Riddles of hagiographic icons Automatic translate

The Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve presents the exhibition "Mysteries of Hagiographic Icons". The exposition in the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich introduces iconographic images from the end of the 15th - last quarter of the 19th century from the collection of the museum-reserve and private collections.

Hagiographic icons appeared in Byzantium, the oldest of those that have survived to this day date back to the 12th century. Such images of Russian saints became widespread after the canonization of a number of miracle workers under Metropolitan Macarius at the Local Councils of 1547 and 1549. Like fresco painting, they performed an educational function: they explained the details of doctrine and illustrated the most complex theological themes.

In the center of a hagiographic icon, as a rule, there is a full-length or half-length image of the saint, around which are located scenes of his life and miracles. Events of the life can be divided by borders and located in scenes, framing the image in the center like a frame, or depicted on the background on the sides of the saint. Images on such icons are illustrations of the text of the lives: these can be both canonical sources and apocryphal literature.

Visitors to the exhibition in the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich will be able to get acquainted with traditional episodes found in the lives of saints and learn how to correctly "read" a hagiographic icon. The iconography is supplemented by monuments of bookishness and graphics, items of liturgical vestments, copper-cast icons, wood carvings and mother-of-pearl carvings.

The exhibition presents ancient images of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Prophet Elijah, John the Baptist, Great Martyr George, Great Martyr Paraskeva, Great Martyr Barbara, Martyr Anastasia the Roman, Blessed Procopius and John of Ustyug, Venerable Mary of Egypt, Saint Demetrius of Rostov. As well as rarely encountered hagiographic icons of Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, and Great Martyr Marina of Antioch.

The icon of St. Onuphrius the Great deserves special mention. It tells about the life of the holy elder hermit. The monument was created in the workshop of the Solovetsky Monastery and was originally located in the local church, founded in 1666. In 1976, the image was restored at the Grabar Center. Experts came to the conclusion that the icon painter depicted the walls and church of the Eritsky Monastery as the white-stone Solovetsky Monastery, and the chariot of Tsar Narsit as the carriage of Peter I. The Emperor visited Solovki in 1702 together with his son Tsarevich Alexei.

An audio guide was recorded especially for the exhibition “Mysteries of the Hagiographic Icons”, which is available to visitors free of charge.