Biblical scenes in painting. Biblical themes in fine art

Almost from the very beginning of humanity, it has been brought up on parables and songs that are given in the Bible. In our time, the Bible has come through many centuries, overcoming many difficulties. It was forbidden to read, destroyed, burned in fire, but it is still intact. It took eighteen centuries to create it; it was worked on by about 30 brilliant authors who lived in different years and eras, a total of 66 books of the Bible were written in different languages.

According to the school curriculum, children are required to be taught about biblical themes in the visual arts. Art in school thus introduces students to the biblical characters and stories described in the book.

Biblical scenes in painting. The great artist Rembrandt

The world's great artists have used biblical themes in fine art. Perhaps he left his mark more clearly genius artist Rembrandt. He managed to very truthfully and truly sincerely show the inexhaustible wealth of man through biblical scenes in painting. His characters are like ordinary people, contemporaries among whom the artist lived.

IN common man Rembrandt could see inner integrity, nobility and spiritual greatness. He was able to convey the most beautiful qualities of a person in a picture. His canvases are filled with genuine human passions, a clear confirmation of this is the painting “The Descent from the Cross” (1634). Famous picture- “Asshur, Haman and Esther”, written after which tells how Haman slandered the Jews before King Asshur, wanting their death penalty, and Queen Esther was able to reveal the insidious lie.

Mysterious Bruegel

In the history of art it is difficult to find a more mysterious and controversial painter than Bruegel. He did not leave behind any notes, treatises or articles about his life, nor did he paint self-portraits or portraits of his loved ones. On his canvases, biblical themes in fine art are shrouded in mystery, the characters do not have memorable faces and all the figures are devoid of individuality. In his paintings you can see the Lord and the Holy Mary, Christ and John the Baptist. The canvas “Adoration of the Magi” is as if covered with a snow-white veil. That’s why the paintings are so attractive. Looking at them, you want to solve the mystery.

Bruegel's biblical heroes are depicted among their contemporaries, they lead their everyday life on Flemish city streets and in rural areas. For example, the Savior, burdened with the weight of his cross, is lost among a multitude of ordinary people who do not even suspect that they are doing their job by looking at God.

Caravaggio's paintings

The great Caravaggio painted canvases that are striking in their unusualness; they still cause heated debate among art connoisseurs to this day. Despite the fact that during the Renaissance, festive subjects were a favorite theme for painting, Caravaggio remained true to himself and his tragic theme. On his canvases people experience terrible torment and inhuman suffering. Biblical themes in the artist’s fine art can be traced in the canvases “The Crucifixion of St. Peter,” which depicts the execution of the apostle crucified upside down on the cross, and “Entombment,” depicting folk drama.

His paintings always contain everyday life and everyday life. human life. He in every possible way despised paintings with a fictitious plot, that is, copied not from life; for him such canvases were trinkets and childish fun. I was sure that only canvases with images real life can be considered real art.

Iconography

In Rus', icon painting appeared in the 10th century, after Rus' adopted the Byzantine religion - Christianity in 988. In Byzantium at that time, iconography and subjects Old Testament in the fine arts, have turned into a strict, canonical system of image. The veneration of icons became a fundamental part of doctrine and worship.

For a couple of centuries in Rus', the only subject of painting was icon painting; through it, ordinary people became familiar with beautiful art. By depicting moments from the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary and the apostles, icon painters tried to express their individual ideas about good and evil.

Icon painters always had to adhere to strict rules, they could not depict a fictitious or fantasized plot. But at the same time, they were not deprived of the opportunity to create; they could interpret biblical scenes in fine art at their own discretion, choosing a different combination of colors. The icons of some icon painters differ from others in their special writing style.

Icons of Andrei Rublev

Often the subject of scientific debate is the identity of individual icons in Rublev’s work. The only work that Rublev accurately painted is the Trinity icon. The authorship of the others is still in doubt.

The Trinity depicts the extraordinary simplicity and “laconicity” of the biblical event. With the greatest skill, the artist highlighted precisely those details that help to recreate the representation of the event taking place - this is a mountain symbolizing the desert, the chamber of Abraham and Thanks to this icon, art that simply illustrates the Bible has turned into a cognitive one. Previously, no one dared to such a transformation of the sacred text in the picture.

Old Russian painting always strictly followed the biblical text; its initial task was to recreate the image described in the Bible and the Gospel. Rublev managed to reveal the philosophical meaning of biblical scripture.

Subjects of the New and Biblical themes in the visual arts

Scenes from the New and Old Testaments occupy one of the main places in Christian painting. When depicting biblical scenes, the artist must transfer the sacred text onto the canvas, promote understanding, enhance emotional perception and strengthen faith. Therefore, fine art and the Bible are closely related; their history has changed together.

Christian art did not easily reproduce biblical scenes. Talented artists created stunning paintings, each of which is unique, thanks to the fact that they tell a biblical story in a special way.

Initially, Christianity arose as a new doctrine in Judaism, therefore, scenes from the Old Testament prevailed in early Christian art. But then Christianity began to move away from Judaism and artists began to depict scenes from

Abraham in fine art

One of the characters that unites several faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) is Abraham. His image combines several facets:

• the ancestor of the Jews, and through the children of Hagar and Keturah - of various Arab tribes;
• the founder of Judaism, personifying the ideal of devotion to faith;
• intercessor of humanity before God and hero-warrior.

In Jewish and Christian ideas, there is the concept of “Abraham’s Bosom” - this is a special otherworldly place for the rest of the dead righteous. In paintings, Abraham is depicted sitting on his knees, with the souls of believers in the form of children sitting in his bosom or in his womb. This can be seen in the paintings “Golden Gate” and “Princely Portal”.

Sacrifice of Isaac

But the most favorite plot associated with Abraham is sacrifice.

The biblical scripture tells how God asked Abraham to burn his son Isaac to prove his loyalty. The father built an altar on Mount Moriah, and at the last moment of the sacrifice of Isaac, an angel appeared to them and stopped him. Instead of a child, a lamb was burned.

Such a dramatic episode evokes the deepest thoughts about God's justice.

Biblical themes in the visual arts have always attracted artists. Despite the fact that biblical stories are a thing of the past, painters manage to reflect the modern reality of life through them.

The plot of “Esther before Artaxerxes” reflects the biblical story, which tells how the wife of the Persian king Artaxerxes Esther, whose Jewish origin the king did not know, came to the ruler in best clothes in all the splendor of his beauty, without an invitation, to ask him not to destroy the Jewish people. The king sat on the throne and looked menacingly at his wife, who dared to appear to him without being called. Esther lost consciousness from fear, the king rushed to her and touched her with his rod, which meant her immunity and mercy from the king. When the queen told about her origins from captive Jews resettled from their homeland by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar and expressed her request for pardon for the Jewish people, Artaxerxes not only signed a decree pardoning Jews throughout the vast kingdom, but also allowed them to deal with their enemies. The Jews rejoiced and killed seventy-five thousand people, killing entire families. In memory of the feat of Esther, who saved her people, the holiday of Purim was established.

Esther before Artaxerxes.
A. P. Ryabushkin. 1887 Paper on canvas, oil. 107x221 cm
State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Inv. number: Ж-1826
Admission: In 1930 from the Academy of Arts
Art catalog

In 1887, Ryabushkin created a sketch on the biblical theme “Esther before Artaxerxes,” which “caused a sensation.” This work testified to the search for “historical accuracy in the depiction of settings and costumes”, the desire to “avoid the accepted theatricality in the development of mise-en-scenes and images.” A. Rostislavov, in his book about the artist, shared his impressions of this work, left in the Academy’s funds. He wrote: “And suddenly, a very special, whole composition of its own, vibrant, oriental bright colors, a seriously developed perspective from an originally taken point of view, a completely new, originally conceived poses of figures, without the usually conventional protrusion of the main ones to the fore. Particularly striking was the realistic figure of Artaxerxes, and the completely newly designed costumes, which had never been seen in academic sketches. Everything was drawn boldly, deftly and vividly. ... People crowded in front of the sketch, the students admired ... So much was the living pulse of a real artist beating in Ryabushkin, for whom stereotypes are unbearable and who knew how to act convincingly with his techniques.” Aksenova G.V. “Clairvoyant and lover of truth of past lives”: A.P. Ryabushkin

Esther before Artaxerxes.
Unknown artist.
Khabarovsk Art Museum
Regional collection of the Khabarovsk Territory

Esther before Artaxerxes.
Anton Pavlovich Losenko (1737-1773). Early 1760s.
gogol.ru

Tobius and Archangel Raphael

The adventures of Tobias (or Tobius) and his companion and guardian - the archangel Raphael - are told in the book of Tobit. The Book of Tobit is one of the so-called “deuterocanonical” books of the Old Testament, that is, those books that are not in the Hebrew text of the Bible, but are found in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament made in the 3rd century BC). Orthodox Church does not place them on a par with the canonical books of the Old Testament, but recognizes them as edifying and useful.

The story begins in Nineveh during the expulsion of the Jews to Assyria in the 8th century. BC, where Tobit, a devout Jew, lived with his wife Anna and their son. He cared for his fellow tribesmen who were in need, and took care of the proper burial of those who met their death at the hands of the king. For this he was brutally persecuted, his property was confiscated, and he and his family decided to flee.

One day, when he lay down to rest in the yard (that is, outside the house, since he was, according to Jewish law, “unclean”, since on that day he was burying one of the dead), sparrow droppings fell on his eyes, which caused the formation of eyesores. and he went blind. Feeling that death was near, Tobit ordered his son Tobiah to go to Media to get some money there (at one time he deposited 10 talents of silver with the Israeli Gabael, who lived in Ragah of Media).

Tobias first of all began to look for a companion for his journey and met the archangel Raphael, who agreed to accompany him. (Tobias mistook the angel for an ordinary mortal. The distinctive feature of an angel - wings - was a late Christian convention, borrowed from the ancient Roman image of the winged goddess of Victory.)

Having received the blessing of blind Tobit, the couple set out on their journey, mourned by Anna, Tobiah's mother. The young man's dog followed on their heels. Having reached the Tigris River, Tobiah went down to the water to wash himself, when suddenly a big fish who wanted to devour him. On Raphael's instructions, he grabbed her and gutted her, separating her heart, liver and bile. The Archangel explained that smoking made from its fried heart and liver drives out demons, and the bile of this fish cures thorns.

Upon arrival at his destination, Tobiah collected the money; then, on the advice of an angel, they went to a relative, whose daughter, Sarah, became Tobiah's bride. But Sarah, unfortunately, was bewitched by a demon, which had already caused the death of seven of her previous husbands. Nevertheless, the wedding of Tobias and Sarah took place, although not without fears. The demon was successfully exorcised using the liver and heart of a caught fish, which were placed in a censer and smoked. Then the couple in their bedroom offered a prayer of thanks.

When they returned to Nineveh, Tobiah used bile to restore his father's sight. The Archangel, when Tobias offered him a reward for all that he had done for him, revealed himself, and father and son fell on their knees before him. Although this story in the form in which it has come down to us dates back to the 2nd century. BC e., it includes elements of distant folklore - Assyrian and Persian. Among folk tales Europe also has those that resemble it, for example, Andersen’s “The Road Companion.” Artists illustrated most of the episodes, especially "Tobiah and the Angel" - both dressed as pilgrims and accompanied by a dog.

The "big fish" was considered a crocodile whose liver and heart were used in ancient magic as a talisman to protect against demons. When Tobiah is shown pulling out a fish, it is depicted as being no larger than a trout. The cure of Tobit's blindness is usually presented as a kind of anointing, although Rembrandt and others northern artists, who wrote after him, depict cataract surgery. This is explained by the use of the word in the Dutch Bible to refer to "whiteness" in the eyes of Tobit.

The concept of a guardian angel was common in Renaissance Italy, and the plot of Tobias was used by the family to document their son's journey; in this case, Tobias is depicted as looking like the son of a family.

The cure of Tobit's blindness was the subject of paintings commissioned by victims of the disease, hoping that their sight would be restored to them. nearyou.ru

Tobius with an angel.
Anton Pavlovich Losenko. 1759 Oil on canvas, 105x135.
, Moscow. Inventory No. 15173.
Received in 1931 from the State Russian Museum.
nearyou.ru

Return of Tobiah (Tobiah).
N. N. Ge. Between 1864 and 1867

Tobius with an angel.
Borovikovsky Vladimir Lukich (1757 - 1825). Wood, oil. 12x9 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery

Tobius and Archangel Raphael.
V.L. Borovikovsky. Wood, oil. 282 x 72
Icon. North door of the iconostasis. Not finished
Received: in 1906 from the Trinity Church at the Smolensk Cemetery (St. Petersburg)
State Russian Museum
Inv. No. Ж-3188

Catalog 138-145. Iconostasis from the chapel of St. Michael the Archangel of the Trinity Church at the Smolensk cemetery in St. Petersburg. 1824-1825.
Wooden church in the name of Life-Giving Trinity at the Smolensk cemetery in St. Petersburg was built in the first half of the 1820s on the site of a wooden church in the name of St. Archangel Michael, where previously stood wooden temple in the name of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God (1756-1792). Trinity Church had three chapels: the main one - in the name of the Holy Trinity; the second - in the name of the Holy Archangel Michael; the third (under the arches) - in the name of the Saints. martyrs Sergius and Bacchus. The icons and carvings of the iconostasis, intended by the Borovikovskys as a gift to the church under construction, were executed at the expense of the artist. The work began in 1824, but four of the six icons remained unfinished and were in his studio after the artist’s death.
http://www.tez-rus.net/ViewGood36678.html

Ruth

Ruth (Hebrew: Ruth) is the famous biblical righteous woman, after whom the “Book of Ruth” is named. Her life relates to recent years troubled period Judges. A Moabite by origin, she became attached to her husband (a Jew from Bethlehem) and after his death did not want to part with her mother-in-law Naomi (Naomi), accepted her religion and settled with her in Bethlehem. Young Ruth's righteousness and beauty were the reason that she became the wife of the noble Boaz (Boaz) and became the great-grandmother (foremother) of King David.

Ruth sitting by the tree.
Favorsky Vladimir Andreevich. Frontispiece for the book of Ruth. 1924
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
www.artsait.ru

Meeting of Ruth and Boaz.
Marc Chagall. 1957-1959
www.artsait.ru

Samson and Delilah

Samson is the hero of the Old Testament legends (Judges 13-16), endowed with unprecedented physical strength; the twelfth of the “judges of Israel,” whose strength lies in his hair. The culprit behind Samson's death is his beloved, the Philistine Delilah from the Sorek Valley. Bribed by the “lords of the Philistines,” after several unsuccessful attempts, she finally finds out his secret and cuts off the hero’s hair, depriving him of his strength.

Samson quenches his thirst from a donkey's jawbone. (Samson quenching his thirst with water flowing from the jaw with which he beat the Philistines)
Chernov Ivan Potapovich. 1800 Oil on canvas. 215 x 158.8.
Based on a biblical story.
For this painting in 1800 the artist was awarded the title of academician.
Received in 1931 from the State Russian Museum (formerly the Museum of the Academy of Arts). Inventory No. 15164.
State Tretyakov Gallery
http://www.tez-rus.net/ViewGood22172.html
Since 2011, the painting has been shown for the first time in the permanent exhibition of the Tretyakov Gallery

Samson destroys the Philistine temple.
Zavyalov Fedor Semenovich. 1836

Samson and Delilah.
Kivshenko Alexey Danilovich. 1876 ​​Oil on canvas. 145 x 199.5.
Chuvash State Art Museum, Cheboksary

Samson, bound by the Philistines after losing his hair.
P.D. Baskakov. 1849 Oil on canvas. 133 x 164
Old Testament. Book of Judges, 16, 19-20
Bottom right signature and date: P. Baskakov 1849
Received: in 1940 from the collection of Yu. E. Kulbis through the Financial Department of the Dzerzhinsky District (Leningrad). Inv. No. Ж-8659
State Russian Museum
For this painting in 1849 Baskakov received a silver medal of the first dignity. Exhibited that same year at the annual academic exhibition.

February marks the 185th anniversary of the birth of Nikolai Ge, a Russian painter and draftsman, master of historical and religious paintings. Criticism and especially the church did not always accept his interpretation of gospel subjects, too naturalistic for Russian art, but quite traditional, as the collections of the Great Collection show fine arts ASG, for Western Europe.

The future artist Nikolai Ge was born in 1831 in the family of a Voronezh landowner. Unusual surname is a derivative of Gay - the artist’s grandfather was French and emigrated to Russia at the end of the 18th century, most likely fleeing the revolution.

At three months the child was left without a mother - in the year of his birth, cholera was rampant in the central provinces of Russia. At the insistence of the father, his nanny, a serf, took over all care of the baby.

Nikolai Ge's ability to draw was discovered in high school, but not daring to disobey his father, he studied first at Kiev and then at St. Petersburg universities at the Faculty of Mathematics. However, he devoted most of his time to drawing within the walls of the Hermitage. In 1850, Ge left the university and entered the Academy of Arts, where he studied for seven years. Big Golden medal, received at the end of his studies, gave him the opportunity to travel to Europe at the expense of the Academy.

One of the main merits of Nikolai Ge, according to critics, is that he was the first among Russian artists to grasp the new realistic direction in biblical subjects. Ge worked painfully: he created option after option, rarely brought them to the end, and was never satisfied with what he had done. And the very fate of his paintings was dramatic.

In 1861, Ge began writing “The Last Supper,” and in 1863 he brought it to St. Petersburg and exhibited it at the autumn exhibition at the Academy of Arts.

Nikolay Ge
last supper. 1863
Canvas, oil. 283x382 cm.
State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

Today the painting is considered a powerful work, reflecting the specifics of the artist’s perception of the biblical myth. In a small room with high ceilings and stone walls in one of the houses in the city of Jerusalem, there is an ordinary couch on which Jesus leaned. Young John is at his feet, and the other apostles stand behind him. Gray-headed Peter (it is believed that Ge portrayed himself in him) is at the head of the table. Several more fuzzy dark figures are visible behind him. On the right, near the wall, there is a lamp that very brightly illuminates the entire figure of Peter (most of all his face), the white tablecloth of the table, the bowed head of Christ and the eyes of the apostles, filled with anxiety and confusion. The lamp itself is not visible: it is covered by the dark silhouette of Judas, whose appearance we guess, but do not see.

The composition reveals biblical symbolism: the table is illuminated with the righteous light of kindness and wisdom - an artistic personification of the community of spiritual food for the apostles. This light illuminates Christ, the confused glances of the apostles directed at Judas, and it also falls on Peter, guarding the gates of heaven. All of them are indignant and confused by Judas’s act, which obscured the light of their reason. And only Jesus is calm and sad.

The picture impressed the public strong impression. The official press saw in it “the triumph of materialism and nihilism,” and censorship prohibited the reproduction of this picture in copies. However, “The Last Supper” by Nikolai Ge was acquired by the Russian Emperor for his personal collection. The Academy awarded Nikolai Ge the title of professor, bypassing the title of academician. Ge was elected Full Member of the Imperial Academy of Arts. Thus, his work received recognition from the sophisticated metropolitan public.

Nikolai Ge does not deviate from the religious theme and from 1869 to 1880 painted the painting “Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.” He is criticized and forced to believe in his mediocrity, but after some time the author remakes the canvas, and then the critics fall silent. This painting is recognized as one of the masterpieces of the great artist.

Nikolay Ge
Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. 1880s
Canvas, oil.

Ge shows the viewer Christ, who is ready to spread his hands. He knows his purpose, but it is quite difficult for him to fully agree with it. There is very little time left before the crucifixion, Jesus is tired, and in the Garden of Gethsemane he is tormented by doubts and struggling with his fears. His robe was disheveled just like the soul of great sinners. On the savior’s face we see anxiety, but not despair. Completely alone in the dark forest, he turns to the Father and knows that he is heard and forgiven.

This canvas will long time exhibit at closed exhibitions. Both good and bad will be said about him. Nikolai Ge will understand that this is real success.

The painting "Calvary" became one of latest works Nikolai Ge and, according to critics, remained unfinished. The author tried to put a deep moral meaning into his work.

Nikolay Ge
Golgotha ​​(The picture is not finished). 1893
Canvas, oil. 222.4x191.8 cm.
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia

In the center of the picture are Christ and two thieves. Each character in the picture is endowed with his own character traits. Thus, the author conducts a dialogue with the viewer, subtly hinting at what is happening and talking about the mood of each of the characters. The Son of God is overcome by despair and wrings his hands. His eyes are closed and his head is thrown back. A criminal with his hands tied peeks out from behind Jesus. He opened his mouth slightly, and his eyes naturally widened in horror. On the right stands a young man, formerly a robber, now a martyr, who sadly turned away. The author deliberately contrasts his characters.

On the left, a despotic hand appears in the field of view, giving the signal to begin the execution. The figure of Jesus radiates hopelessness, he anticipates a long and painful death, a cross has already been laid at his feet. Nikolai Ge showed with utmost precision how Christ was betrayed and sent to a shameful execution. Everyone visual means the artist emphasizes that the Son of God was executed unjustly. The task that the author set for himself was to convey to the viewer that Christ, by his act, atoned for the sins of the entire human race and gave people a chance for salvation by sacrificing his life.

Ge was reproached for his neglect of form and abuse of contrasting colors. Perhaps this was the only technique capable of expressing the artist’s feelings. Not afraid to cross the boundaries of artistry, ignoring norms and conventions, Nikolai Ge achieved amazing results in depicting the physical and moral torment of a person, depicting them with extraordinary strength and authenticity.

In addition to Nikolai Ge, other Russian painters also turned to dramatic religious subjects, in particular Alexander Ivanov (1806-1858) and Nikolai Kramskoy (1837-1887). However, the pioneers in this iconographic direction were Western European masters. The theme of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas and the Passion of Christ in general was especially popular among old masters in the 17th century during the Baroque era, since these subjects made it possible to depict strong emotions in the paintings: suffering, pain, repentance, torment and doubt.

Thus, the Great Collection of Fine Arts ASG contains paintings by French and Flemish masters of the 17th century, with the help of which you can trace the plot chain from “Praying for the Cup in the Garden of Gethsemane” to “Christ’s Way of the Cross on Calvary.”

Many artists have taken on the plot of “The Prayer for the Cup,” solving it with varying degrees of success. Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane was painted by Andrea Mantegna (1455), Giovanni Bellini (1465-1470), El Greco (1605) and other less famous masters, in particular, Karel Savary - Flemish painter, the dates and circumstances of his life are unknown. The ASG collection contains a composition by Savary, executed on copper, where Christ is depicted praying on the night before his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Karel Savarye

Flanders, XVII century.
Copper, oil. 68.5x87 cm.
BSII ASG, inv. No. 04-2418

In the center is a kneeling Jesus. He put his hand to his chest and looks to the heavens, praying to God for salvation from the upcoming torment. With the answer, angels fly to Christ, one of whom carries in his hands a crucifix and a cup filled with suffering, which the Son of God will have to drink to the dregs. The Savior’s disciples are sleeping, and in the distance the guards and Judas are already walking.

Next in the series of tragic events follows “The Kiss of Judas” - a plot that does not leave anyone indifferent, since it is dedicated to one of the most painful themes of humanity - the betrayal of one’s neighbor. Perhaps the most famous work This subject is depicted in the world today in a fresco by Giotto (c. 1267-1337). On it Judas is dressed in a cloak yellow color, which until then was considered one of the most joyful and regal flowers. Here, by the will of the artist, a negative connotation is assigned to him. In a circle painting by the 17th-century French painter Michel Corneille the Elder (1642-1708) from the ASG collection, the traitor Judas is dressed all in black.

Michel Corneille the Elder, circle

France, approx. 1700
Canvas, oil. 38.5x47 cm.
BSII ASG, inv. No. 04-2771

In the center of the canvas is Jesus in a red robe. He obediently allows Judas to kiss him as a sign to the soldiers following him that this is the one they should take into custody. On the right side we see soldiers armed with spears and halberds, they hold raised torches and lanterns. The composition also included a plot with the cutting off of a servant’s ear (lower left corner of the canvas). It is mentioned in all four Gospels, although only John names its participants: “Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear; The servant's name was Malchus." Thus, an artist from the circle of Corneille the Elder contrasts the betrayal of Judas with the loyalty of another disciple of Christ, ready to fight for the life and freedom of his teacher.

After this identification kiss, the physical suffering of Jesus will begin, where one of the most difficult will be the Way of the Cross - the path of Christ from the house of Pilate to Mount Golgotha, where he will be crucified. During this journey, Jesus was scourged and mocked by soldiers, who crowned his head with a crown of thorns. And here we will return again to the work of the Fleming Karel Savary, who painted the painting “The Way of the Cross to Calvary”, also choosing for it a copper plaque of exactly the same size as for the “Prayer of the Cup”.

Karel Savarye

Flanders, XVII century.
Copper, oil. 68.5x87 cm.
BSII ASG, inv. No. 04-1309

Looking at this multi-figure composition, it is difficult to immediately identify the figure of Christ with his burden. Attention is drawn to the rider on a white horse, watching the progress of this sad procession, as well as the riders in metal armor following him. Christ is depicted in the center, he fell to the ground, having lost his strength. People, trying to help, support his cross, and Saint Veronica wipes the sweat from the Savior’s face with a simple towel, on which his face is miraculously imprinted. On the right is the Mother of God, mournfully watching the torment of her son and the disciple of Christ, John, supporting her. In the distance is Golgotha, to the base of which Jesus has already reached. There were a lot of people on the mountain, waiting for the martyr doomed to execution to reach them.

The theme of the Passion of Christ is eternal in fine art. Masters of different schools turned to her and historical eras. In the Great Collection of Fine Arts of the ASG there are works by other masters who devoted their works to this topic, for example, the painting “The Way of the Cross to Calvary” by the workshop of France II Franken. All this only proves the great interest of artists of all centuries and countries in moral and spiritual problems.

Svetlana BORODINA
Alina BULGAKOVA

The scene of the Annunciation is described in the Gospel of Luke: it tells that the Archangel Gabriel appeared in the house of Mary and told her that she would give birth to the Son of God from Holy Spirit OK. 1:26-38.. In fine arts different centuries Mary and the Archangel were depicted in different poses, interiors and uses various symbols. And this is not even the main thing - what is more important is how the feelings of the characters depicted in the paintings changed over time. Early Christian artists wanted to show the greatness of Mary; in medieval and Renaissance painting, the Virgin personifies humility and purity, and in the art of the Late Renaissance and Baroque, she experiences surprise and fear. Archangel Gabriel, who in the 12th-14th centuries almost stood still before Mary, later quickly flies into her house. Using the example of ten works, we find out how the perception of this subject has changed in art over the course of fifteen centuries.

Mosaic on the triumphal arch at Santa Maria Maggiore (5th century)

At the turn of the 420-430s, the Archbishop of Constantinople Nestorius taught that “only flesh can be born from the flesh” and the Son of Mary is only a man in whom the Word of God is embodied, but not God himself. In 431, the Third Ecumenical Council was held in Ephesus, declaring that Mary was the Mother of God and declaring the teachings of Nestorius to be heresy. Mary was revered before, but her cult became especially strong after the resolution of the council. Next year, work begins in Rome on the mosaics of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the first city basilicas dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The scene of the Annunciation decorates triumphal arch, and it was important for its authors to show the greatness of Mary. The Virgin is dressed like a noble girl, wears a tiara, earrings and a necklace, and is surrounded by a retinue of angels. The spindle she holds in her hands hints at Mary’s chosenness. The apocryphal Proto-Gospel of James, written in the 2nd century, says that seven girls from the family of King David (it was among his descendants that the Messiah would appear) were chosen to work on the veil of the Temple. Among them was Maria. To decide who should spin what, lots were cast. Mary received purple and crimson - the most valuable fabrics. She took her work home, where the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her.

Annunciation at the Well (second half of the 12th century)

Theologians who wrote about the Annunciation often speculated about how Mary felt at that moment, and only a few were interested in the experiences of the Archangel Gabriel. Among the latter is the 12th-century monk Jacob Kokkinovathsky, author of six homilies. Homilia- a sermon with an explanation of the passages read Holy Scripture. about the life of the Virgin Mary. Gabriel was pretty frightened by the task entrusted to him. At first he entered Mary's house unseen and was amazed by her virtue - so much so that he could not find the right words. Deciding that he would scare her less on the street than at home, Gabriel decided to wait for Maria to go get water and tell her the news at the well (alas, this did not help and Maria was still scared).

The meeting at the well is illustrated by one of the manuscript miniatures. Mary stands with her back to Gabriel. Hearing his voice, she turns her head, raising one hand in fear and holding the jug with the other. This scene is often found in Byzantine and ancient Russian art, in paintings dedicated to the Annunciation.

"Ustyug Annunciation" (1130-40s)

Creator of the “Ustyug Annunciation” The traditional name of the icon is erroneous: in the 18th century it was believed that it was brought to Moscow from Ustyug, but in fact the icon was painted in Novgorod. I used rare iconography for this plot. The Archangel and the Virgin Mary stand opposite each other. With her head bowed, Mary listens to Gabriel. At first glance, there is nothing unusual in such a composition, however, if you look closely, you can discern an image of the Infant God on Mary’s chest. This image directly says that it is with the Annunciation that the earthly life of Christ begins and it is at this moment that he becomes human in order to then perish. His impending death is symbolized by his clothing: he is wearing a loincloth, like on the Crucifixion. Jesus is depicted as a youth: this iconography It's called "Emmanuel" Isaiah's prophecy that the son of the Virgin will be named Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” (Isa. 7:14) reminded that the origin of Christ was originally divine, in contrast to the teachings of Nestorius.

At the top of the icon, on the clouds, we see the image of the Lord Old Denmi Lord Old Denmi- a symbolic iconographic image of Jesus Christ or God the Father in the image of a gray-haired old man.. This image is borrowed from the Book of the Prophet Daniel: “I saw at last that thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days sat down; His robe was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool; His throne is like a flame of fire, His wheels are like blazing fire.” Dan. 7:9. In the “Ustyug Annunciation” the Holy Spirit is also depicted: it is symbolized by a ray of light emanating from the figure of the Old Denmi.

Simone Martini. "Annunciation" (1333)

Medieval Annunciations are rarely complete without two attributes: flowers, most often lilies, standing in a vase, and a book that Mary is reading. We see these images in the late Gothic “Annunciation” Italian artist Simone Martini - to the lily the artist adds an olive branch symbolizing peace, which is handed to Mary by an angel. The fact that Mary knew how to read and knew the text of the Old Testament was mentioned by Saint Ambrose of Milan back in the 4th century. However, until the second half of the 9th century, this information did not overly impress the authors of iconography dedicated to Mary. The earliest depiction of the reading Virgin Mary that has survived dates back to the second half of the 9th century: it is a carving on an ivory casket, probably made in Metz. At the same time, just 120 kilometers from her, the monk Otfried of Weissenburg writes a poetic summary of the Gospel and for the first time mentions that at the moment of Gabriel’s appearance, Mary was reading psalms. Since then, Mary meets the archangel reading more and more often, and by the 13th century the book becomes a permanent feature of the Western European Annunciation, and the spindle belongs to the Byzantine tradition. In the same 13th century, a flower appears standing between the archangel and Mary. This symbol recalled that the Annunciation took place in the spring: “Nazareth” translated from Hebrew means “flower”. Later it turns into a lily, symbolizing not only the season, but also the purity of Mary.

Robert Campin. "Annunciation" (1420-30s)

An angel enters an ordinary burgher's house of that time. Maria is absorbed in reading and does not notice him. In a ray of light there is a figurine of Christ flying through the window. Archan-gel has not yet had time to speak to the Virgin, and Kampen seems to use this pause to show the viewer the interior of the room. There are lilies on the table, a polished bronze washbasin in the corner, a book wrapped in cloth. All this hints at Mary's purity. The newly extinguished candle probably recalls the radiance that emanated from the newborn Jesus and eclipsed the candle flame. Perhaps this is how Kampen emphasizes humanity Christ. In general, Campin’s painting is an example of how difficult it can sometimes be to decipher Dutch painting of the 15th century by choosing a specific meaning of a particular object. For example, the bench of the Mother of God, decorated with small carved lions, may symbolize the throne of Solomon, with which Mary was compared and which was also decorated with lions, and the lions themselves - Jesus. Or maybe Kampen painted the bench only because such furniture was in fashion in those years.

Piero della Francesca. "Annunciation" (1452-1466)

Piero della Francesca. Annunciation

Piero della Francesca. Lowering of Judas Cyriacus into the wellBasilica di San Francesco, Arezzo / Wikimedia Commons

The Annunciation could be an independent plot, and part of a cycle dedicated to the Mother of God, and the first scene in the depiction of the life of Christ. In Piero della Francesca, the Annunciation unexpectedly becomes part of the story of the discovery of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Mary and the angel are placed in a classical architectural space (in Renaissance painting it replaces conventional images of buildings in Gothic and Byzantine art). The tiers of the building divide the composition into two registers: earthly, in which the angel addresses Mary, and heavenly, with the image of God the Father.

The laconic composition is almost devoid of details, so the rope hanging from the beam by the window attracts attention. On the one hand, this symbol recalls the instruments of passion Instruments of Passion- instruments of the martyrdom of Jesus Christ., on the other hand, with the help of this image, Della Francesca connects the Annunciation with the scene of the torture of Judas Cyriacus, which is depicted in the upper register. According to apocryphal legend, in the 4th century, the Roman Empress Helen, mother of Constantine the Great, who made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire, initiated excavations in Jerusalem to find the cross on which Jesus was crucified. The Jews refused to help Helen in her search, and then she ordered one of them, Judas, to be put in a dried up well. A few days later, Judas began to beg for his release and promised to help him find the cross. Rescued from the well, he prayed to God - and saw the place where the cross was: so he believed in Christ. However, the devil appeared to him and accused him of betraying him, unlike Judas Iscariot. The rope on the beam reminds us of Iscariot and the rope with which he hanged himself. The empty loop, which was not useful to the believing and saved Judas Cyriacus, indicates the salvation that follows the coming of Jesus into the world.

Annunciation with Unicorn (1480-1500)

The Middle Ages spoke of many fantastic beasts and attributed amazing traits to real animals. Theologians found parallels between the descriptions of some animals and events from the life of Jesus: for example, the sacrifice, Eucharist and resurrection were symbolized by a pelican feeding its chicks with its own blood, and a lion, which was born dead and came to life on the third day from the breath of a lioness. Another symbol of Christ was the unicorn, which only an immaculate virgin could catch. In the 15th-16th centuries, the plot of hunting a unicorn became popular - especially in Germany. Corresponding illustrations appear in manuscripts and engravings, on altars, tapestries and tableware.

Mary, depicted on the wing of the altar, sits in the garden. Gabriel drives the unicorn towards her. The Archangel is accompanied by four dogs, symbolizing the virtues: truth, mercy, peace and justice. Images of unicorn hunts often turned into naive enumerations of what the Virgin Mary symbolizes: a locked garden, an enclosed well A locked garden and a locked well- images of the bride from the Song of Songs, which in the Middle Ages was considered a prototype of Mary., burning bush Burning bush- a bush on Mount Sinai from which God spoke to Moses. The burning but not burnt bush symbolized the purity of Mary., fleece of Gideon According to the Old Testament, Gideon, one of the judges of Israel, was convinced that the Lord had chosen him when the fleece he left overnight remained dry the next morning, although the whole earth around was wet with dew, and the next morning, on the contrary , lay wet on dry ground., closed gates Closed Gate- an image from the vision of the prophet Ezekiel, also considered an anticipation of the Annunciation. The Lord had to pass through these gates. and Aaron's rod Aaron's rod miraculously blossomed overnight - in this story they saw an allusion to the birth of the Savior from a virgin.. The secular nature of the scene displeased the church, and in 1545 at the Council of Trent similar images were prohibited.

Jacopo Tintoretto. "Annunciation" (1576-1581)

In most depictions of the Annunciation, Mary is calm. She is not afraid at the sight of the archangel and humbly accepts the role assigned to her. Tintoretto's Annunciation is alarming and chaotic. The picture was painted in dark colors, Gabriel bursts into the house, accompanied by a whirlwind of putti Putto(lat. putus - “ a little boy") - winged boy.; the dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, swoops down sharply, and Mary recoils in fear. There are no flowers or garden here, and the house resembles ruins: twigs of straw are coming out of the chair, boards and Joseph’s carpenter’s tools are carelessly piled behind the door. Behind the chair we see an old manger. To increase the tension, Tintoretto uses sharp perspective and a strange angle: the viewer seems to be looking at everything that is happening from above. The dynamic composition, jerky movements and contrasting lighting anticipate the painting of the Baroque era, which preferred intense, dynamic, emotional scenes to the restrained Annunciations of previous centuries.

Alexander Ivanov. "Annunciation" (1850)

Archangel Gabriel was sent from heaven to earth to inform Mary of her destiny. Belonging of Mary and Gabriel to different worlds the artist emphasizes by depicting them on different scales. The Archangel is not just taller than Mary - their figures are incommensurate with each other. At the same time, they are combined compositionally: the angel’s hand falls into the circle of radiance emanating from Mary.

Ivanov's Annunciation is unexpectedly monumental - especially considering that it is watercolor on paper. At the end of the 1840s, the artist conceived a series of paintings on biblical subjects, and this watercolor sketch was supposed to subsequently become a fresco (but it never did). At this time, Ivanov was reading the book of the German theologian David Strauss, “The Life of Jesus.” Strauss believed that gospel miracles were mythologized legends, often based on Old Testament stories, and drew parallels between Old and New Testament stories. That is why Ivanov was going to write next to the scene of the Annunciation the appearance of the Trinity to Abraham.

Bill Viola. "Cheer" (1995)

Addressing eternal stories, contemporary artists often think about their place in art history. Modern American artist Bill Viola, in his video work, quotes not the gospel story at all, but the painting “The Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth,” painted in 1529 by the Italian artist Jacopo Pontormo. We are talking here, however, not about the Annunciation itself, but about the plot that follows it - the meeting of Mary with Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Having learned from Gabriel that her elderly relative Elizabeth is also pregnant, Mary goes to her. Elizabeth immediately understands that Mary will give birth to the Son of God, and thus becomes the first person to know about the coming birth of Jesus.

Early Netherlandish Painting.

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And now the lyrics

Works of art based on biblical themes have been created over the past two millennia. The gallery of artistic images that has emerged during this time conveys the complex, spiritually rich world of Holy Scripture that inspired the artists, and allows us to trace not only the change in directions and styles of fine art, but above all the worldview of people different eras, their perception of man and the world around him. This volume contains only a small part of the works of fine art (more than 2700 reproductions) illustrating the Old and New Testament in painting, engraving, book miniatures, mosaics and frescoes from the first centuries of our era to the beginning of the 20th century.
The second commandment prohibits the creation of any images (“You shall not make for yourself any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth...” Ex. 20:4). In one of those historical periods when this commandment was interpreted less harshly - as a ban on the production of statues (idols) and other three-dimensional images, the first works on subjects of Sacred history were created in Jewish art. At the turn of our era in Alexandria, Egypt, a series of illustrations to the Septuagint was developed ( Greek translation Bible). Although these illustrations have not survived to the present day, their influence can be seen in the depiction of scenes from the Old Testament, both in the wall paintings of the Roman catacombs and in Byzantine book miniatures. For a long time the existence of the Alexandrian cycle remained unproven until the ruins of a synagogue at Dura Europos in Mesopotamia were discovered in 1931. The paintings on the western wall, dating back to about 244 AD, represent the main scenes of the Old Testament: the sacrifice of Abraham, the finding of Moses, the Exodus, the anointing of David as king, the triumph of Mordecai, the vision of Ezekiel, etc. Painted panels from Dura-Europos helped researchers confirm the connection between various monuments that compositionally reproduced scenes from the Alexandrian cycle. Traces of the influence of Septuagint illustrations are also noticeable in biblical scenes depicted on the mosaic floors of synagogues of the 6th century AD. e. in Palestine and northern Africa(for example, the scene of the sacrifice of Abraham from the synagogue at Beit Alfa).

The origin of the Christian visual tradition dates back to the 2nd-7th centuries AD. e., when paintings were created in the Roman catacombs (multi-tiered underground labyrinth galleries). During the era of persecution of Christians, the catacombs were used to bury the most revered members of the community, and were also a place for meetings and religious ceremonies. The scenes of the catacombs are covered with paintings in which there are images of characters and scenes from the Old Testament (Moses cutting out water from a rock, Adam and Eve, etc.), but New Testament scenes predominate, as well as symbolic and allegorical images of Christ in the form of fish, the Good Shepherd, etc. etc. Here is also the first image of the Mother of God known to us.

After Christianity was recognized as the state religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century AD. differences are gradually emerging between Western and eastern churches(separation christian church into Catholic (Western) and Orthodox (Eastern) actually happened in 1054). Two different approaches to depicting sacred history are emerging. In Byzantium, a canon was developed and consolidated: the “true”, miraculously revealed images of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God became the originals from which lists were made. Arises special system conventional methods of reproducing reality: a flat image is placed on an abstract (often “golden”) background, the choice of landscape elements is subordinated to identifying the symbolic or narrative meaning of the composition, but not to the task of conveying nature.

In the West in the Middle Ages, the Church became the main customer for works of fine art. Wall paintings of temples, mosaics, sculptures are created, and book illustrations are becoming widespread. In early medieval Western book miniatures one can notice the influence of both Byzantine models (the Gospel of Otto) and the traditions of Roman miniatures (the Gospel of Charlemagne). At this time, a handwritten book was a luxury that few could afford. For the largely illiterate population, the illustrated book was the temple itself. But already on the eve of the Renaissance, in the 15th century, it appears the new kind art - engraving - much cheaper and more accessible. Printed graphics remained the most democratic form of art until the 20th century. Initially, most of the printed publications illustrated with engravings were books of religious content, and in easel engravings such masters as Dürer, Rembrandt and many others turned to biblical subjects. Complete the tradition book illustrations to the Bible in this collection of engravings by Gustave Doré, who combined in his work a romantic interpretation of subjects with bold spatial constructions and dramatic lighting effects.

In the Western Church, starting from the late Middle Ages, there has been a gradual abandonment of the established types of images; Along with religious painting, secular painting appears. If in the Middle Ages the only customer was the church, then in the Renaissance the same artists carry out both church and secular orders. The very name of the new period in the development of Western European art - Renaissance - means a return to ancient culture and aesthetics. Artistic principles new art is becoming the volume of depicted figures, the three-dimensionality of space. The characters in paintings and frescoes are depicted not as generalized images, but as contemporaries of the artist, for whom poor people often pose. When depicting the heroes of the Old and New Testaments, masters admire their physical beauty - masculine strength and power (Michelangelo) or gentle femininity (Leonardo da Vinci).

The events of Sacred history become paintings by Caravaggio and Tintoretto with scenes from modern life, and the Baroque era introduces into them elements of sensual beauty, an interest in decoration and decoration, nuances and details. The work of Rembrandt stands apart from other masters of this period, in whose works on biblical subjects the depth of feeling and concentration of emotional sensations are conveyed to a minimum artistic means("The Return of the Prodigal Son")

The Reformation and the Age of Enlightenment supplanted religious themes in art to the background. There is a gradual shift away from the depiction of the heroes of Sacred history in contemporary artist clothes and surroundings. Masters of classicism, romanticism, and then realism strive for historically accurate reproduction of interiors, clothing and landscapes, traveling to Palestine (such as Tissot) to sketch from life.

Interest in biblical, and primarily evangelical, subjects is being revived among the Pre-Raphaelites, a group of English artists who set themselves the goal of liberation from academic conventions and a return to the tradition of sincerity and “naive religiosity.” early Renaissance. Sensual beauty, stylization and decorativeness in the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites are filled with a mystical and ecstatic religious experience (“Beate Beatrix” by Rossetti), and the events of the Sacred History are played out in a detailed everyday setting (“The Carpenter’s Workshop” [Jesus in the Parental Home] by Millet).

Symbolists, in search of a dream, a mysterious and sensual Idea, also turn to religious subjects. The image of Salome becomes one of the most frequent motifs, for example, in Gustave Moreau’s painting “The Vision” (Dance of Salome), the sensuality of the dancer, the mysterious and exotic setting are combined with a realistic rendering of the bleeding head of John the Baptist, creating a fantastic atmosphere that is different from traditional interpretations of this plot .

Ancient Rus', with the adoption of Christianity, also borrowed the icon-painting tradition. Secular painting first appeared only in the 17th century, and by the time of the reign of Peter I, two movements were identified: traditionalist, supported by the clergy, and secular. In the 18th century, the range of book samples expanded, the opportunity to study abroad appeared, which led to the gradual development of Western tradition, paintings on religious themes appear. K. Bryullov, G. Semiradsky, A. Ivanov, N. Gyo, I. Kramskoy, V. Vereshchagin and many other artists of the 19th century turned to gospel subjects.

The Old Testament, with a wide variety of subjects, is represented by fewer illustrations. The most popular episodes and characters in this section are Adam and Eve, Moses and the exodus from Egypt, Judith. In the New Testament, artists were attracted primarily by events from the life of the Mother of God and Jesus Christ (see Nativity, Baptism, etc.), less often by the acts of the apostles (see Apostles, Stephen) and the Apocalypse.

Landscape depicting Jacob's dream: angelic ladder reaching to heaven
(Gen. 28:10-16)

Artist: Willmann, Michael Lucas Leopold
Date of creation: around 1691
Size: 87 x 106 cm
Material, technique: canvas
Location: Breslau, Museum of Fine Arts (until 1945)
Style, era: Baroque
Country: Germany

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