external icon of the Savior's non-manual image with the scene "Worship of the Cross" on the turnover, a monument of the Domongolsky time, the Sideways are about deep assimilation by Russian icon painters of the Arts and theological heritage of Byzantium.

On the board close to the square (77 × 71 cm), the Savior's face is depicted, surrounded by a cross with a cross. Large, wide open eyes Christ look a little left, but at the same time the viewer feels that he is in the field of view of the save-body. High eyebrow arches are curved and emphasize the sharpness of the view. Split-en-nai beard and long hair With a gold associate, the lik of the Savior Savior is framed, but not harsh. The image is concise, discreet, very capacious. There is no action here, there are no additional details, only a face, nimb with crest and letters - IC CC (abbreviated "Jesus Christ").

The image is created by the solid hand of the artist who owns a classic pattern. Almost the perfect symmetry of the face emphasizes its significance. Restrained, but exquisite color is built on the subtle transitions of the ocher - from golden yellow to brown and olive, although the nuances of color are visible today not in full due to the loss of the upper colorful layers. Because of the loss, the traces from the image of precious stones in the crosshair of the Nimba and the letters in the upper corners of the icons.

The name "Independent Savior" is associated with a legend of the first icon of Christ, created by unsteady, that is, not hand of the artist. Tradition It says: In the city of Edessa, the king of Avgar lived, he was sick leprosy. He having heard about Jesus Christ, healing the sick and the resurrect of the dead, he sent a rider for him. Without the opportunity to leave his mission, Christ nevertheless, re-sewed to help Auggrus: He washed her face, wiped him with a towel, and immediately on the fabric was miraculously imprinted the Savior's face. This towel (remotion) of the servant was taken by Agary, and the king was healed.

The church is considering a non-manual image as a certificate of a bologospill, for he is the Face of Christ - God who has become a man and who came to the land for the sake of rescue people. This salvation is committed through his redemption, which symbolizes the cross in the Savior's Nim.

The composition at the turnover of the icons, where the Calval Cross is depicted, where the crown is hanging. On the sides of the Cross there are worshiped archangels with instruments of passion. On the left, Mikhail with a spear, who was pierced by the heart of the Savior on the Cross, right - Gavri-Il with a cane and a sponge, with a vinegar, which was given to drinking crucifixes. Above - Fire seraphims and green cherubs with ripids Ripidi - The liturgical items are metal-powered metal circles with the image of six-litter seraphims on long handles. In the hands, as well as the sun and the moon - two faces in round medallions. Under the cross, we are Vi-Dim a small black cave, and in it - the skull and bones of Adam, the first man-eyelid, pumped by his disobedience to God mankind in the kingdom of death. Christ, the second Adam, as his sacred Scripture calls, his death defends death, returning eternal life to mankind.

Icon is located in the State Tretyakov Gallery. Before the revolution, she was kept in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. But initially, how I was set-novilov Gerold Nobornov Gerold Naddornov (r. 1936) - Specialist in the field of history old Russian art and culture. Leading researcher State Restoration. Creator of the Museum of Frescoes Dionysius in Ferapontov.She comes from the Novgorod Wooden Czyr KVI of the Holy Image, erected in 1191, now does not exist.

7. Presumably, Feofan Greek. Icon "Transfiguration of the Lord"

Pereslavl-Zalessky, about 1403

State Tretyakov Gallery / Wikimedia Commons

Among the works of the Old Russian art in the halls of the Third-Room Gallery, the icon "Transformation" attracts attention not only to large sizes - 184 × 134 cm, but also the original interpretation of the gospel plot. This icon was once the temple in the Transfiguration Cathedral of Pereslavl-Zalessky. In 1302, Pereslavl is part of the Moscow Principality, and almost after a hundred years, the Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich undertakes the update of the ancient Spassky Cathedral, built in the XII century. And it is possible that he attracted the famous icon painter of Feofan Greek, who worked before the Great, Nizhny Novogy and other cities in Novgorod. In antiquity, the icons did not sign, so the authorship of Feofan cannot prove, but a special handwriting of this master and his connection with the spiritual movement, called Isicham, speaks in his favor. Isicham special attention paid to the topic of divine energies, or, otherwise, the non-resident Favorsk light, which contemplated the apostles during the conversion of Christ on the mountain. Consider how the master creates the image of this high-pum.

We see mountainous landscape on the icon, on the top of the central mountain is Jesus Christ, he blesses with his right hand, he holds a scroll in his left. To the right of him - Moses with a screen, left - the prophet Elijah. At the bottom of the mountain - three apostat-la, they are defeated on the ground, Jacob closed her eyes, John-zero in fear, and Peter, pointing his hand on Christ, as evident notes, exclaims: "Good here with you, We will make three bush "(Matt. 17: 4). What struck the apostles so, causing a whole range of emotions, from fright to in Storga? This, of course, the light that came from Christ. Matthews are reading: "And Pre-accounted for them, and the face of him, like the sun, and clothes were made by white, like the light" (MF. 17: 2). And on the icon, Christ is closed in shining clothes - white with gold glare, the radiance occurs in the form of a six-year-like white-gold star, surrounded by blue spherical mandorla, penetrated with thin golden rays. White, gold, blue - all these modifications of light create the effect of diverse radiance around the figure of Nar-Stow. But the light goes further: three beams come from the star, reaching each of the apostles and literally navigate them to the ground. On the clothes of the propellers and the apostles also lie glare blikes. The light slides in the mountains, trees, goes around everywhere where it is possible, even the cave is outlined by a white contour: they look like a funnel from the explosion - like the light coming from Christ, does not just light, but penetrates the earth, it transforms, changes the universe .

The space icon develops from top to bottom, as if the stream flowing down from the mountain, which is ready to pull to the viewer's zone and involve it in what is happening. Time icons - time of eternity, everything happens here at the same time. On the icon of the Sovm, the spreading plans: Here, the onmost Christ and the apostles go down to the mountain, and on the right - they are already descending from the mountain. And in the upper corners we see the clouds, on which angels bring Elijah and Moses on the mountain of transfiguration.

Icon "Transfiguration" From Pereslavl-Zalessky is a unique product, written with virtuoso skill and freedom, while the incredible depth of the interpretation of the Gospel Text is visible and find their visual image Those ideas that were expressed by theorists of Isychasm - Simeon New Theologian, Grigory Palama, Grigory Sinait and others.

8. Andrei Rublev. Icon "Trinity"

Beginning of the XV century

State Tretyakov Gallery / Wikimedia Commons

The image of the Holy Trinity is the peak of the creativity of Andrei Rublev and the top of the Old Russian art. In "Tale of the Holy Iconporates", compiled in late XVII Century, it is said that the icon was written on the order of the champion of the Trinity of Nikon Monastery "in memory and praise by Reverend Sergia", making it - the contemplation of the Holy Trinity by the center of his spiritual life. An-Dreu Rublev managed to reflect the whole depth of mystical experience of the prose-kind Sergius of Radonezh - the prosecutor of the monastic movement, which, in turn, influenced the spiritual revival of Russia at the end of the XIV - the beginning of the XV century .

From the moment of creating the icon was located in the Trinity Cathedral, over time she darkened, they brought it several times, covered with marked riza, and for many centuries, no one seen her beauty. But in 1904, a miracle was made: on the initiative of the landscape player and collector Ilya Semenovich Skod-Ukhova, a member of the Imperial Archaeological Commission, a group of rest-nesting torr under the leadership of Vasily Guryanov began to clear the icon. And when suddenly, a sideways and gold looked out from under the dark layers, it was perceived as a phenomenon of truly paradise beauty. The icon was then not even perepty, only after the laurel closure in 1918 they were able to take it into the central restoration workshops, and the clearing continued. The restoration was completed only in 1926.

The plot for the icon was the 18th head of the Book of Genesis, in which he narrowed, as three travelers came to the forewatz, and he arranged a traitor, then Angels (in the Greek "Angelos" - "Messenger, Bulletin") Abraham reported that he would have a son from which the Great People will happen. Tra-digestically icon paints depicted the "Hospitality of Abraham" as a crazy scene, in which the audience only guess that three angel symbols are symboling the Holy Trinity. Andrei Rublev, eliminating household details, depicted only three angels as a phenomenon of the Trinity, who opens the secret of God's sovereign trinity.

On a gold background (now almost lost), three angels are depicted, sitting in the table of the table, on which there is a bowl. The Middle Angel rises above the others, a tree grows behind his back (the tree of life), behind the right angel - the mountain (the image of the world world), behind the left - the building (the chambers of Abraham and the image of the God-home buildings, church). The heads of the angels are inclined, as if they lead a silent conversation. Their liks look like this is one face, depicted three times. Composition is built on the system concentric circles, which converge into the center of the icon, where the bowl is depicted. In the bowl we see Taurus's head, the symbol of the victim. Before us, the sacred meal, in which the claim is made by a pyrene victim. The middle angel blesses the bowl; Sitting to right from him expresses a gesture to accept the bowl; Angel, located on the le-hand from the central, prompts the bowl sitting opposite it. Andrei Rub-Lion, who was called the Visionary, makes us witnesses how in the Near-Rahth of the Holy Trinity there is a council about the redeeper victim for the sake of spa. In antiquity, this image was called "Previl Council".

Naturally, the viewer has a question: who is who on this icon? We see that the Middle Angel is closed in the clothes of Christ - Cherry Chiton and Blue Himathy Himatiy (Dr.-Greek. "Fabric, cape") - In the ancient Greeks, the outerwear in the form of a rectangular piece of fabric; Tried usually over Hiton.
Chiton - Similar to shirt, more often without sleeves.Therefore, we can assume that this is the Son, the second face of the Holy Trinity. In this case, to the left of the viewer, an angel is depicted, personifying his father, his blue chiton is covered with a pinkish cloak. On the right - the Holy Spirit, an angel is closed in blue-green clothes (green - sim-ox spirit, revival of life). This version is the most integrated-strange, although there are other interpretations. Often on the icons of the Middle Angel, the sacker's sacker and inscribed IC XC - the initials of Christ. However, the stitched cathedral of 1551 strictly forbade depicting cross-lies in the Trinity and the names of the name, explaining this by the fact that the Icon of the Trinity does not depict the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit separately, but this is the image of a divine three-one and the ternary . Equally, each of the en-gels may seem to us by one or another IPOSTAY, because, according to St. Vasily the Great, "the son is the image of the Father, and the spirit is the image of the Son." And when we looked with one angel to another, we see how they look like and how they are not similar - the same face, but different clothes, different gestures, different poses. So the icon painter transmits the mystery of the inability and inseparalness of the Holy Trinity, the secret of their one mind. According to the definitions of the outline cathedral Stalloat Cathedral — church Cathedral 1551 Go-yes, the decisions of the cathedral were representing the forests in the stamp.The image created by Andrey Rublev is the one-permissible image of the Trinity (which is true, not always complied).

In the image written in the difficult time of the princely interdiscructures and tatar-Mongolian yoke, the covenant is embodied rev. Sergius: "The Hatery Maintenance of this world is defeated on the holy Trinity."

9. Dionysius. Icon "Metropolitan Alexy with Life"

the end XV - early XVI century

State Tretyakov Gallery / Wikimedia Commons

Life icon Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, was written by Dionisia, who for his skill contemporaries called the "Philosopher of the Normal" (famous, famous). The most common dating of the icon - the 1480s, when a new Assumption Cathedral was built and consecrated, for which Dionirius was ordered by two icons of Moscow bonds - Alexy and Peter. However, a number of researchers belong to writing icons by the beginning of the XVI century on the basis of her style, which found a classic expression of skill Dionysia, the most fully manifested in the painting of the monastery.

Indeed, it can be seen that the icon is written by a mature master who owns and mono - a mental style (the size of the icon is 197 × 152 cm), and a miniature letter, which is noticeable on the example of the brand Stamps - Small compositions with a self-staring plot located on the icon around the central image - a furniture.. This is a living 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 arise after the restructuring of the Cathedral of the Miracle of the Monastery in 1501-1503, whose founder was Metropolitan Alexy.

Metropolitan Alexy was an outstanding personality. The death of the Boyarsky kind of Biakontov was taken, he was a bend of the Epiphany Mon-Stoy in Moscow, then he became Metropolitan Moscow, played a prominent role in the management of the State Gos-Darism and at Ivan Ivanovich Red (1353-1359), and with the young Son, Dmitry Ivanovich, called subsequently by Donsky (1359-1389). Possessing the gift of diplomat, Alexy managed to establish peaceful relations with the Horde.

In the middle of the icons, Metropolitan Alexy is represented in growth, in a solemn liturgical area: Red Sakkos Sakkos - Long, spacious wear with wide sleeves, liturgical clouds of the bishop.decorated with golden cross in green circles, on top of which hangs white with crosses Epitrohil Stole - Part of the versions of the priests, put on the neck under the rhiza and the strip descending to donomis. This is a symbol of grace of the priest, and without it the priest does not make a single of the worship services., on the head - white muff Kupz - the upper vestment of the monk, at-taking the Great Schima (the highest degree of monastic renunciation) in the form of a pointed hood with two long, cloud-free spins and chest strips of matter.. With the right hand, the sibrants blesses, in the left holds the gospel with a red crop, standing on a light green ulus (plat - ke). In color, the icons prevails white color, against which there are vividly many diverse tones and shades - from cold green-novel and bluish, gentle-pink and oath-yellow to bright stains of Flo-sabling scarlet kinovari. All this lies makes the icon festive.

The furnace is framed by twenty stimples of life, which should be read from left to right. The order of stimples is: the birth of Elevferey, the future Metropolitan Alexy; bringing a lesson in teaching; Sleep Elevferey, foreshadowing his vocation like a shepherd (according to Alexia's life, during sleep, he heard the words: "Az create a cattle catcher"); Rass of Elevferey and the adoption of the name of Alexy; Testing Alexy to the bishops of the city of Vladimir; Alexy in Horde (he stands with a book in his hands in front of Khan sitting on the throne); Alexy asks Sergius Radonezhsky to give a student of his [Sergius] Andronika on the igumen in the Spassky founded in 1357 (later Andronikov) Mon-Stirm; Alexy blesses Andronik to the needle; Alexy prays in the coffin of Metropolitan Peter before leaving in the Horde; Khan meets Alexy in Horde; Alexy heals Khanshi Tyatul from blindness; The Moscow Prince with the Bag-Rami meets Alexy on returning from the Horde; Alexy, feeling an approximation of death, suggests Sergia Radonezh to become his successor, Mitro-Politom Moscow; Alexy is preparing a tomb in a miracle monastery; Spring of St. Alexy; gaining relics; Further, Miracles of Metropolitan - a miracle about the dead baby, about the Childish ink-Chrome Naime and others.

10. Icon "John Forerunner - Desert Angel"

1560s

Central Museum old Russian culture and art them. Andrei Rubleva / icon-art.info

Icon comes from the Trinity Cathedral of the near Moscow-Makhrishchi Monastery near Moscow, is now located in the Central Museum of the Old Russian Culture, Nor Andrei Rublev. Size icons - 165.5 × 98 cm.

The image iconography seems unusual: John the Forerunner is depicted with angel-ski wings. This is a symbolic image that reveals his special mission as a messenger ("Angelos" in Greek - "Messenger, Bulletin"), pro-rock and forerunner of the Messiah (Christ). The image dates not only to the Gospel, where John is paid great attention, but also to the prophecy of Malachi: "Here I am a margin of angel of my angel, and he will prepare the way before me" (ml. 3: 1). Like a proportion of the Old Testament, John called for repentance, he came to the most at the same time of Christ to prepare him the path ("Forerunner" and then "Going Ahead"), and the words of the Prophet Isaiah also believed to him: " Glazing in the desert: Cook the way to the Lord, make ways to do it "(Is. 40: 3).

John the Forerunner appears to be destroyed in Vse. and Himathyathy, with a scroll and bowl in hand. On the scroll - the inscription made up from the fragments of its propo-lead: "Sees and testimonies about me, Yako Sea there is a Lamb of God to explode the Great of the World. Slowly approaching the Bosya Kingdom of Heaven, already seclira lies at the root of the tree any tree breaks down "(John 1:29; MF. 3: 2, 10). And as the illustration of these words - immediately, at the feet of the Baptist, depicted a sequir at the root of the tree, one branch of which is cut, and the other green. This is a symbol of a terrible court showing that it is close to the time and will soon be the court to the world, Sudiya Heaven is shutting sinners. At the same time, in the bowl, we see the head of John, the sim-ox of his martyrdom, which he underwent for his pro-behavior. The death of the forerunner was finishing the redemptive sacrifice of Christ, the grani spa sinners, and therefore, John bless with the right hand of John. In the face of John, ascetic, with deep furrows of wrinkles, flour and compassion are visible.

Background icons - dark green, very characteristic of icon painting this time. Ovrian wings of John remind of flames of fire. In general, flavor the icons are dark, which transmits the spirit of time - a heavy, fulfilled feasible, unkind signs, but also hope for rescue over.

In Russian art, the image of John the Forerunner is an angel of the desert known from the XIV ve-ka, but it becomes especially popular in the XVI century, in the era of John Grozny, when the still-yum moods are increasing. John the Forerunner was the heavenly patron of Ivan the Terrible. Stefano-Makhrishchi monastery enjoyed the Sobitator of the Tsar, which confirms the monastic inventories containing information about the numerous royal contributions made in the 1560-70s. Among these contributions was this icon.

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The Russian artist, the musician and the Worker of the theater of Vasily Polenov long did not decrease to contact the creativity to the biblical topic. While it did not happen terrible: his beloved sister seriously fell ill and took the floor to death from his brother, that he would start writing a big picture on a long-conceived theme "Christ and sinner."

And he kept the word. After creating this picture of the Polenov, it began to create a whole cycle of paintings under the name "from the life of Christ," he gives several decades of tireless creative and spiritual searches. Polenov for it even makes a trip through Constantinople, Athens, Smyrna, Cairo and Port Said in Jerusalem.

Heinrich Semiradsky

An outstanding artist-portraitist Heinrich Semiradsky, although he was at the origin of the Pole, from his youth felt an organic connection with Russian culture. It may contributed to the study in the Kharkiv gymnasium, where the drawing was taught by the student of Karl Bryullov Dmitry Lestech.

Semiradsky brought to his canvas on biblical plots Painting, which made them bright, memorable, alive.

Detail: took part in the painting of the christ of Christ the Savior.

Alexander Ivanov

"He left himself a teacher of one Divine Rafael. High internal instinct worried about the true meaning of the word: historical painting. And the inner feeling turned his brush to Christian items, the highest and last degree of high, "Nikolay Gogol wrote about the famous painter.

Alexander Ivanov - author of the painting "The phenomenon of Christ to the people", which cost him 20 years of real labor and creative mobility. Ivanov also made watercolor sketches to painting the "Temple of Mankind", but almost no one showed them. Only after the death of the artist, these drawings became known. In the history of art, this cycle entered the name "Biblical sketches". These sketches were published more than 100 years ago in Berlin and since then no longer reissued.

Nikolai G.

Picture of GE " Mystery evening"Shook Russia as the" Last Day Pompeii "Karl Bryullov. The newspaper" St. Petersburg Vedomosti "reported:" The Last Supper "strikes the originality on a general fruit of dry fruits of academic gauge", and members of the Academy of Arts, non-counter, could not Decide on judgments.

In the "secret evening", the traditional religious plot treats a traditional religious story as a tragic confrontation of the hero sacrificing the sake of the benefit of mankind, and his student, forever refuses to teacher's covenants. In the image of Judah, he has nothing private, only in common. Judas - collective image, Man Without a Face".

Detail: Nikolai Geani appealed to Evangelical scenes under the influence of Alexander Ivanov

Ilya Repin

It seems that none of the Russian artists, except Charles Bryullov, did not use such a lifetime glory as Ilya Repin. Contemporaries admired the masterfully made by multifiant genre compositions and as if "alive" portraits.

Ilya Repin in his work has repeatedly appealed to the gospel theme. He even went as a pilgrim to the Holy Land to see the very places where he went and preached Christ. "I didn't write anything there - once, I wanted to see more ... I wrote the image of the Russian church - the head of the Savior. I wanted to put my contribution to Jerusalem ..." Later he said: "Everywhere the living Bible," "Everywhere I felt the god of living "," God! How great you feel your insignificance to non-existence. "

Ivan Kramskaya

His cloth "Resurrection of the daughter of Jair" Ivan Kramskaya thought about a decade. In early 1860, he makes the first sketch, and only in 1867 - the first version of the picture that did not satisfy him. To see everything that is done in this way, Kramskaya commits a trip to Europe with mandatory visiting best museums World. Leaving to Germany. He walks through the art gallery of Vienna, Antwerp and Paris, meets new art, and later makes a trip to the Crimea - to the districts of Bakhchisaraya and Chufu-Kale, so similar to the Palestinian Desert.

Mark Shagal

The author of the famous "Biblical Message" Mark Chagall since childhood loved the Bible, considering the extraordinary source of poetry. Since he took place from the Jewish family, it is quite early to start the form of formation of education at school in a synagogue. For many years, already an adult man, walked in his work tried to comprehend not only the old, but also the New Testament, to understand the figure of Christ.

The most complete definition of the concept of "religious painting" includes:

• Any artwork on the biblical topic (Christian art);
• Paintings illustrating the worship of the God of polytetic religions;
• Works of Buddhist, Hindu, Chinese, Jewish, Islamic art related to religious beliefs or rituals.

Religious visual art is any picture that the moral message of religion is supported. In this context, religion means any set of human beliefs related to the fact that they consider the sacred, holy, spiritual or divine.

Sources

Since ancient times, the most common types of religious art - painting and sculpture, but the most striking manifestation of the genre are architectural facilities. Domestic and external art decorations for Christian, Islamic and Buddhist temples include a wide range of sample articles of decorative art: calligraphy, ceramics, icons, manuscripts, metal products, mosaic, stained glass windows, carved wooden parts. The function of religious art is the strengthening and glorification of faith.

Art of Antiquity and Ancient Civilizations

The task of artists of Egypt, Rome and Greece is to raise the rule of the ruler. In Egypt, Pharaoh embodied God on Earth, so his images were sacred.

Still life in painting

The work of the period of antiquity reached our time fragmentary. Representative for the characteristics of religious art Sculpture and architecture of this time is illustrated by parfenon and other temples of the Acropolis in Athens.

In christianity

The origin of Christian painting: the development of religious art in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance Epoch
Christian or biblical art appeared approximately 150 years after the death of Christ. Initially, biblical painting and sculpture were the result of the connection features of the Roman and greek art. Over the next centuries, Christian Iconography has standardized, was brought in line with biblical texts.

In the Middle Ages, religious painting developed in the form of icon painting.

Byzantine Christian art could be represented by mosaic, miniatures, icons. In the XVIII - IX centuries, as a result of an iconocrocal movement, most painting masterpieces were destroyed. The earliest works that have come down to modernity are dated to the VI century. Features: Antique technique, naturalism - in some works, and a tendency to conditional transmission of images, schematics - in others. The most famous needle icons of the Damikoboric Period - "Apostle Peter", "Christ Pantokrator".

Types of landscape in painting

Iconography

After the end of the era of the iconoclasting, work was resumed to create an icon. Technical features: Linear stylization, refinement, stretching of figures, spiritualization of images, rejection of naturalism.

The most famous icons: "Descent to hell", "Assumption" - examples of the work of the period of the Comninovsky mannerism.

As Christianity adopted, the iconography was distributed in ancient Russian state, on the Balkan Peninsula. The most famous icon painters of Russia - Alipia and Grigory. The local schools of iconopysi - Novgorod, Pskov, Kiev, Chernigov were gradually injected. Russian religious painting Brightly represented by the works of Andrei Rublev: Icons from the iconostasis of the Blagoveshchensky Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the frescoes and the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir's "Udinition" of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, Icon "Trinity" from the iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral of the Troitsky Monastery (Sergiev Posad).

Features of ancient Greek Vazopysi

Technique Iconopy has spread throughout the Eastern Orthodox area, in particular in Kiev, Novgorod and Moscow. She became one of the main features of Russian medieval painting. In addition to Andrei Rublev, the greatest Russian icon painters were:

• Feofan Greek, founder of the Novgorod school icon painting;
• Dionysius, follower A.Rubeva, Creator of the Mural of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin in the Paftyevsky Borovsky Monastery;
• Nikifor Savin is a representative of Stroganovskaya school, the author of the works "Miracle George with Zmeim", "Miracle about St. Theodore Tyron".

An important center of the early Christian art of Western Europe was Ireland. As a result of the development of Gothic style in the architecture and domination of the church over secular lifeMany cathedrals were erected: in Paris (Notre - Dame), Chartres, Sussone, Bourget, Reims, Amiens and other cities. Cathedrals were richly decorated with icons. The religious plot was dominant in book miniatures.

Characteristics of the story-thematic genre

Features of the Netherlands Religious Art of the Period illustrates the Gent Altar Yana and Hubert Wang Eykov, Altar Porturine Gogo Van der Gus, works by Roger Van der Waiden, Jerome Bosch, Peter Breygel Senior.

The Italian art of revival was funded by the Church and Petsenates - Medici and Gonzaga families. Most of the works of the Italian Renaissance are distinguished by the dominance of religious themes:

• "Holy Trinity" Mazaccho;
• "Last Supper" Leonardo da Vinci;
• "Sicstinskaya Madonna" Raphael;
• Madrids of the Sicstinian Capella Michelangelo.

Venetian painting is represented by a number of pictures of outstanding artists - Titian and Tintoretto.
In the XV century, Antonello da Messina worked, Caravaggio - paintings were characterized by a significant influence of mannerism.

Religious painting XVII - XVIII centuries

After the Reformation, the Vatican began an active campaign of Catholic counterfeit. Painting has become one of the tools of influence. The church wanted to transfer his message directly to believers, demanded that artists uncompromising clarity and realism of images. The pictures were to actually transmit the depicted objects.

Mythological painting

Examples of its religious realism: "The vocation of the apostle Matthew", "Martyrdom of St. Matthew", "Crucifixion of St. Peter", "Transformation of St. Paul on the way to Damascus", "Death of the Virgin" and "Position in the Coffin of Christ". Fighter painting has been actively developed.

Famous artists and their work:

• Francisco de Surbaran (Spain): "Christ on the Cross";
• Juan Martinez Montanes (Spain): "Gracious Christ" in the Seville Cathedral;
• Peter Paul Rubens (Flanders): "The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary";
• Nikola Poussin (France, Italy): "Landscape with the Apostle John on Patmos Island".

Baroque style has changed religious painting - new features appeared:

• Emotionality;
• Dynamic;
• Brightness;
• Detailing.

FROM mid XVIII century Religious genre loses relevance. Portrait, a portrait, landscape, still life, mostly paintings for private clients become popular.

Development of the genre since the XIX century to modern times

In the 19th century, biblical themes in the visual art lost the relevance. Only a few artists continued to write paintings on religious topics in the style of realism, romanticism, the demand for the composition sharply fell - this trend continued until the 20th century. The works of the symbolist from Belgium James Ensor are allocated.

Religious painting V.D. Polenov

I. Repin (1877) Portrait of the artist Vasily Dmitrievich Polenova. (State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow).

Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov, an artist-landscape officer, tried himself in various genres of painting and, ending with the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts in 1871, as thesis put on the court of his teachers the picture "Resurrection of the daughter of Iair". The picture received a gold medal and became the first among the webs of V.D. Polenov, written in Gospel themes.
"It seems to me that art should give happiness and joy, otherwise it is nothing worthwhile. In life, so many grief, so a lot of vulgarity and dirt that if the art of you will be completely called the horrors and at randoms, it will already be too hard." - Polenov V.D.

Polenov V.D. Resurrection of the daughter of Jaeira 1871 (State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg)

Religious theme gradually becomes the main in the works of the artist. In many ways it was connected with his travels to the East, and with a book french writer Joseph Ernest Renana "The Life of Jesus", where Jesus Christ was depicted as a really existing earthly man. From the end of 1881 to the spring of 1882, Vasily Dmitrievich travels in Egypt, Syria and Palestine, from where it brings great amount sketches, etudes, pencil sketches. All this will then be used for the cycle of paintings from the life of Christ. Many of the works were presented at the exhibition "Mobile Partnership" in 1885 and were acquired by Pavel Tretyakov.

Polenov V.D. Source of the Virgin Mary in Nazareth 1882 (State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow)

Polenov V.D. Bethlehem in 1882

Polenov V.D. Jerusalem from the west. Yaffian Gate and Citadel 1882

Polenov V.D. Palestinian etude (State Memorial Historical and Artistic and Natural Museum-Reserve V.D. Polenova)

But nevertheless, V.D. Polenov always argued that his religious paintings are the same landscapes, just nature, lakes, rivers, some buildings go backdrop, and most important characters - People.

Polenov V.D. Which of you without sin (Christ and sinner) 1888 (State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg)

Polenov V.D. Figure to the picture Which of you without sin 1888

The canvas "Christ and the sinner" became one of the best among religious paintings by V.D. Polenov and his creation was given a few years of creative life of the artist. On the canvas of the Polenov, presented to the viewers of the viewers of the Gospel legend of Christ and the Greater Plant as a real scene, which walked on the square in front of the Jerusalem Temple. The work was exhibited at the XV exhibition "Mobile Partnership" of 1887.

Polenov V.D. Head of Pharisee 1884 (Voronezh Regional Museum of Fine Arts)

Polenov V.D. Palestinian monk 1886 (Rostov Regional Museum of Fine Arts, Rostov-on-Don)

Polenov V.D. Head of Christ 1887.

Polenov V.D. Sitting Christ. 1880-E.

Emperor Alexander III acquired a canvas for his collection, ahead of P.Treyakov, who led the artist about buying a picture. But unfortunately, the Himself was upset by this: "This picture was called me" Which of you without sin ". In this there was its meaning. But censorship did not allow these words in the catalog, allowed" Christ and sinner "... And in the Museum of Alexander III, it was called "a prodigal wife", which is completely contrary to the evangelical story, where it is clear that it was sinless, and not a prodigal woman ... so the name and left. It is not mine, and does not correspond to the evangelical story

Polenov V.D. On the Tiberiatic (Genisretsk) Lake 1888 (State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow)

Oliva in the Garden Garden. 1882 (State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow)

Polenov V.D. I announced the joy of crying 1899-1909 (Samara Art Museum)

Polenov V.D. For whom they honor me people 1890-1900

Polenov V.D. And returned to Gallileum in the power of the Spirit 1890 (State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg)

Polenov V.D. I went to the Nagorno country of 1894 (Omsk, Regional Museum of Fine Arts)

Polenov V.D. Nagorny sermon 1890 (Chelyabinsk Regional Art Gallery)

Polenov V.D. Dreams 1894 (State Art Museum. A.N.radishchev, Saratov)

Polenov V.D. Portrait of the artist I.E.levitan. Etude for the image of Christ for the picture "Dreams"
The second trip to the east of the evangelical places was taken by the artist in 1899. He visited Constantinople, Athens, Smyrna, Cairo, Port Said, Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, a caravan on Beirut was equipped. Beirut was a finite travel destination.

Polenov V.D. Jacob and John 1890-1900 (State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg)

Polenov V.D. Jacob and John 1900

Polenov V.D. Was in the desert 1909

Polenov V.D. Limits of the Tiry 1911 (State Historical and Artistic and Natural Museum-Reserve V.D. Polenov)

In 1909, labor on the creation of a cycle "From the life of Christ" was completed (although there were also a return to this topic). At the same time, Polenov sought to capture not so much dramatic episodes and events of his life, how much to show Christ, the nature that surrounded him. "My paintings are mainly by the image of nature and the situation in which the gospel events were made," wrote Polenov about his cycle L. Tolstoy. "In a passionate week before Easter, just time for contemplation, time for memories of the earth of Christ ..."

There are two opposite views on the Orthodox icon. A secular approach seems in it the early stage of formation of painting and one of the genres of fine art, bringing a sacred aspect of a challenge icon to the subject matter. Internally, the icon is taken into account only from the moral and ethical side, focusing on the manifestation of human emotions, the external form of iconic painting and its assessment with purely aesthetic positions, admirement of the beauty of form and color becomes the main form. Another look ignores the outside and considers the icon only as a matter of cult, endowed with supernatural properties, which leads to a rupture of the unity of the content and form in the assessment of such a complex phenomenon as an Orthodox icon, to the distortion of the essence and appointment of sacred images in the liturgical life of the Church.

In the christian church icons The picturesque images of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the Saints, who have a sacred character. This is a special kind of church legend, in colors and images, along with oral, written and monumental.

The origin of the icons refers to the first centuries of Christianity. Any image of the invisible God would be the fruit of human fantasy, and the worship of such an image - the worship of the creator instead of the Creator. but New Testament He was the revelation of God, who became a man, that is, it became visible for people: "God did not see God never; The only silence, which is in the subsoil, he revealed " (John, 1, 18).

Staying intense, God gave a man his revelation through Jesus Christ, who accepted human nature: So the son becomes an icon of his father, so God, having a certain image, can be depicted. At the request of the Apostle Philip: "Lord! Show us your father ... Jesus told him: So much time I am with you, and you do not know me, Philip? I saw me, I saw my father ... Don't you believe that I'm in my father, and my father in me? " (John, 14, 8 - 10). Icon in visual images conveys a believer of the mystery of the award and the reality of salvation of anyone who believed in this mystery: it becomes one of theological languages. Theological icon : Reminds of God as the probation, in the image and similarity of which every person was created. Theological significance of the icon is due to the fact that it speaks picturesque language about the dogmatic truths, which are open to people in Holy Scripture and the church of the tradition.

In the Monophizite and Nestorian churches, the icon is considered not a dogma, but a tradition, optional to obey believers, therefore, in their temples and houses, icons are rare. The Roman Church, adopting a dogmate on iconing, did not keep an ancient tradition of icon painting. Murals in Catholic temples carried out secular artists belonging to different schools, and Icon became a picture on a religious topic. Despite the fact that the seventh Ecumenical Cathedral (787) did not bless to use three-dimensional images in churches (sculpture, sculptures), they are widely used in Catholic temples. And if spiritual perception prevails in the icon, in the picture - the soul-emotional, then the statue is materialistic, earthly. It has three-dimensional volume, self-closed, but is deprived of perspective and background.

Holy Fathers called the icon Gospel for illiterate. « If one of the pagans come to you, saying: Show me your faith ... You will take it to the church and put it before different species Holy images", I wrote at the beginning of the VIII century. Rev. John Damaskin. But Orthodoxy does not perceive the icon as an illustration of the events of the Holy History and the Gospel Text, which is inherent in Western Christianity. There, the artist acts as an interpreter of the biblical plot, reflecting in his vision the result of his aesthetic and spiritual experience, his own experience of the Gospel. "Icon does not depict anything, it is" (Archimandrite Zinon (Theodore). Byzantine and Old Russian icon is People of God invisible, who embodied and was revealed to mankind in the face of the Godrogian of Jesus Christ. In this, its difference from painting, in which, from the era of the Renaissance, Christ is depicted "humanized", humanized.

According to the legend, recorded by Church historian Yevsessy Kaesarian (approx. 260-340), Jesus Christ himself gave his image on the board transferred to the Edessian King Agary, as well as the Evangelist Luke left behind a few icons God's Mother. The existence of an icon in the church in the first three centuries is indicated by the mention of them in the writings of the Terertullian, the challenge of Felix, the Clement of Alexandria, Methodius Tirsky, Origen, as well as real monuments found in the catacombs. However, in these centuries, the persecution of the Christian icon was more symbolic. Since Constantine, the Great Icons includes universal open use in temples and houses.

Gradually during the VI - VII centuries. started to form christian iconography - The system of established rules of the image of the main characters and events of biblical history. The main role in this process was played by Byzantium. Of particular importance were the solutions of the fifth (553) and the sixth (680 g.) The Ecumenical Councils, according to which the abstract symbols of the Old Testament and Early Christianity of the Direct Image of what they were denoted (first of all Jesus Christ in Human appearance) . Church doctrine is expressed not only in the plot of icons, but also in its correct interpretation; Therefore, the iconographic canon was legalized, corresponding to the liturgical nature of the image. He became a kind of reference of his truth, that is, it allowed to determine how accurately God's incarnation was transferred in historical reality, which makes it possible to establish the relationship between the texts Scripture, worship and visual art. An iconography was formed as a special sign system, which became the visible language of the church. The tradition and icon-painted canon are not a limitation of the creative ability of the icon painter, but by the general worker experience of tremendous importance that is directly related to prayer and worship.

From the first half of the VIII century. Until the second half of the IX century. The church broke out the struggle between icon repositors and iconoborets. Many icons and temple frescoes were destroyed. However, the seventh universal cathedral (787) restored the iconation, and the resistance of the iconoborets was finally broken in 843. Then under the patronage of the widow of the emperor Ferofila Feodora (842-855) on February 19 on Sunday, a solemn procession with icons was held on Sunday in the first week of the Great Post on the streets of Constantinople. This event got a name Orthodoxy celebration over all And annually celebrated the church on the first Sunday of the Great Post.

Finally, Iconography has developed in Byzantium in the IX-X centuries. After restoring the iconation. Rus borrowed this iconographic scheme and strictly followed her until the XV century. The first who dared to make serious changes in it was Andrei Rublev. His works differ from the Byzantine samples with a special softness and deep humanity of images, as well as dynamism of the composition, smooth pattern lines, calm colors, using household and landscape elements. The strict punishing the Byzantine Almighty became for Russians with meek, mild, infinitely with the merciful Savior. Highly appreciating the work of Andrei Rublev, the stalloral cathedral of 1551 proclaimed his iconographic scheme with a new canon.

Only people who have not only the artist's talent and the mystical ability to perceive the spiritual world were allowed with church regulations to the iconographic mathematical qualities. Connected together, they are called in the world by genius, and in the church - insight. Mystical experience of communication with the Heavenly Church and the experience of spiritual realities give the true content of the icon, so it first spelled in the heart of the master, and then reveals to them for visible world. Many great icon paints were contemplates and mystics, reflecting in their creations the experience of the vision of divine non-light light. This is particularly related to the icons of the period of the Byzantine Isichasm (X1-XV centuries), as well as to Russian icons and frescoes of the XIV-XV centuries. True creative icon is the phenomenon of the image of the earth world depicted on it simple man and the possibility of their prayer communication. Such a phenomenon is possible only with the help of Divine Revelation, therefore, creativity has always been by ascetic and prayer for any icon painter. In the Middle Ages, the iconists were, as a rule, monks, at a later time - persons working under the guidance of clergymen. The icon painter was preparing for work, as a sacred, - prayer and post, participated in the liturgical life of the Church in order to feel realize the icons and would be able to embody her in a special mark. Scripture icons requires the greatest care and concentration. For an ancient artist and his contemporaries, it was not an ordinary craft, but a beige, holy deal.

Icon is inextricably linked with the main dogmas of Christianitywhich are transmitted in it using artistic agents. Many events of gospel history are interpreted in icon painting primarily in a dogmatic context. For example, the Orthodox legend knows only the image of the descent of Christ to hell and bringing them from the Old Testament Righteous to them, corresponding to the liturgical memory of the Resurrection of Christ and the liturgical texts Okeyha and Triodi Color, revealing this event from a dogmatic point of view, therefore the Sunday of Christ is never depicted on canonical icons, and the occurrence of Christ from Hell is depicted. The image of Christ emerging from the coffin is often with a banner in hand, late origin and genetically connected with Western painting on religious topics.

In its content every icon Anthropologic : There is not a single iconographic image on which there would be no man (Bogochelter Jesus Christ, the Virgin or Saints). Even angels on the icons of humanoid. There are no icon-landscapes, icon still lifes (the exception is rare frescoes and mosaics devoted to the creation of the world). Landscape, plants, animals, household items are present in an icon. In addition, since it requires the plot, but the main character of any icon painting image is man. But icon is not a portrait image of the spiritual world, it does not pass exactly exterior appearance saint. From point of view soteriology (Salvation exercises) It shows the future transformation of the world, the new properties of matter and substances, spiritualized in the non-residential light of the Divine Grace. The icon appears a person escaped from the kingdom of death. Even in images of new martyrs, whose photos are well known, they recognizable, but the features of their appearance are sophisticated and enlarged: the icon is a person in his own state, since the goal of Christian life is the restoration of the likeness of God and the cleansing of his inquiring image. The desire to show a person in a transformed state causes the icon painters to refrain from the image of bodily defects that were inherent in the saint during his lifetime: a person who had one hand had one hand, on the icon appears with two hands, blind - in vain, who wearing his glasses "removes". In this sense, it is not quite consistent with the icon-painted canon icon of the Blessed Matrona Moscow, on which it is depicted with closed eyes, as it was blind from birth. With closed eyes on ancient icons, not blind, but the dead (the Mother of God in the scene of Assumption, the Savior on the Cross). Icon avoids naturalism of pain, suffering, affects mind and intuition, and not on the emotions of the viewer. That is why, unlike the Western pictorial counterpart, since the Renaissance era on the Byzantine and Russian icons, the crucifixion Christ is depicted not by suffering, but the dead, but it is not less beautiful than in the icons where it is depicted alive.

In the iconographic compositions there are no shadows and visible source of light. It comes from faces and figures, from their depth, as a symbol of holiness. This contributes to the Golden Background, symbolizing the divine non-library light and isolating anyone depicted on a background of the phenomenon from real life: It turns out to be ascended in perfect world, cut off from the physical laws of the Earth. For this, there is a special way of writing in which white soil ( levkas) Looks through the colorful layer.

Symbol of holiness by orthodox iconsah is nimbuswhich is a single whole with a figure of saint, which personifies the connection of two free free: a person who wants to holiness, and God, who responds to this desire and reviving the negascique light in man, which is given to everyone. For Catholic sacred images, another location is characterized by: Nimb in the form of a circle hanging over the Holy Head. Here he acts as a reward given from the outside, while on Orthodox icons, this is a crown of holiness, born from the inside and the component of a single integer with the transfigured flesh. So the image of Nimba illustrates the difference in the Orthodox and Catholic path to salvation. At the Orthodox icons, the saints are never depicted, "Running the eye" in prayer, as accepted in Catholicism. In this way (in the same way as the gothic style of architecture), a person in prayer is expressed in the Catholic West, to the external deity. "Ecstasy of St. Teresa" (1647 - 1652) - the masterpiece of the Italian sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini is a vivid example illustrating the sensual essence of the experiences of the Catholic saints in the state of spiritual exaltation. The same can be said about the film Francesco Parmajanino "Madonna with a long neck" (1534 - 1540). In Orthodoxy, the ascetic prayer is understood differently: God is inside a person, so face Does not reflect bright emotions, and carries a seal of a deep inner feeling. In prayer, the Orthodox saints quietly listen to the "inner deformation", the prayer of the mind in the heart, which is happening inside them. Even in the most tragic moments, concertlessness of holiness persists (for example, the image of the Virgin in the scene of the crucifixion).

Byzantine and Old Russian iconrefused the desire for adequacy and based on the principle of similarity. The icon painter deliberately makes the hands and feet of a person more subtle than in real life, the features of the face (nose, eyes, ears) are more elongated. In some cases (for example, on frescoes and diary icons), the proportions of the human body change: the body is lengthened, and the head becomes almost one and a half times less than in reality. All these and other similar artistic techniques are transmitted to spiritual changes that undergo human flesh due to the ascetic feat of the saint and the transforming effect on it of the Holy Spirit, which is stronently different from images on picturesque canvas (especially when comparing icons with realistic painting of the Renaissance). The iconographic image of the saint shows not so much the process as the result, not so much the path, movement towards the goal, how much purpose itself: a person does not struggle with passions, but who has already won them and reached the kingdom of heaven. Icon is not dynamic, but static: its main character is never depicted in motion, he or stands or sits (the exception is life icons). Saints are in spiritual movement towards the Divine, for eternity, where there is no place for external expression, because the external dynamics (printing emotions as temporary states) indicates the power of temporary, sensual and transient. So unexpectedly confirmed by the physical law: the absolute speed is perceived as immobility, since there are no points of reference to this speed. The movement shows only secondary characters having auxiliary, illustrative character (for example, the Magon on the icon of the Nativity of Christ, the heroes of multifigure compositions, etc.).

Holy worship is rewarded, so it is never written on the icon in the profile, but almost always in the FAS or sometimes, if it requires the plot, in the half-view, showing it at the same time under several angles of view, which makes it possible to look at the icon as if from the inside. The profile shows only persons who do not worship: secondary characters (again, Magi), negative heroes (for example, Judas at a secret evening). Animals on icons are also written in profile.

The main substantive element of the icon is a face in which its spirituality is emphasized: huge eyes of the almond-shaped form with fixedly advanced pupils, high forehead, thin, deprived of the sensuality of the lips, straight and slightly curved nose line. Ancient icon paints distinguished the letter personal from radiant . The last (background, landscape, clothes) was often instructed by a student, a substruser, while the Licks always wrote the master himself. LIK on the ancient Byzantine and Russian icons of majestic and strict, it reflects eternity and infinity, there is no condesception to sins or reconciliation with them, but only one desire is the salvation of a person. Such a face is incomprehensible, alien, and sometimes terrible for the carnal, attached to human passions. The faces of the ancient miraculous icons are strict because they are testing: they know the horror of transcendental evil and see the demonic world, surrounding man. According to the comment of Archimandrite Rafail (Karelin) in Catholic icons there are no metaphysical tragedy. There is a tragedy of earthly, spiritual human experiences. There icon looks in earth, maybe good eyes, but sees only the earthly world. Before such an icon, the sinner, without going through the fire of repentance, can be completely given to spiritual experiences. This spiritual sensuality and sentimentality of the Catholic icons is perceived by the subconscious of a person as an opportunity for reconciliation with God without repentance, without changing itself. Therefore, in the Catholic mystics, so many speaks of enthusiastic love and so little about repentance, the purification of the heart and everyday brutal struggle with passions.

The spiritual center of the icon is the eyes. Their symbol is a circle, or a circle with a point in the center as a symbol of eternity, sun, wholeness, completeness, perfection. Icon's eyes rarely look straight, but not aiming aside: they look like "top" - not so much in the eye of the viewer, but in his soul. As a ray of light, passing through the glass, the distance in the distance, and the eyes of the icon image see a person against the background of eternity, contemplate into his heart what he sees, and often afraid to see the person himself.

A personal letter also includes hands that have special expressiveness on icons. Rev. Fathers are often depicted with their hands raised up, and the palms are facing the viewer (as on the icons of the Blessed Virgin Type "Oranta"). This characteristic gesture is a symbol of prayer appeal to God and indicates the rejection of the holy world of this with all his passions and lusts.

Understanding the icons as a reflected image affected the character character itself: its sensuality is not allowed, it remains somewhat schematic and abstract, and the figures look motionless, since their poses are static, they have (with rare exception) there is no gesture. The icon shows not face, but a face, not a figure, but an image. The folds of the clothes do not fit the lines of the body: it does not have the volume. The icon is strict, serious and someone may seem dry and insensitive. This approach to the transmission of the image allows him to move away from all sensory and earthly and acquire a spiritual depth, which gives the appearance of calm contemplation. According to the observation of Archimandrite Rafail (Karelin) in icon painting each part of the face, the gesture or position of the body is symbolic: the high forehead means wisdom and deepness; big eyes - penetration into divine secrets; Thin lips - asceticism; The elongated fingers are spiritual nobility and cleanliness of acts; Head slope - attention to the divine suggestion, the voice of God, who holy hear in the depths of his heart; A slightly inclined figure is the humility of the will of God, etc. Iconographic images recreate peace and harmony world, peeled from sinful terrestrial thoughts. This is facilitated by the technique of icon writing, smoothness and softness of lines: the unity of the appearance is the manifestation of chastity, holiness, while the broken line is decay, contradictory, as a generation - a symbol of sinfulness. Cooking, convulsion, ohons, pointed ends of lines belong to the image of dark power.

Icon does not know three dimensions and has a reverse perspective, That is, parallel lines on it do not converge on the horizon line, in the depths of the art plane, as in the picture or photography, but on the contrary, the point of their departure is in the coming person in front of the icon of the person. The icon painter depicts the world not as a person sees him, but as God sees him, that is, as he sees the church, which is captured in the iconographic canon. The space ceases to be an obstacle, the antonymity of the distance itself (close - far) is overcome. Here the other distance is the spiritual state of the contemplating icon. This is how the idea of \u200b\u200bthe penetration of the world in our world is expressed, the world of Dolny, therefore even those depicted in the distance are always large. The values \u200b\u200bin icons are not spatial, but an axiological (value) character, expressing the degree of dignity (for example, demons are smaller than angels; Christ among students is towers above them, etc.). The right-to-left arrangement of secondary persons relative to an important figure and the viewer also emphasizes the degree of their importance: more significant images are always placed on the right (for example, more significant images (for example, the Mother of God in Deesus) are always placed at the glance from the main figure. This approach creates not three-dimensional in the icon, but a special, boundless space. The reverse perspective in the icon, both temporary and spatial, led to the contemplating in another, far from the earthly world, which is not available to a sensual outline. So icon like temple architecture And church singing, becomes the window to the mountain world, but from this window there are flows of grace of God in our, earthly world. On the icon, the other reality is still inaccessible, but to which the soul of a believer man seeks. Still, devoid of expression, the image requires almost as fixed upcoming to him, its contemplation and gradually ascent to God, while the picture can be considered analytically, to argue about its individual fragments, the icon cannot be disdable to the details, as it is perceived synthetically uniform internal religious feeling.

If the main character of the icon is always a person, then the image of a transformed space is often becoming its background. In this sense, researchers talk about cosmodity icons Since it is nature in an eschatological, modified state: the features of animals on the icon are also sophisticated and arranged as the traits of a person, and their eyes are human, and not animals. Earth and sky, trees and grass, sun and moon, birds and fish, animals and animals on the icon are subordinated to a single plan and make up a single temple in which the Lord reigns. To the greatest extent, they reveal special icon-painted compositions, such as "Any breath yes, the Lord praises," "Praise the name of the Lord" and "about you rejoices, delighted, every creature." In mosaic and frescoes, nature is sometimes portrayed for animate (for example, on the frescoes of the Baptism of the Lord in the waters of Jordan sometimes there are two small human creatures, which is an icon-painted illustration of PS., 113, 5 - 8).

Generally canonical icon has no random detail or decorations . In the painting, the background and details create an emotional atmosphere, a mental mood, in the icon they are written extremely concisely to show, reveal the truth that the only valuable thing in the world is the transformed grace of a person. The landscape is subordinate to man: the earth is waiting for his update through him - the second spiritual birth. Nature, cosmos, all the earthly universe is a mapping of divine beauty, and this is exactly what the icon appears. It is the absolute predominance of beauty and almost complete absence of disgrace. Even snakes on the icon of St. George and Demons in the scene of a terrible court have less awesome and repulsing the view than many characters of Bosch and Goya.

In its destination icon liturgugic That is, along with the Gospel, it is an integral part of the liturgical space (church) and an indispensable participant in worship, beyond which loses its meaning: "Icon in the art gallery or a museum is similar to a child forcibly grateed from the embrace of mother and sent in the orphanage" (Archimandrite Rafail (Karelin ). They are applied to the icon, before it takes each, put earthly and waist bows. Together with the worship of the icon, it helps to implement and feel the unity of the Church as a spiritual community: she as "the spiritual rod unites members of the earthly church among themselves in one dogmatic consciousness and in general mystical experiences "(Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin). Icon is inextricably linked with the spiritual life of a Christian, with his experience of God-ebbing and contact with the mountain world, so she is mystiche : "Icon is beautiful when she calls a person to prayer when the soul feels a dynamic field of energies and forces emitted through the icon of the kingdom of eternal light" (Archimandrite Rafail (Karelin). It sets the believer to the contemplation of the image, which allows you to establish a mystical connection with him, join the dialogue, experience a different reality, because the main task icons is to show reality world spiritual . Icon, according to the testimony of Archimandrite Zinon (Theodore), is "embodied prayer." The spiritual ascent to the personality and one God on Orthodox icons symbolizes the image of mountains with stylized steps (lobes), thanks to which the Mountain acquires the meaning of the rolling (stairs).

Orthodox Christians bow not to a beautiful board, but to the one who is depicted on it, because "the honor, rewarding, goes to the prime" (SVT. Vasily Great). They pray before the icon of Christ, as before him, invisibly present in the form of their own image, followed by the primordial (archetype). In the measure of her spiritual development And the prayer diligence of the prime is felt by a person to a greater or lesser extent. At the same time, the icon, as an item, remains only a thing and does not become an idol or fetish: Orthodoxy does not identify the icon with the image on it, as it does not reflect as much as it reveals. Icon - symbol, and idol - personification, attribute of mythology, replacement of a real person in fiction. Fathers seventh Universal Cathedral (787), restoring an iconment, following the PRP. John Damascus, distinguished the ministry to God, from worship, which an angel or a condensed man (Virodod or Holy) is redefined.

Any Christian has icons of the house, since his house is a continuation of the temple, and life is a continuation of Liturgy. The museum is also noted by art historian I.K. Language, "Icon does not live, but only exists like a dried flower in herbarium or as a butterfly on a collector pins.

The miraculous and peaceful icons are widespread in the Orthodox Church, with which cases of healing or deliverances from military danger are associated. Miraculous icon - This is a manifestation of holy through the icon, his choice, his special spiritual presence. However, such phenomena themselves do not turn painting into the iconography, since the problem of iconography, the Church has always advanced as the main criterion of canonation, and not the miracle.

Peace icons opens as a vision of eternity, It is out of the past or the future, but always only in the present, in contrast to the picture, which has borders, the plot framework: Eternity is replaced by an episode, a corner of reality. The icon is characterized by the one-time of the image of the events that took place in various chronological periods of time: this is not a photo reflecting the momentary reality, and not a picture that is an imprint of copyright perception. This nature of the iconographic image indicates that the events of the Holy History, which occurred many centuries ago, have the same impact and now on the main goal of the awareness - the salvation of the human soul from eternal death.

In the ancient Church, the most common was icon written for a particular temple as an integral part of the temple ensemble and inextricably linked with other images in close proximity to it. Then the temples were decorated not so many icons written on the board as a wall painting: it was the fresco that is the earliest model of Orthodox iconography. Sometimes the fresco painted was present in the church from top to bottom, on all four walls. The richest temples were also decorated with mosaic. The wall was the organic part of the liturgical space, and its plots, as well as the plots of icons, corresponded to the subject of the annual liturgical circle.

Icon has educational significance, arranged about the victory of rapid moral truths, spirit over sin and coarse materiality. Her images help to restore the moral dignity of the person, distorted in the secular world by individualism and egoism. According to Christianity in the kingdom God's people They will be connected to God and between their love, which connects the faces of the Holy Trinity. The image of the Holy Trinity is humanity, then spiritual unity to which it is called. The Orthodox Church in the face of the Mother of God, whom she makes up as "a honest cherub and a sorry without comparison of Seraphim" glorify motherhood as a higher vocation of a woman. The image of the Virgin with a baby in his arms, in countless quantities present in all Orthodox churches, has the greatest spiritual attractiveness and moral force. Death Deskraliaii, turning it into a dull, devoid of any positive content of the rite of icon opposes the transition to eternal life, visible reminder of which is the icon of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Death is the transition to a new life, more beautiful than the earth, and for the threshold of death, the soul of Christian is welcomed by Christ, as he accepted the soul of the Mother of God, symbolized by a selevant baby. Each icon carries a powerful moral charge, reminding modern man On the eternity of other peace and spiritual values \u200b\u200bexisting in addition to preached by a non-density humanism and established by a secular society.

Starting from the XVIII century. The canonical icon in Orthodox churches, the icons of the "Academic Letter" are supplanted - paintings on religious topics. This style of iconography came to Russia from the West and was developed in the post-work time, in the synodal period of the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. So at the same time S. secularization church Life, the weakening of the religious intuition of a person, the deploracing and the upstation of consciousness, gradually replaced in the prayer states of the spiritual feeling of spiritual, there was a departure from the icon painting canon and ancient tradition, change in shape and reducing the spiritual level icon. Art always reacted to the processes occurring in society, and the religious picture (like icon) reflected the state of the church itself. In Western Church Art (starting with the Renaissance) include lightness and passion for the ancient philosophy: in the titanic creation of Michelangelo "Terrchy Court" (1536 - 1541), Christ appears in the image of an antique hero (Hercules), and His David with Prashoy - In the image of a perfectly folded athlete-Olympic.

Picturesque tradition reflects the deep difference in the worldview of the artist and the icon painter. Revival in the era of the Renaissance of the pagan philosophy inside the Christian forms leads to the replacement of medieval theocentrism by anthropocentrism: if there was a god to the center of the world, the source and the beginning of the Being of Being, which is in the center of the world, the person becomes "as God" becomes. He himself evaluates the universe, which naturally leads to the organization of space in the picture according to the law of direct perspective, as in the real earthly world: the closer it is the subjects in relation to the observer, the amounts are more, which reflects the egocentric consciousness of a person. The opening of a linear perspective and lighting marked the beginning of the emergence of realistic schools of painting in Italy and the Netherlands, and then throughout Europe. In the absence of a canon, the images themselves reflect how he sees or as their artist understands, so an external similarity of reality is important for the painting, and not the spiritual essence of the phenomenon. The picture becomes artistic way, created by the creative fantasy of the artist, and is a form of transferring his own worldship, tool to communicate with the author, his ideas and experiences. According to Archimandrite Rafail (Karelina), Renaissance was not only a return to paganism, he retreated from Christianity further than paganism. Deficing space, the pagans were looking for lost by them of an unknown God, and the art of Renaissance, having Christ, rejected him itself and, hiding behind the biblical theme, was depicted by pagan deities. In comparison, C. antique art The art of the Renaissance is more materialized. It is the cult of flesh and blood.

The attribute of the holiness of naturalistic figures of religious paintings becomes perfection of forms (beauty, nobility), and the ascetic and transfiguration bodies of icon-painted saints turn into a debit (thick), dense and heavy flesh breathing with sin and drainage. Often, in the picture, the naked body is depicted so passionately that the look at him instead of prayer gives rise to sinful thoughts. Archpriest Sergiy Bulgakov wrote that the beauty of the Renaissance is not holiness, but then the ambiguous, the demonic beginning, which covers the emptiness, and the smile plays him on the mouths of the Leonardic heroes. And if icon affects mind and intuition, then the picture – On the emotional sphere, replacing the spiritual perception of the sacred history of spiritual. The desire for grace, sensual beauty, sentimentality, tomostivity and sustainability are distinguished by Western paintings on religious topics, the subject of which is living now the person. In them - priority family theme, feminine start, manners (Madonna amuses the baby, plays with him, feeds his breast, in it a lot of softness, tenderness). Often, artists wrote Madonn naked (often from nature), and then they draped into clothes. The oversaturation of outsiders distracts attention from the content, and sentimentality and affectionateness are a surrogate of love, manifestation of soulfulness. A person gets up to the location of the face, instead of spiritual purity - spiritual psychology, instead of the eternal - temporary, instead of the imperious beauty of a man as the image of God - the glorification of the whole beautiful, but melted in man, instead of reverence - skepticism and the lack of holiness.

The fundamental difference between Western European painting on religious topics from Orthodox art In a methodological approach: the desire through the painting saturated with human emotions and passions, to move the heavenly to the ground, and not open the world window into the world of earthly. But the painter reaches the opposite - earthly and sensual, the spiritual and eternal, unity in the spirit (prayer and contemplation) is replaced by the unity of mood. According to Archimandrite Rafail (Karelin), where there is no place for the sky, there everything took and swallowed the earth. The art of revival is the apotheosis of human pride and unskilled sin. The life driving the key in the creations of the artists of the Renaissance is the intensity of passions, which in the perspective of eternity is death and emptiness. The corpse remains a corpse, whatever cosmetics did not cover the heels of death on his body. " In the Catholic paintings there is no mysticism of the Spirit as the transformation of the person through the Godhead, and the underlined naturalistic character of the characters and nudity bodies reflects the inverted hierarchy of values: the primacy of the body over the soul and suppression of the soul of the Spirit. It is characteristic that many Catholic artists were at the same time sculptors.

The introduction of catholic art in Orthodoxy and replacing the Orthodox icons of painting on biblical plots characterizes the XVIII and XIX centuries. Story of the Russian Church. At the beginning of the XX century. Separate icons, entire iconostasis and temples were painted in a picturesque, so-called academic, style. In it, the image is distinguished by the canonism of the composition, but also does not become an icon because of his "painshop": the certificate of Orthodox feedback is minimized (portrait or illustration historical event Sacred history). So the traditional image is replaced by fiction, ceases to be a prayer, which can lead to the denial of the existence of the spiritual world, for the icon is the preaching of the Gospel and the reality of spiritual being.

Icon and painting serve to various purposes and are different about spiritual reality: the first is its symbol and leads to spiritual transformation, the second - likeness and develops emotional perception. The best paintings – This is poetry in paints, while any icon – Theology in colors. The best samples of religious painting, as a peculiar stage of the rods (stairs) of spiritual ascent of humanity, can help in education spiritual qualities Personality, having prepared it for the perception of spiritual beauty and harmony of Orthodox iconography.