Russian painting of the XIV century. Painting and architecture in the XIV-XVI centuries in Russia Literature Russian fine arts 14-16 centuries
Dionysius_
Painting of the XIV-XVI centuries.
In painting, there was a complex process of merging local schools into an all-Russian one. There is not only a rethinking of local characteristics, but also an orientation towards modern Byzantine painting that does not always coincide with the canonical samples. One of the earliest monuments of monumental painting are frescoes cathedral Snetogorsk monastery v Pskov (1313 ). One of the artists who had a huge impact on the development of Russian icon painting was Theophanes the Greek, who worked in Russia in the beginning of the 15th century.
Theophanes the Greek. Transfiguration of Jesus Christ before the disciples on Mount Tabor. C. 1403
At the turn of the XIV-XV centuries. in Moscow, a Russian national school of painting, there was a flourishing of fine arts- a kind of "Pre-Renaissance", which did not develop into a revival, unlike Italy and other countries of Western Europe in the Renaissance. Domestic icon painters appeared, among whom stood out Andrey Rublev... Outstanding phenomenon in Old Russian art presents the work of the master Ambrose, who worked in Trinity-Sergiev monastery.
Andrey Rublev. Icon
In his work, like Andrei Rublev, the antique tradition... In the late XV-early XVI centuries. the icon painting school is taking shape Dionysius... After the ruling Stoglava Cathedral FV-MY 1551 icon painting was regulated, the organization of workshops began to train icon painters in canonical writing. In the icon painting of the 16th century. comes the expansion of paintings that become illustrations lives of saints, parables, chants. Painting of the Golden Chamber of Moscow the Kremlin (1547-1552 ) along with biblical stories is devoted to the events of the Russian stories.
Folding icon. Master Ambrose. 1456. Fragment
In painting, the official "Godunov" school and the "Stroganov" school (Stefan Arefiev, Emelyan Moskvitin, Fedor and Istoma Savins, Procopius Chirin). (Fine detailing, sophistication of drawing, signed icons were inherent in the Stroganov school).
Benefits Byzantine Empire Ancient Russia Lives of Saints Icon
Review of the main achievements of Russian culture and painting of the XIV century.
The article will reveal the most significant events in Russian culture and give an overview of the leading achievements of the XIV century, which have become the property of a national scale.
Literary creativity.
This time is distinguished by an increase in interest in both oral and written styles. Such genres of Russian culture of the XIV century as epistles, chronicles, teachings, and lives are experiencing the greatest flowering. The theme of the liberation of Russia from the conquerors is gaining great popularity (the most striking works are "The Lay of the Death of the Russian Land" and "The Life of Alexander Nevsky"). The prerequisites began to form for the creation of educational (the alphabet of Stephen of Perm, "The Legend of the Holy Places in Constantinople" by Vasily Kalika), moral ("Izmaragd", "Teachings" of Metropolitan Peter, "Teachings to the Spiritual Children" by Metropolitan Theognost), biographical ("The Life of Theodore Yaroslavsky "," The Life of Sophia Yaroslavna of Tverskaya ") examples of the narrative.The translation business also flourished. Outstanding works of Serbian, Bulgarian, Byzantine religious leaders were translated into Russian and actively disseminated. Of particular interest are the translations of the Chudovian list of the New Testament, the apocrypha about Macarius of Rome and Abraham, "The Six Days" and "The Words of John of Thessalonica about the repose of the Mother of God."
Architecture.
Serious changes in the social and political life of Russia led to noticeable changes in the architectural appearance of many cities (for example, Moscow, Suzdal, Vladimir, Zvenigorod). The origins, laid back in the pre-Mongol era, gradually migrated to the Moscow and Suzdal architectural schools.The most notable monuments of that time are the Assumption Cathedrals in Zvenigorod and Moscow, the Church of Fyodor Stratilat, the Annunciation Cathedral in Pskov. They are distinguished by the massive use of white stone, the lightness and elegance of the external appearance (the style of architects A. Fioravanti, M. Ruffo and P. Solari), the participation of famous masters in the interior decoration (painting by Dionisy, Palekh school of the Belousovs).
Painting.
The renewal of close ties with Byzantium gave impetus to a new stage in the development of the most diverse forms of painting. The era of the "golden age" has come in Russian fine arts (especially icon painting). She grew up on the foundation of the traditions of the Rostov and Tver lands. Innovative ideas were introduced by the Moscow school of icon painting, founded by the metropolitans of All Russia.Initially, the works clearly traced the Paleologian Renaissance. This can be seen in such details as the mosaic technique of creation, calm, measured plots, subtle images, great attention to small details. All drawn characters are distinguished by flexibility of limbs, graceful proportions, unity of composition and images.
Under Metropolitan Maxim, one of the outstanding monuments of Russian culture was made - the icon of the Mother of God Maximovskaya in human height. You can see the amazing picturesqueness and depth of the images of the Theotokos and Jesus Christ.
No less interesting is the shoulder-mounted image of Christ the Savior, now kept in the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. It laconically combines Byzantine (glancing light of the face) and Russian (precision of forms, openness of the image) features.
There is also a wonderful work "Savior the Bright Eye". It traces the tension of the face of Christ, his serious look, directed at all people, at their life and behavior, their sins.
Conservative features prevail in Novgorod painting of that time. They are based on the identity and originality of local craftsmen. Somewhat later, the activities of the clergy introduced the icon painters to the Byzantine traditions.
According to the new canons, the image of George the Victorious was made, endowed with confidence and strength. It is endowed with expressive volume, vivid sculptural content. The same features can be seen in the work "The Appearance of Christ to Myrrh-Bearing Wives."
Archbishop Vasily of Novgorod actively invited painters from Greece, they contributed a lot to the formation of new views on the basics of icon painting. Boris and Gleb look quite majestic and solemn in one of the works.
Pskov art developed with the acquisition of managerial independence by the region. With her, painting acquired many independent characteristics. For the first time in history, they began to create frescoes (applying paint on wet plaster). A considerable number of monuments of ancient Russian culture of the XIV century appeared in the Snetogorsk monastery. They are distinguished by the elaboration of every detail, the spiritual influence of books, the ideas of theology.
Moscow made a special contribution to the development of the culture of Rus. It is in this city that the most talented artists (both domestic and foreign) are concentrated. Theophanes the Greek is considered one of the brightest representatives of that time. His most outstanding works are "The Dormition of the Mother of God", "Tenderness", "The Transfiguration of the Lord." With a poor color scheme and simple drawing technique, each icon is bright and expressive in its own way.
For more than one year, all prominent art critics have separately singled out the work of Andrei Rublev, a native of Moscow lands. He, like no one else, was able to show in his works all the power of faith, the Russian spirit, the greatness of morality and beauty in man. Andrei Rublev painted frescoes for the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral, the Andronikov Monastery. In the Assumption Cathedral, the most revealing work is The Last Judgment. The artist portrayed the traditionally harsh scene of punishment with a bright triumph of justice, restoration of honor and dignity.
Domestic and world cultural studies have long recognized the XIV century as key for the development of various areas of culture. Scientists explain its rise by the influence of the baptism of Rus, the wide spread of religiosity, the ideas of the unity of the people, the success of economic development and the victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, the active formation of the institution of the principality.
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general characteristics
Works of Russian painting of the first half of the XIV century. form a variegated picture. This impression depends not only on the insufficient preservation of the monuments, but also reflects the historical reality. If at the end of the XIII century. Russian culture was just beginning to come to its senses after the deep shock caused by the Tatar invasion, then in the first half of the XIV century. she wakes up, comes to life.
The significance of the period under review is not limited only by the very fact of the revival of artistic activity in Russia. The restoration of the Byzantine Empire in 1261, with the capital in Constantinople, affected the life of the Balkan peoples, including the South Slavic countries, but did not affect Russia. Thrown out in the XIII century. from the context of the Byzantine cultural circle, which with difficulty and only partially retained its long-standing, historically established ties with the Byzantine world, Russia for a long time remained on the sidelines of the general movement, on the far edge of the Orthodox community, the Byzantine community. And only in the XIV century. she fully returns to the family of Orthodox peoples, acquiring an exceptionally important role in it in the second half of the century.
At the turn of the century and especially in the first third of the XIV century. a powerful stylistic wave comes to Russian painting, reflecting a very special development and comprehension of the antiquated "heavy style" of Byzantine painting of the previous period, the middle - the second half of the 13th century, which is represented in Byzantium by frescoes of Sopochan and Boyana, the Church of the Holy Apostles in Pech and the Mother of God Perivepte in Ohrid. The mighty images, born of the reawakened interest of Byzantine painting in the ancient heritage, the expressiveness of the sculptural, massive forms, the integrity of the spiritual life of the characters depicted, the scale of the emotional characteristics attracted Russian artists. In this art, they could not help but see a commonality with their own artistic heritage, with the heroic images of Russian painting of the 13th century, and at the same time they could not help but be carried away by the plasticity of volume, which was new for them, and the liveliness of color reflexes. This art, captivating with its energy and breadth of sound, was closer to Russian culture than the refined painting of the representatives of the Paleologian Renaissance, and therefore it was precisely it that gained popularity in various Russian centers in the first third of the 14th century. At the same time, on each of the surviving Russian works of a new type, one can see a kind of national imprint - in the structure of the composition and drawing, bright color, more open expression of the face.
The main cultural areas of Russia are located during this period only in the north of the former territory of the Kiev state. There are three main regions: North-Eastern Russia, which in turn includes several art centers, both old (Vladimir and Rostov) and new (Tver and Moscow), as well as Novgorod and Pskov. In different regions of Russia, the artistic process has its own common features and its own local characteristics.
Monuments to Vladimir and Rostov
Mother of God Maximovskaya. Around 1299-1305 From the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir
The ascension of the prophet Elijah. End of XIII - first third of XIV century. Moscow, collection of V.A. Logvinenko Still very restrained, new stylistic features are manifested in the icon “The Mother of God of Maksimovskaya. The difference between the icon and Russian works of the 13th century.
Saved. First third of the XIV century Assumption Cathedral of Moscow consists in the volumetric figure of the Mother of God, the severity of the large draperies of her clothes. Thanks to the narrow board, the volume and size of the forms becomes especially noticeable, but the elongated and slender figure of the Mother of God evokes associations with much earlier works.
The icon "Spas" is much more closely connected with the new style. The image is distinguished by the monumentality of the composition and the generalized, enlarged nature of the relief. The legacy of the Byzantine art of the late 13th century. affects the massiveness of the forms, in their increased significance, a kind of "pressure". However, the style partly reflects the Constantinople culture of the Palaeologus period, i.e. early XIV century, which affects the sliding highlights, smooth cut-off transitions and thin lines of the golden assist on the clothes. The stamp of local Russian art is noticeable in the unusual interpretation of the relief of the face. It is ordered in a special way, even schematic in individual elements, looks faceted or chiseled. The Russian heritage is also evident in the wide, albeit largely lost crosshair of the nimbus, with large ornamentation. The most important difference of the icon is the combination of concentrated detachment with the openness of the image.
The most vividly and consistently new art is embodied in the icon "The Ascension of the Prophet Elijah." There is no documentary evidence of its origin, but the coloristic features suggest that the icon was created in Rostov. The work amazes with the exceptional coherence of the action, the beauty of the angles, the plasticity of the figures and the expressiveness of the gestures.
The Ascension of Elijah contains many allusions to the images of antiquity, as well as to the works of Byzantine painting of the second half - the end of the 13th century. However, the new artistic impressions used by the icon painter were accumulated by him within the framework of the Russian tradition. This is reflected primarily in the laconicism and geometric structure of the composition, with its round fiery cloud, in the revealed diagonals and accentuated angular images, in the retaining meaning of large, locally colored planes - a round cinnabar cloud against a bright blue background of the sky, as well as in faces filled with deep feeling.
Murom and Ryazan
Our Lady of Hodegetria. End of the XIII first third of the XIV century. Ryazan Museum 
St. Nicholas. End of XIII first half of XIV century From Nikolo Embankment Church in Murom In its own way, the new art was perceived more restrainedly in two centers of the Prioksky region, to the south of Rostov - in Murom and Ryazan. Perhaps, the icons originating from there were executed by Rostov artists or under their influence.
Master of the icon "St. Nikola ”uses the new possibilities of the style in a different way, he preserves the strict frontality and symmetry of the composition and even emphasizes these signs, placing the blessing hand strictly along the central axis of the icon and fixing the upper corners with large and bright medallions with inscriptions. But the face in the Murom icon acquires a sculpturality, bulge, almost lumpiness, inconceivable for an earlier time, and its expression is a shade of sorrow and compassion.
"Our Lady of Hodegetria" is performed more gently, in the interpretation of the mournful face of the Mother of God there is a delicate restraint. The individual features of the Ryazan icon are the thin and smooth modeling of the rounded face of the Mother of God, the unusual drawing of Her sad eyes with slightly lowered outer corners.
Icons from the northern regions of the Rostov diocese
The new style, with an emphasized volumetric interpretation of heavy forms, is spreading through Rostov in the northern possessions of the Rostov diocese.
"Our Lady of Podkubenskaya" - an unusually light, grayish, almost white face of the Mother of God, its large features and memorable curved outlines of the eyes, a mournful expression
Our Lady of Tenderness Podkubenskaya. First third of the XIV century Vologda Museum 
Descent into Hell. First third of the XIV century From the Chukhchenem churchyard on the Northern Dvina. State Tretyakov Gallery which is emphasized by wide and dark under-eye shadows.
The Descent into Hell icon is distinguished by heavy figures, massive features of faces, roundness of outlines. Instead of the subtle rhythms used in the painting of large Russian centers, the composition of the northern icon is based on the juxtaposition of large masses and their symmetry. The expressiveness of the icon is created by the attentive views of the participants and eyewitnesses of the miracle and, most importantly, by the dialogue between Christ and Adam, by the convergence of their views, which make this provincial icon a prominent phenomenon in the history of Russian culture. The color scheme - a combination of blue and pink, bright yellow and cinnabar - is characteristic of the artistic tradition of Rostov.
Rostov and Tver
Book illustration also takes new paths, as evidenced by both of the best manuscripts of North-Eastern Russia.
The two original miniatures of the Fedorov Gospel, with their flexible figures similar to antique statues and a variety of angles, have little in common with the frozen characters of Russian manuscripts of the second half of the 13th century. From the former, in their artistic language, only an increased brightness of color and, more importantly, the special significance of the image, its heroic beginning and inner pressure are preserved.
The second most important monument of Russian handwritten illustration, in which the Russian tradition has absorbed the techniques of Byzantine painting of the second half - the end of the XIII century, are illustrations to the list of the Chronicle of George Amartol. On the spread, two large frontispiece miniatures are placed opposite each other.
Both contain numerous signs of similarity with Byzantine, and partly with Russian art of the late 13th century. In the first miniature, these are imposing figures, massive rounded draperies of the Savior's clothes. The rounded, volumetric sculpted face of Christ, with large features, has a calm, slightly mournful expression. The architectural background is still flat, but it already differs from the backgrounds in Komnenian art by the ease of outlines and composition.
In the second miniature, it is a calm, three-dimensional interpreted figure of the monk George, his spatially rendered pose. The peculiarity of this miniature is the predominance of the entourage, and not the dominance of the figure: abundant, albeit flatly interpreted architectural structures. Both compositions are imposing and calm, organically combine the legacy of Russian art of the 13th century, solemn and stately, with motives of Byzantine painting of the late 13th century.
Evangelist John the Theologian and Prokhor. Miniature of the Fedorov Gospel. First third of the XIV century (1320s). Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve
Monk George, composing the Chronicle. Miniature of the Chronicle of George Amartol
St. Theodore Stratilates. Miniature of the Fedorov Gospel. First third of the XIV century (1320s). Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve
Savior on the throne, with the upcoming Tver prince Mikhail Yaroslavich and his mother, Princess Oksinia. Miniature of the Chronicle of George Amartol. First third of the XIV century RSL
Novgorod
Apostle Peter (_) and an unknown saint. Folding triptych doors. First third of the XIV century Stockholm, National Museum 
St. George. Detail of the icon. Painting of the first third of the XIV century. on icon XII from the Novgorod St. George Monastery. State Tretyakov Gallery The development of Novgorod painting in the first half of the XIV century. coincided according to the general scheme with the picture in Moscow and in North-Eastern Russia. First, isolated works appear, testifying to the renewal of Russian-Byzantine contacts. Then whole groups of Byzantine painters are invited. An artistic layer is emerging, where the local and Byzantine are intertwined, where Paleologic motives receive a very special local interpretation. At the same time, there is an archaic, folk art.
However, in its general character and in the details of its development, Novgorod painting turns out to be deeply unique. It retains a heroic tone, high intensity of emotions, strength and activity of influence.
Among the Novgorod works of the first third of the XIV century. there are vivid examples of new, Byzantinizing art. One of them is the face of St. George in the large icon of the 12th century. from the Yuryev Monastery, renovated in the XIV century. Having preserved the drawing of the figure, the master of the XIV century. rewrote the face. He used the layers of the original painting only as a lower, basic tone, on top of which he so laid a bright pinkish carnation and bleached light reflections that the face of the young saint acquired volume, as if it had come to life under gliding rays of light and received an expression of concentrated, strong-willed determination.
In the first third of the XIV century. two icons of the "popular" artistic layer were also painted, with figures on one of them - the Apostle Peter or the Godfather Joachim, and on the other - the unknown saint (or Anna?). The motionless figures are painted in the traditions of Russian painting of the 13th century, while the faces, with their expression of thoughtfulness and gliding spots of light, reveal the influence of a new culture.
The same "incrustation" of the new style into the traditional structure is contained in the miniatures of the Psalter of the Khludov collection. In the first, the explanatory inscription says that “David the king composes the Psalter” (that is, composes its text), and in the other - that he “writes” the Psalter, that is, writes down the text. The miniatures are built flat and symmetrically, with bright colors, and differ from the works of XIII in only the mobility of the poses, the dryness of ethereal figures, the play of stylized lines and the sharpness of the contours.
Before two usual weekend miniatures there is one more - "The Appearance of Christ to the Myrrh-Bearing Wives." This miniature was painted by another master. If symmetrical,
"David the king writes the Psalms." Miniature of the Novgorod Khludov Psalter. Second quarter of the XIV century State Historical Museum, Khlud. 3 
"David the king composes a Psalter." Miniature of the Novgorod Khludov Psalter. Second quarter of the XIV century State Historical Museum, Khlud. 3 
The Appearance of Christ to Myrrh-Bearing Wives. Miniature of the Novgorod Khludov Psalter planar composition, frozen figures of myrrh-bearers, bright color planes make it akin to other illustrations of the codex, then the figure of Christ is given in a freer and more harmonious pose. The main innovation is in the interpretation of the face of the Savior, with a finely graded relief, medium-sized features, glancing light and a wealth of shades of life.
Around 1341, images of the twelve feasts were executed on three long horizontal boards for the iconostasis of St. Sophia, where they were located above the architrave, between two central pillars. Many features are defined by the Paleologian style: a variety of compositional rhythms, variations in silhouettes, spatiality of compositions, foreshortenings of figures and buildings, rich colors with an abundance of reflexes and transitional shades. However, these icons are characterized by density and rigidity of form, unusual for Byzantine works, arising from thick low-transparent colors, long contours of shadows and highlights on clothes and other techniques. A feature of the Sofia holidays is also in the emphasis on the overall impression of the composition, with an insignificant role of the faces.
New techniques, mastered by Novgorod masters and providing their compositions with a wealth of perspectives, spaciousness, and a variety of solutions, gained popularity in Novgorod. It is they who are easily recognized in the miniatures of the Novgorod Gospel of the State Historical Museum, Khlud. 30, where the form is characterized so actively that every figure, building, furniture looks like a lump of mass, filled with inner tension and surrounded by invisible radiance, radiation of energy.
Descent into Hell, Ascension, Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, Dormition of the Mother of God. Icon from the festive row of the iconostasis of St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod. Around 1341 Novgorod Museum.
The compositions of these miniatures are accurately reproduced on the copper, with "gold picking" Royal Doors depicting the "Annunciation" and four evangelists. Products in the technique of "gold-laying", similar to graphics or engravings of the New Age, became extremely popular in Novgorod in the second quarter of the 14th century. In Novgorod, this technique was also used mainly for gates, both iconostasis and temple. Of several, judging by the late descriptions, the copper gates of the Novgorod Sophia Cathedral have survived only one, ordered by Archbishop Vasily in 1336.
Against the background of various experiences of Novgorod art, which is mastering new Byzantine traditions, the fresco in the altar apse of the "Services of the Holy Fathers" looks lonely. At the throne, on which there are chalice and air, there are two angels in deacon's vestments, with ripids, which they gently hold with their fingertips. Behind the angels are Saints John Chrysostom and Basil the Great, who are holding unfolded scrolls with texts from liturgical services. Slender figures, beautiful and concentrated faces of angels, vaguely reminiscent of the types of the Palaeologus Renaissance
The grassroots, folk cultural layer was strong in Novgorod. During the first half of the XIV century. here icons are created that are completely unaffected by new trends. Simple geometrized forms, brightly colored planes, expressive gestures of angular figures. This archaic art has no traces of the ancient tradition. The fixed figures in this type of icons resemble wooden sculptures dating back to the pre-Christian tradition. Among the icons of the "folk" layer, the most common are images of individual saints or their groups, sometimes surrounded by scenes of their lives and deeds.
Art of the folk type did not define in the XIV century. people of Novgorod culture, but it held a strong position and became, as it were, a bearer of tradition, retained all the strength of Novgorod creativity, which had manifested itself so vividly in the previous century. Having lived up to the 15th century, it merged there with the Palaeologic tradition, combining its straightforward persuasiveness with its flexibility and sophistication.
Evangelist Luke. Miniature of the Novgorod Khludovsky Gospel. 1330s - 1340s
St. Nicholas, with a life. First half of the XIV century from the graveyard Ozerovo, Leningrad region. Timing
Miracle of George about the serpent, with a life. First half of the XIV century From the collection of M.P. Pogodin
Evangelist Luke. Detail of the Royal Doors depicting the Annunciation and the four evangelists. Gold tip on copper. 1330s -1340s From the collection of N.P. Likhachev. Timing
Rostov
The painting of Rostov, despite the loss of this city's leading cultural role in North-Eastern Russia, continued to give birth to bright and outstanding works in which the increased provinciality of the form was redeemed by the sincerity and effectiveness of the image.
The Tolgskaya Mother of God differs in iconography from the two previous icons from the same monastery: The baby does not rise in the arms of the Mother of God. A rare feature of this icon is the pink Himation of Christ, which forms large curly folds and, most importantly, is laid between the touching cheeks of the Mother of God and Christ, thanks to which the symbolism of the Himation is emphasized, reminding in its color of the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. The origins of the icon's style lend themselves to a clear definition: this is the icon painting of Rostov, with its dense texture, pinkish carnation, bright blush on the cheeks. The exaggerated wide silhouette of the Mother of God, mournful faces, a combination of dark blue and coral pink with a silver background - all this creates the effect of alarming tension.
The so-called Orsha Gospel was written and decorated with ornaments in the second half of the 13th century, and on the sheets for miniatures that remained free, the images were executed later - approximately in the second quarter of the 14th century. The figures of the Evangelists retain their kinship with the images of the 13th century, but the detailed contours, sweeping needle-like spaces, sharp and tense looks clearly indicate a later, "Paleologian" time when these compositions were created.
Our Lady of Tenderness Tolgskaya ("Tolgskaya Third"). First half - mid-14th century Timing
Evangelist Luke. Miniature of the Orsha Gospel. Second quarter of the XIV century
Rostov North
Savior Not Made by Hands. Middle - third quarter (second half) of the XIV century. 
Savior Not Made by Hands; Christ is in the grave. First half of the XIV century From the Knyazhostrov churchyard on the Northern Dvina. Arkhangelsk Museum of Fine Arts Icons from northern villages and small monasteries, which were under the ecclesiastical and cultural influence of Rostov, and partly from Moscow, create another layer, the most peculiar. In art from about the second quarter to the middle of the XIV century. there is a polarization of artistic features, a fundamental difference is formed between the art of the center and the painting of the periphery.
In the style of northern icons, one can see the dependence on the traditions of large centers, coupled with their special interpretation: sincerity, spontaneity, touchingness atone for the simplification of artistic techniques. The icons are distinguished by the relatively frequent use of blue shades, as well as the softening of the image. Nordic artists loved clear, geometric compositions in which the contours acquire the severity of heraldry.
These are the icons “Savior Not Made by Hands; Christ in the Tomb "and" Savior Not Made by Hands "of the middle - second half of the XIV century. The face of Christ and the strands of His hair are drawn and modeled with perfect symmetry. This gives the image strength and firmness, without interfering with its radiance, glow, almost gentleness of the look.
The primitive icon of the northern Rostov tradition “The Mother of God enthroned, with the forthcoming Sts. Nicholas and Clement ”, with angels in the upper corners, in terms of iconography goes back to the Byzantine images of the Mother of God on the throne, often created in the 13th century. The figure of the Mother of God in the Vologda icon is narrow-shouldered, large-headed, archaic, reminiscent of wooden figures from peasant pre-Christian art. Conceptual richness arises from the interpretation of the figure of Christ. Its significance is underlined
Descent into Hell. Second quarter - mid-14th century From the village of Peltasy, Vologda Oblast. Moscow, collection of V.A. Logvinenko 
The Mother of God with the Child on the throne, with the forthcoming Sts. Nicola and Clement. XIV century. From the Church of the Archangel Gabriel in Vologda. Vologda Museum frontal pose, and scarlet himation. It is the semantic center of the composition, the Mother of God worships Him, whose figure serves as a throne for Christ. The prayer gestures of both hierarchs are also addressed to Him.
Vologda masters took many of the techniques of Rostov artists and exaggerated them. The artists gave a geometric hardness to faces that began to resemble masks, and emphasized the three main elements of the color scheme - bright yellow, blue and red.
In the icons from the northern regions of the Rostov diocese, as is often the case in provincial art, there are rare iconographic variants that have not been preserved in large centers. Such is the icon "Descent into Hell", which below depicts a scene of the struggle of angels with Satan (his figure was on a cut-off part of the board), Beelzebub and the personification of Death (all three of these figures with corresponding inscriptions were well preserved on a replica of this icon, performed a little later in XIV century). The main part of the composition contains a unique group of six Old Testament foremothers, led by Eve. This iconographic feature became widespread in the icons of the Russian North, emphasizing the special vitality of female images that are popular in folk culture.
Pskov
Pskov already at the end of the XIII century. and especially in the first half of the XIV century. culturally, it turned out to be isolated from Novgorod. Pskov turns out to be quite culturally closed. This factor largely predetermined the originality of the Pskov culture, the development of which had its own logic and did not always coincide with the sequence of general Byzantine artistic processes. Erected in the first half of the XIV century. churches are oriented towards local samples, and painting develops in an extremely peculiar way. Revealing an undoubted resemblance to some works of the Byzantine circle of the 13th-14th centuries, Pskov painting of this period demonstrates the spontaneous strength and originality of Pskov culture, fueled by local artistic traditions, which have been vigorously formed since the end of the 13th century.
The Mother of God with the Child. Fresco of the altar conch of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk monastery near Pskov. 1313 BC 
Ascension of the Lord. Fresco of the dome of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk monastery near Pskov. 1313 g The first monument of Russian monumental painting, created in the XIV century, turns out to be the murals of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk Monastery.
The key elements of the painting demonstrate the appeal to the samples of the 12th century, when complex dogmatic-narrative plots prevailed in decorative programs. Such a domed "Ascension", which is dominated by the huge figure of Christ, seated on a rainbow and carried by six angels.
The conch represents the throne Mother of God with the Child and two worshiping archangels. The pose of the Mother of God is unique: with her left hand She holds the young Christ sitting on Her knee, and with her right hand she took up to the side in a pointing gesture, which is directed to the vault of the altar, where Christ was depicted in glory, in the guise in which He appeared to the Old Testament prophets - in white robes, sitting on a cherubic throne, surrounded by four creatures - symbols of the evangelists. Thus, the Mother of God, pointing at Him with her hand, with a slightly straightforward simplicity characteristic of Pskov art, seems to say: the God of the Old Testament theophanies, who appeared to the prophets in the guise of a formidable Judge, has now been embodied in the image of the Infant who is coming to save humanity. The upper zone of the domed cross is reserved for traditional subjects.
However, the main theme of the murals in the main volume is the glorification of the Mother of God, to whom the temple is dedicated.
The accentuated illustrativeness of painting, its programmatic narrative and literary quality, manifested in the paintings of the Snetogorsk Monastery, will henceforth become an integral feature of the Pskov artistic culture. In the Snetogorsk paintings, for the first time, the originality of the artistic language of Pskov was clearly manifested, which, once formulated, will remain unchanged until the end of the 16th century.
An artel worked in the Snetogorsk monastery, which was headed by a leading master, who determined the artistic appearance of the ensemble. The master refuses complex color schemes or careful plastic elaborations inherent in the painting of the Palaeologus era. However, we are not at all oversimplified primitive. Snetogorsk frescoes paradoxically combine a certain naivety and heightened emotionality, virtuosity of performance and deliberate restriction of artistic techniques.
The individuality of the master of Snetogorsk paintings is largely brought up on the local artistic tradition. His drawing recognizes the smoothness of the outlines, the refusal to detail, the large-scale significance of large forms, characteristic of the Pskov icons of the late 13th century. An unprecedented inner power is guessed behind the roundness of the outlines in the Snetogorsk frescoes.
Almost the main feature of the Snetogorsk paintings is their color, built on a combination of dark close tones - dark purple and violet, red and brown ocher, olive green, against which bright spots look like light yellow halos, small blotches of cinnabar, abundant white pearls , highlighting folds and, as a rule, numerous accompanying inscriptions.
Pskov icon fund of the first half - mid-14th century. few. The Mother of God Odigitria is an icon created at the end of the 13th century, but revealing undeniable parallels with the art of Snetogorsk frescoes. In the images of Our Lady of Hodegetria, it is extremely difficult to capture the local mood. The artist thinks in general categories, equally characteristic of the art of different regions. Nevertheless, one can note the strengthening of the constructive principle in the writing of the folds of clothes, and especially in the painting of the faces of the Virgin and the Child. This constructive certainty in the construction of the image will remain an integral feature of Pskov painting in subsequent centuries.
Apocalyptic beasts from The Vision of the Prophet Daniel. Fresco of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk Monastery near Pskov. 1313 g
Introduction to the Temple. Fresco of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk Monastery near Pskov. 1313 BC
Resurrection of Lazarus. Fresco of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk Monastery near Pskov. 1313 g
Moses denouncing the Jews. Fresco of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk Monastery near Pskov. 1313 g
Among several Pskov icons of the first half - the middle of the XIV century, stylistically close to the paintings of the Snetogorsk Cathedral is "Baptism". The icon is made in a characteristic restrained brownish color, where the background is not traditional gold or ocher, but silver, which gives the painting a gray tint. As in the frescoes, the figures of the angels combine an impulse of movement and a monumental static, which is emphasized by their repetitive poses. Their faces have large, plastically expressive features, while the nude figure of Christ is painted in an emphatically dry manner. If in the frescoes of the Snetogorsk Cathedral we see the process of artistic search, then the icon "Baptism" represents the next, more stable stage in the development of Pskov painting, when the forms of expressive language acquire a stable framework.
Angel from "Ascension". Fresco of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk Monastery near Pskov. 1313 g
Paradise. Fresco of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk Monastery near Pskov. 1313 g
Descent of the Holy Spirit. Fresco of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Snetogorsk Monastery near Pskov. 1313 g
The other two icons are Deesis and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker ", created in the middle of the XIV century. or a little later, they come from the Pskov church of St. Nicholas "from the skin" and represent a different side of the Pskov icon painting. They are often combined into a single stylistic group, although in the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, you can see the signs of art from the second half of the XIV century, while "Deesis" is more addressed to the examples of the past. Both icons are imbued with the spirit of retrospectivism and the signs of ancient images are clearly visible in them. The use of an abundant and large golden assist, which forms a powerful relief of figures, is more characteristic of painting at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries. The saints on both icons are distinguished by a special modulus of proportions with broad-shouldered elongated figures. It is noteworthy that such retrospectivism with a slight touch of conservatism will remain a characteristic feature of the Pskov art of subsequent centuries. The surviving Pskov works of the first half - the middle of the XIV century. testify to the richness of shades in local art, among which there is the spontaneous power of the Snetogorsk frescoes, and the refined Byzantinism of some icons.
Our Lady of Hodegetria. Detail. The beginning of the XIV century. Pskov Museum-Reserve
Deesis. Mid-14th century From the Church of St. Nicholas from Kozh in Pskov. Timing
Baptism. Second quarter - mid-14th century From the Church of the Assumption from Paromenia in Pskov.
St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. XIV century. From the Church of St. Nicholas from Kozh in Pskov. State Tretyakov Gallery
In contact with
The future artist Andrei Rublev was born around 1360. His whole life was connected with Moscow. He took monastic tonsure early and became a staunch follower of the Monk Sergius of Ra-Donezh. The abbot's precepts - self-denial, active love for people, constant spiritual communion with God - became the guiding lines for the artist.
Dionysius's brush is distinguished by some special refinement and refinement. His saints float in the air, caught by an invisible power. This sensation is enhanced by the color scheme, which is dominated by light, delicate tones.
The famous master Dionysius usually worked with several assistants who perfectly mastered the master of their teacher's writing. Therefore, it is often very difficult to distinguish the icons of Dionysius himself from the works of his students.
Painting of the Ferapontov Monastery
The history of the Ferapontov Monastery is amazing. This quiet abode seemed to have slept for five centuries away from the main roads. It was almost never rebuilt, and most importantly, the ancient ro-list was not touched or "renovated". Thanks to this unique combination of circumstances, the frescoes of Dionysius have survived to this day in their pristine beauty. Entering the temple, a person seemed to be living in paradise, where he was surrounded by beautiful ethereal visions.
Icons of Dionysius
In addition to the Ferapont paintings, Dionysius also owns several magnificent icons - "The Mother of God Odigitria", "Mi-tololite Alexei".
Pictures (photos, drawings)
Boris and Gleb. Icon of the beginning of the XIV century.
Saved. Icon of Andrei Rublev (presumably)
Trinity. Icon of Andrei Rublev. Fragment
Fresco by Andrei Rublev in the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir
Fresco of Theophanes the Greek in the Church of the Savior on Ilyin Street in Novgorod
Our Lady of Hodegetria. Icon of the XIV century, according to legend, which belonged to Sergius of Radonezh
Hanging shroud. Moscow. End of the 15th century The transfer of the icon of the Mother of God in the presence of Ivan III, Vasily Ivanovich, Dmitry Ivanovich Grandson, Sophia Paleologue is depicted
From the middle of the XIV century. the revival of cities and crafts begins, trade revives. "Of all the periods in the history of Russian culture, it is the 14th-15th centuries that are especially important. It was then," notes Academician DS Likhachev, "that the interrupted process of creating a unified state and the revival of culture are being restored." The construction of new structures (temples, residences and fortresses) stimulated the revival of painting.
XIV century. - the time of the brilliant heyday of the Novgorod monumental painting. At this time, Novgorod had already established its own local painting school. In addition, at the end of the century, local craftsmen experienced the influence of the great Byzantine Theophanes the Greek. In the XIV century. fresco painting is formed compositionally, spatially, a landscape is introduced, the psychologism of the image is enhanced. These innovations were especially manifested in the famous Novgorod frescoes of the Church of St. Theodore Stratilates on the Stream (1360) and the Church of the Assumption on the Volotovo Field (c. 1363; destroyed during the Great Patriotic War).
Fresco art owes its flourishing to such masters as Theophanes the Greek, Andrei Rublev, Dionisy.
Theophanes the Greek, a remarkable Byzantine painter, arrived in Novgorod by special invitation (c. 1340-1410). (All subjects of the Byzantine rulers in Russia were called "Greeks", regardless of nationality.) Theophanes the Greek painted more than forty churches outside Russia in Chalcedon, Galata and Cafe (Asia Minor and Crimea) before his appearance in Novgorod, and worked in Moscow. But only the only reliable example of the great master's work has survived - the frescoes of the Novgorod Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyin Street, executed in 1378 Theophanes' worldview was formed in the 50-60s. XIV century, when a deep renewal of spiritual life took place in Byzantium on the basis of the doctrine of Divine illumination. According to this teaching, one God radiates Divine energy, or light, deifying the human soul. A person can communicate with God through ascetic prayer and spiritual concentration.
Trying to express these ideas with artistic and figurative means in the picturesque ensemble of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, Theophanes the Greek even changed the traditional system of painting the temple. In the image of Pantokrator (Almighty), which is placed in the dome of the temple, the master emphasized the enormous Divine power. It comes from the powerful figure, face and gaze of Christ. Light circles, depicted in the form of white lines, scatter from his eyes. The energy radiated by Christ, as it were, fills and permeates the entire space of the temple, creating a tense mystical atmosphere, a sense of the threat. Sharp rays of light flash on the hands, faces and robes of sacred characters immersed in silent prayer. Theophanes understood this silence not as passive expectation. On the contrary, he believed that the contemplation of the Divine light requires from a person huge spiritual tension, the denial of the soul from everything carnal, earthly. In the outwardly harsh and closed images of Theophan's prophets and forefathers, a powerful spiritual impulse is hidden. It embraces the pillar monks, who, in the highest aspiration to God, ascended the pillars (columns) to offer a lonely prayer. Hesychasts called the pillars "the earthly form of angels" and considered them the highest ideal of holiness. The harsh, ascetic spirit of the fresco ensemble is emphasized by restrained colors: pale purple, light yellow and gray-green tones are subordinated to a dramatic red-brown tone.
Psychastic ideas and pictorial style of Theophanes the Greek had many supporters and admirers among his students and Novgorod masters. This is evidenced by the fresco paintings of the Novgorod churches of the Assumption on the Volotovo field (c. 1363) and St. Theodore Stratilates on the Brook (the last third of the 14th century).
In Moscow, Theophanes the Greek, together with Simeon Cherny, paints the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin (1395-1396) with the Lazarus side-altar, the Archangel Cathedral in the Kremlin (1399), together with Elder Prokhor from Gorodets and Andrei Rublev - the Annunciation Cathedral in the Kremlin (1405). For the iconostasis of this cathedral, he used boards more than two meters high. (Until recently, the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral (more precisely, the Deesis tier) was considered the most reliable work of Theophanes the Greek in Moscow. However, now this point of view is disputed.) The art of Theophanes the Greek determined the development of Moscow painting in these years.
Fresco painting of the period under review influenced icon painting. Various trends in icon painting are developing in the Novgorod Republic - from the "archaic", influenced by the folklore basis, to the "Grecophile", which reproduces the peculiarities of Byzantine art. The Novgorod school of icon painting is characterized by the laconicism and simplicity of the compositional solution, the accuracy of the drawing of strong stocky figures depicted on the plane, a clean colorful palette, clarity in the interpretation of plots, and a sobriety of outlook. The saints on most of the icons are depicted in full growth, their faces are stern. A connection with pagan times is felt: Saint Nicholas ("Nikola") - the patron saint of travelers and carpenters, a defender from fire; the prophet Elijah, pouring rain on the earth; Paraskeva Friday is the patroness of trade.
From the end of the XIV century. the icon becomes the main type of fine art in the Novgorod Republic. In the XV century. icons appear in which something like a posthumous portrait is created. As an example, let's call the icon Praying Novgorodians (1467). In the upper tier there is a seven-figure deesis, in the second - the dead members of the family of the Novgorod boyar Antip Kuzmin, who are waiting for Christ, praying for their sins, who ordered the icon.
In the XV century. Novgorodians, defending their independence from Moscow, turn to the Novgorod history of the early centuries. The icon "The Battle of Novgorodians with the Suzdal People" (or "Miracle from the Icon" Sign ") depicts the victory of the Novgorodians over the Suzdal people in 1169. This icon is also multi-tiered: the upper tier shows the transfer of the" Sign "icon from the Church of the Savior to the Sofia side to the Kremlin ; on average, envoys from the Suzdal people go to meet for negotiations with the Novgorodians who have left the city gates, but the Suzdal people cunningly send arrows, some of them fall into the icon. In the lower, third, tier, the moment is depicted when the outcome of the battle was already a foregone conclusion, and the ranks of the Suzdalites wavered under the onslaught of the Novgorodians: the army leaves the city gates, at the head of which the holy warriors Boris, Gleb, George the Victorious and Dmitry Solunsky (according to one of the versions of the legend, they were sent by the Mother of God to help the Novgorodians). The cavalry is led into battle not only by these saints - they are also helped by an angel with a sword raised over the enemy.
We observe the fusion of the Byzantine and Slavic heritage in the works of the greatest masters of the era of the Moscow state - Andrey Rublev (about 1360-1430) and Dionysius (c. 1440 - c. 1505).
The chronicle data on the life and work of Andrei Rublev are very laconic: neither the exact date, nor the place of birth, nor the detailed biography of the artist are known. According to one version, Andrei's nickname is associated with the village of Rublevo, which was located on the Moskva River not far from the capital. On the other, his career began in the Tver city of Staritsa. It is also assumed that until the age of forty Rublev, still a worldly painter, worked in the workshop of the grand ducal court. Later he became a monk of the Trinity monastery, and then of the Spaso-Andronikov monastery in Moscow, where he was buried.
Andrei Rublev was ordered to paint the most important churches of Moscow Russia. In 1405, together with Theophanes the Greek and Prokhor from Gorodets, Andrei Rublev painted the interior of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin (a strong fire in 1547 destroyed this painting). In 1408, together with Daniil Cherny, he restored the painting of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, which had suffered from the Mongol-Tatars. In the 20s. XV century Rublev with Daniel and other artists in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery decorated the Trinity Cathedral, erected on the burial place of St. Sergius of Radonezh, one of the most revered Russian saints.
The admiration and recognition of his contemporaries was aroused not so much by Rublev's outstanding pictorial talent, as by his amazing ability to open to the human gaze the invisible world of Divine beauty, woven of pure colors, light and prayer silence. The thunderous atmosphere of Theophan's painting, saturated with a mystical impulse, is alien to the work of Andrei Rublev, as well as the regal grandeur of the ancient Byzantine images. He put into his works all the warmth and sincerity of religious feelings, heartfelt lyricism and sincerity.
In the frescoes of the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral, the monumental painting "The Second and Terrible Coming of Christ" unfolds, where dramatic scenes and fantastic visions tell about the latest events in the history of mankind. In Rublev's understanding, the Last Judgment is the final triumph of good over evil. The "fiery eye" of Christ casts down sinners into "fiery hell" - the eternal hellfire, but it grants salvation and opens the heavenly gates to the righteous. The idea of the triumph of the Divine order found expression in a balanced and harmonious composition. All her scenes are directed to the image of Christ surrounded by the highest heavenly powers ("Savior in Strength"). According to Rublev's plan, the solemn scene of the trial, where, according to tradition, the apostles sitting on their thrones and the host of angels behind them are represented, should not frighten, but encourage the believer, instilling in him confidence in a just judgment. Therefore, the enlightened faces of the apostles are full of soft kindness and mercy, and angels with bowed heads quietly grieve about the transitory fate of the world.
His most famous icon-painting work, perfect in execution, is icon "Trinity" (stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery). It was written, for a long time, for the iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral in Sergiev Posad in the first quarter of the 15th century. However, documents that have survived to this day testify that the icon was presented to the monastery by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century. And the "Trinity" fell into the hands of the tsar, obviously, after the Moscow fire of 1547. Initially, the "Trinity" was part of the iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral in Zvenigorod. The very theme of "Trinity" was understood by many Russian people, following Sergius of Radonezh, as a theme of national unity.
Taking the Byzantine iconographic scheme of the composition as a basis (the scene of the well-known Old Testament plot of the reception and treating by Elder Abraham and his wife Sarah to three mysterious pilgrims, in the image of whom the Triune God appeared to the biblical patriarch near the oak forest), Rublev subjected it to rethinking and created something completely new. Rublev focused the action around three angels talking in front of meal (Greek "table", "food"; here is a table for eating), in the center of which rises a bowl with the head of a calf - a symbol of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. In this icon, Eternity itself appears before man, for the pilgrims do not communicate with Abraham, but, as it were, are in a silent conversation. Before them is not a banquet table, but a sacred meal, not fruits and bread, but a chalice of communion. This is the love and harmony of the three, which are one, seen in the artist's mind's eye. Almost the only one among the painters of the Middle Ages Rublev managed to solve an almost insoluble creative task - to show Trinity as a Trinity. As a rule, this theological thesis baffled Eastern and Western painters, who either focused their attention on God the Son - Christ, then depicted all three angels in exactly the same way. Rublev achieved success by going not along the path of direct illustration of dogma, but along the path of its artistic interpretation and experience. Rublyov's three angels are one, not because they are identical, but primarily because they are connected by a single rhythm, movement in a circle, or circular movement. This is the first thing that immediately and imperiously captures when contemplating Rublev's "Trinity". The inner gaze of the viewer involuntarily fixes a circle on Rublev's icon, although in reality it does not exist. It is formed by the postures, movements of angels, the correlation of their figures.
The motive of the circular movement is a means of artistic expression of the unity of angels, and the master emphasizes the individuality of each figure with a pose, gesture, position in the iconic space, and finally with color. The left angel is dressed in blue according to the rules of iconography chiton (wide, flowing shirt) and lilac-pink himation (outerwear made from a piece of fabric that was thrown over the shoulder); the right one - in a blue chiton and light green himation; medium - in a cherry tunic with a gold longitudinal stripe (clav) and blue himation. Cherry and blue are the traditional colors of Christ's clothes, the image of which is depicted as such in the center of the belt rank and therefore is habitually associated with the central character of the Trinity. On Rublev's icon, the theme of the middle angel - Christ - is inextricably linked with the theme of the cup, which appears several times in the composition, gradually intensifying. The cup is formed by the foot lines. The bowl is shaped by the meal (on which there is a real bowl), limited by the outlines of the bent legs of the extreme angels. Finally, when the viewer's gaze, sliding along the silhouettes of the lateral figures, turns to comprehending other values, the image of a large bowl appears again, in which the middle angel - Christ is immersed. The cup symbolizes the atoning sacrifice of Christ for the entire human race. This theme is embodied by comparing the real bowl at the meal with the one that is seen
"rational eyes" due to the arrangement of the figures and disappears as soon as the attention of the beholder returns to the objects of the material, material world.
The icon with rare artistic power expresses the humanistic idea of harmony and love for mankind, a generalized ideal of moral perfection and holiness is given. Spiritual purity, clarity, expressiveness, golden color, uniform rhythm of lines with great power embody the idea of the highest harmony.
It has also survived to this day iconostasis in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery (1424-1426), which Andrei Rublev painted with his students. His brushes belong to the images of Paul and Michael the Archangel. At the end of his life, Andrei Rublev painted the cathedral in the Andronikov monastery.
The most prominent representative of the ruble movement in the art of the second half of the 15th - early 16th centuries. was Dionysius (c. 1440-1505). He came from a noble family and belonged to the laity. In the family of Dionysius, as in the families of many other artists of that time, icon painting became a hereditary profession. In his views, Dionysius was close to Joseph Volotsky, who was the spiritual head of the trend that stood for the rich and politically influential church. This was manifested in the love for festive and festive art, festive and decorative, corresponding to the magnificent ceremoniality of the church rite, in the crowded compositions of Dionysius. The heroes created by Dionysius are characterized by exaggerated lengthening of proportions, slowness and softness of movements. This is how the artist understood the image of a spiritualized human flesh.
In the 70s. XV century Dionysius created murals and icons in the Cathedral of the Pafnutevo-Borovsky Monastery near Moscow. Together with a group of artists, he painted the Assumption Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. These murals have survived in fragments. Their plots - images of martyrs who died for the faith, reflect the idea of defending the Fatherland. Later, Dionysius worked at the Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery, in the last years of his life, together with his sons Vladimir and Theodosius, he painted the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin of the Ferapont Monastery in the Belozersk Territory (1500-1503). His works - icons and frescoes - are marked by refined patterns, exquisite colors, lush decorativeness, they are distinguished by festivity and elegance, and bright joy.
Excellent examples of the work of Dionysius the icon painter are "Our Lady of Hodegetria" from the local row of the iconostasis of the Feropontov monastery and "Crucifixion" from the Pavlovo-Obnorsky monastery. The iconography of the Crucifixion goes back to the composition of the Trinity iconostasis. The body of Christ is smoothly curved, slender arms dangling. A group of women with a dark silhouette of Mary stretched out in the center is a slender "choir" whose rhythmic orientation and sonority of flowers leave a strong impression.
As a follower of Rublev, Dionysius, as an outstanding and original master, found his own path and place in ancient Russian art. He is not so inherent in Rublev's subordination of composition to circular rhythms; he also lacks that attentive attitude to the human face, that love for his image, which are so characteristic of Rublev. The characters of Dionysius seem to be less dependent on the features of the compositional plane, there is something standard in the faces. The master introduced a lot of new things into the understanding of color, which none of the Russian artists was so rich and varied. The influence of Dionysius' work on ancient Russian art was enormous and can be traced back to the middle of the 16th century.
The range of painting topics is gradually expanding, interest in non-church subjects, especially historical ones, is growing. The genre of the historical portrait has developed, although the depiction of real faces is still conditional. Interesting in this regard painting of the gallery of the Annunciation Cathedral (1563-1564). Along with the traditional images of saints and Moscow princes, portraits of Byzantine emperors and "ancient sages" appear: Homer in Russian dress, Virgil in a mantle and wide-brimmed hat, Plutarch, Aristotle, etc. Painting of the late 15th-16th centuries. characterized by a growing interest in real historical figures and events. The same motives are beginning to penetrate into other types of culture.
