Museum of Russian Icons

Very cool! Thanks for sharing!

For those in the New York area, the Museum of Biblical Art will be having an exhibit beginning in June on Ukrainian Icons.

Ukrainian Icons
June 18 - September 12, 2010



Above: Virgin and Child, Monastery of the Caves, Ukraine

This exhibition from the collection of the oldest monastery in Ukraine, the Kyiv-Pecherskaya Lavra (or Monastery of the Caves) will survey the history of Ukrainian icons and their stylistic evolution over the centuries. Ukrainian icons, unlike their Russian counterparts, incorporated noted influences from western art, particularly during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The blending of East and West in their iconography and style is unique and needs to be better known in the US. Alongside icons the exhibition will display textiles, ceremonial and altar crosses, chalices and other liturgical objects. MOBIA will be the first venue in the United States.

The use and making of icons entered Kievan Rus' following its conversion to Orthodox Christianity in 988 A.D. As a general rule, these icons strictly followed models and formulas hallowed by Byzantine art, led from the capital in Constantinople. As time passed, the Russians widened the vocabulary of types and styles far beyond anything found elsewhere in the Orthodox world.

The personal, innovative and creative traditions of Western European religious art were largely lacking in Russia before the 17th century, when Russian icon painting became strongly influenced by religious paintings and engravings from both Protestant and Catholic Europe. In the mid-1600s changes in liturgy and practice instituted by Patriarch Nikon resulted in a split in the Russian Orthodox Church. The traditionalists, the persecuted "Old Ritualists" or "Old Believers", continued the traditional stylization of icons, while the State Church modified its practice. From that time icons began to be painted not only in the traditional stylized and non-realistic mode, but also in a mixture of Russian stylization and Western European realism, and in a Western European manner very much like that of Catholic religious art of the time. These types of icons, while found primarily in Russian Orthodox churches, are also sometimes found in various sui juris rites of the Catholic Church.

Russian icons are typically paintings on wood, often small, though some in churches and monasteries may be much larger. Many religious homes in Russia have icons hanging on the wall in the krasny ugol, the "red" or "beautiful" corner.

There is a rich history and elaborate religious symbolism associated with icons. In Russian churches, the nave is typically separated from the sanctuary by an iconostasis (Russian ikonostas, иконоста&#1089, or icon-screen, a wall of icons with double doors in the centre.

Russians sometimes speak of an icon as having been "written", because in the Russian language (like Greek, but unlike English) the same word (pisat', писать in Russian) means both to paint and to write. Icons are considered to be the Gospel in paint, and therefore careful attention is paid to ensure that the Gospel is faithfully and accurately conveyed.

Icons considered miraculous were said to "appear." The "appearance" (Russian: yavlenie, явлени&#1077 of an icon is its supposedly miraculous discovery. "A true icon is one that has 'appeared', a gift from above, one opening the way to the Prototype and able to perform miracles".

Some of the most venerated and holy icons considered to be products of miraculous thaumaturge are those known by the name of the town associated with them, such as the Vladimir, the Smolensk, the Kazan and the Częstochowa images, all of Mary.

The preeminent Russian iconographer was Andrei Rublev (1360-early 15th century), who was "glorified" (officially recognized as a saint) by the Moscow Patriarchate in 1988. His most famous work is The Old Testament Trinity.


Russian Icons

Sphinx,

The problem with the Wikipedia article you posted is that it does not recognize the Ukrainian schools of Iconography, even though it mentions the baptism of Kiev-Rus.

Rus is not Russian. Also, there are the Rusyns which live in the Carpathian Mountains, who were Christians before the baptism of Kiev.

Ukrainians are not Russians. Rusyns are not Russians. They speak different languages and have distinct cultures and influences on Orthodoxy.

Galicia began to develop it's own style of iconography before Andronikov and Smolensk did.

Also, Czestochowa was from Poland. Not Russia, and is recognized by both the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church. (Both Latin Rite and Byzantine Rite Catholics venerate Our Lady of Czestochowa.)

The above article puts all of these things in one "bucket" when they deserve separate "buckets."

I am saying this not as a criticism of you, but to make you (and everyone else who reads this) aware of the differences and errors in the article.

HandmaidenOfGod said:

Sphinx,

The problem with the Wikipedia article you posted is that it does not recognize the Ukrainian schools of Iconography, even though it mentions the baptism of Kiev-Rus.

Rus is not Russian. Also, there are the Rusyns which live in the Carpathian Mountains, who were Christians before the baptism of Kiev.

Ukrainians are not Russians. Rusyns are not Russians. They speak different languages and have distinct cultures and influences on Orthodoxy.

Galicia began to develop it's own style of iconography before Andronikov and Smolensk did.

Also, Czestochowa was from Poland. Not Russia, and is recognized by both the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church. (Both Latin Rite and Byzantine Rite Catholics venerate Our Lady of Czestochowa.)

The above article puts all of these things in one "bucket" when they deserve separate "buckets."

I am saying this not as a criticism of you, but to make you (and everyone else who reads this) aware of the differences and errors in the article.

Click to expand...

If it makes you feel any better, the article is not specifically naming the Russian Schools of iconography either. It makes no mention of Novgorod School, Moscow School, Pskov school, etc.

eastcoast_bsc said:

I saw a story on a Boston Television program about a Russian Icons Museum in the Town of Clinton Massachusetts. It is the largest collection in North America. Clinton is an old small Mill Town about an hour or so outside the city of Boston.

The founder of the Museums story is fascinating. The web site is great, has many pictures of the more than 400 Russian Icons.

Museum of Russian Icons

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Mrs G. and I were thinking of taking a trip there later this summer, after the puppies are born and old enough to survive on their own without 24 hour supervision.

Michael the Iconographer said:

If it makes you feel any better, the article is not specifically naming the Russian Schools of iconography either. It makes no mention of Novgorod School, Moscow School, Pskov school, etc.

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True, but it lumps all of Slavic Iconography in one bucket (by the names of the icons mentioned) when you and I both know that there are distinctions among them.

I am not blaming Sphinx for this, but rather the ignorant person who wrote the Wikipedia article. They probably made the assumption most Americans make, in that Slavic = Russian.

eastcoast_bsc said:

You should also visit the city off Boston, it will blow you away. Plus you can visit the Holy Shrines of Fenway park (Boston Redsox) and TD BankNorth Boston Garden (Celtics, Bruins)

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Those aren't shrines. The one place in Boston I want to go other than the Icon Musuem is to tour the Boston Beer Company.

HandmaidenOfGod said:

Very cool! Thanks for sharing!

For those in the New York area, the Museum of Biblical Art will be having an exhibit beginning in June on Ukrainian Icons.

Ukrainian Icons
June 18 - September 12, 2010

Above: Virgin and Child, Monastery of the Caves, Ukraine

This exhibition from the collection of the oldest monastery in Ukraine, the Kyiv-Pecherskaya Lavra (or Monastery of the Caves) will survey the history of Ukrainian icons and their stylistic evolution over the centuries. Ukrainian icons, unlike their Russian counterparts, incorporated noted influences from western art, particularly during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The blending of East and West in their iconography and style is unique and needs to be better known in the US. Alongside icons the exhibition will display textiles, ceremonial and altar crosses, chalices and other liturgical objects. MOBIA will be the first venue in the United States.

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This is the very reason why I find Russian icons to be far superior to Ukranian icons.

HandmaidenOfGod said:

True, but it lumps all of Slavic Iconography in one bucket (by the names of the icons mentioned) when you and I both know that there are distinctions among them.

I am not blaming Sphinx for this, but rather the ignorant person who wrote the Wikipedia article. They probably made the assumption most Americans make, in that Slavic = Russian.

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Seems more to me like Ukranian hostility towards Russia than anything else.

Michael the Iconographer said:

Seems more to me like Ukranian hostility towards Russia than anything else.

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No, it is about wanting things to be labeled properly. As a person of German descent, would you want to be called an Austrian? Would you want the many contributions of the Germanic peoples throughout the centuries to be attributed to the Austro-Hungarian Empire?

Of course not, nor should you.

As a person of Ukrainian descent, I do not want to be called a Russian. Nor do I think the contributions of other Slavic peoples be called Russian. While Russia has contributed many great things to the world, so have the Poles, the Ukrainians, the Carpatho-Rusyns, and the many other ethnic groups within Eastern Europe.

It is about recognizing that there are many distinct cultures within the Slavic lands.

To an outsider, we may all look the same, but there are distinctions among us; both linguistically and culturally.

From a linguistic point of view, most Ukrainians, Rusyn's, and Poles cannot understand Russian, but usually can understand each other. Culturally there are differences in our artwork, music, food, and expressions. (I'm not even touching upon the Georgians, Bulgarians, Albanians, Serbs, and many other groups.)

In regards to Iconography, each have also made their own contributions.

It is not about hostility. I have friends who are Russian, I have attended Russian parishes, listened to Russian music, and read much about the country and its many contributions to the Orthodox faith.

However, while I hold no hostility towards them, I do not want to be counted as one of them, as I am proud of my Ukrainian ancestry, just as you are proud of your Germanic ancestry. (As you should be!)

My family is from Lviv and Galicia; my ancestors have a history of being proud Ukrainians and I am one of them.

While I am sorry that you do not appreciate Ukrainian Iconography, I posted the link for those in the New York area who may be interested in seeing icons that date back over 1000 years. Even if one were not to personally adopt these icons in their own personal icon corner, one can appreciate the history and longevity of icons that have been around so long.

I hope that clarifies any confusion on the matter.

HandmaidenOfGod said:

No, it is about wanting things to be labeled properly. As a person of German descent, would you want to be called an Austrian? Would you want the many contributions of the Germanic peoples throughout the centuries to be attributed to the Austro-Hungarian Empire?

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I have never seen that done before. Nice try.

HandmaidenOfGod said:

From a linguistic point of view, most Ukrainians, Rusyn's, and Poles cannot understand Russian, but usually can understand each other. Culturally there are differences in our artwork, music, food, and expressions. (I'm not even touching upon the Georgians, Bulgarians, Albanians, Serbs, and many other groups.)

In regards to Iconography, each have also made their own contributions.

It is not about hostility. I have friends who are Russian, I have attended Russian parishes, listened to Russian music, and read much about the country and its many contributions to the Orthodox faith.

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What have the Carpatho-Russians or Poles contributed to iconography? Anything worth while? I am thinking no.

HandmaidenOfGod said:

However, while I hold no hostility towards them, I do not want to be counted as one of them, as I am proud of my Ukrainian ancestry, just as you are proud of your Germanic ancestry. (As you should be!)

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My ancestory is not completely German, nor is it from just one area of Germany. Yes the family Goltz comes from the very most southern part of Bayern, but there is also English, Irish and a bit of Scott mixed into that family and I am not really sure what part of Germany the other side comes from. To make the equation all the more fun, I am also adopted. SO no one really knows what my national heritage is. Bottom line is, I am American. Do I like German history, sure. Does that define who I am? Absolutely not.

The article meant no slight to the slavic people by not mentioning every single little slavic ethnic group that ever wrote an icon. You are way overstating your case here.

I notice you did not even touch my other comment, Handmaiden.

Michael the Iconographer said:

I have never seen that done before. Nice try.

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Michael the Iconographer said:

What have the Carpatho-Russians or Poles contributed to iconography? Anything worth while? I am thinking no.

Click to expand...

Michael the Iconographer said:

My ancestory is not completely German, nor is it from just one area of Germany. Yes the family Goltz comes from the very most southern part of Bayern, but there is also English, Irish and a bit of Scott mixed into that family and I am not really sure what part of Germany the other side comes from. To make the equation all the more fun, I am also adopted. SO no one really knows what my national heritage is. Bottom line is, I am American. Do I like German history, sure. Does that define who I am? Absolutely not.

The article meant no slight to the slavic people by not mentioning every single little slavic ethnic group that ever wrote an icon. You are way overstating your case here.

Click to expand...

Michael the Iconographer said:

I notice you did not even touch my other comment, Handmaiden.

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Michael, you are completely missing my point here and jumping down my throat over nothing. I was trying to make a point that no one would want their ethnic heritage mislabeled. I know no one has ever mislabeled Austrian for German, but can you see my point how frustrating it would be if it were?

Your opinion on Ukrainian Iconography matters very little to me, which is why I didn't address your comment about the so-called superiority of Russian Iconography. Your opinion on what you think of me matters very little to me.

You have taken an informative thread on Icon exhibits and made it a personal argument against me. There were some inaccuracies in the article. I was merely trying to inform people of the mistakes. You accused me of harboring anger against Russia so I tried to clarify my position. Now you accuse me of overstating my case.

What you think about Ukrainian Iconography matters very little. What you think of Polish, Carpatho-Rusyn, or any other tradition of Iconography matters very little. What matters is that it is accepted by the Church and is part of Orthodox Iconographic Tradition whether you like it or not.

I hate to break it to you, but despite your screen name, you are not THE authority on Iconography here, or anywhere else, nor are you the authority on all things Russian and Slavic. We have other Iconographers in TAW, and people who are knowledgeable about Iconography even if they are not Iconographers. I am not an authority on Iconography but I am not ignorant on it either.

I want to apologize to Eastcoast_BSC for this thread being derailed. You posted a wonderful and informative link to which I am appreciative.

I am done with this thread, and contemplating being done with this forum.