Pictures about the church of famous artists. Orthodox painting art

The Bible is a unique book that appeals to the hearts of people in all languages ​​of the world. The Gospel also speaks in the language of art. Orthodox paintings by Russian artists prove that the Bible speaks to us not only by the Word, but also by visual images.

Orthodox paintings

Orthodox paintings and orthodox painting have found inspiration in the Bible for centuries. Plots from the Holy Scriptures, events of the Old and New Testaments came to life on canvases. We decided to acquaint readers with the spiritual heritage of great artists who embodied the plots of the great Book. Orthodox paintings they painted at all times in oil and coal, on canvases and on the walls of secluded cells.

Our contemporary Elena Cherkasova- painter. Her Orthodox paintings, based on the subjects of their Bible, already take their place in the world history of painting.

He led the artist to Orthodox paintings spiritual crisis, as art critics write. After coming to the faith, Elena Cherkasova planned to take up icon painting. But in the end I came to my own language of conversation with people who come to faith through art. Her “naive” and at the same time profound paintings became an example of deep self-denial and objectivity.

Marriage in Cana

This painting is a sermon that conveys events in the form of a story about biblical heroes and their actions.

Elena Cherkasova's painting cannot be called classical, Elena managed to create a new classic. It does not attempt to copy the traditional school of icon painting, but this gives Orthodox paintings contemporary artists the ability to create new things using their spiritual experience and imagination.

On July 16, on the eve of the day of remembrance of the Holy Royal Martyrs, the People's Artist of Russia, a parishioner of the Church of All Saints of the Alekseevsky stavropegial, departed to the Lord nunnery Pavel Ryzhenko.

Paul himself wrote about himself:

“Every person, especially a Russian, is drawn in the depths and secrets of his heart to the light - to Christ. Faith in Christ came to me very late, but, believing, I wanted to run after Him, hoping someday to get closer to this light. It is difficult for me to write about this, there are no words to clearly state my thoughts, but about people who are gone and alive, who are carriers of faith and spirit Russian Empire, I must say. And say on canvas, because it is my duty to the great truth of Russia. The debt of an incompletely broken inhabitant of the metropolis, who through the outlines of modern houses, through the smog of the Third Ring, sees how these strict and loving faces of our ancestors appear again and again, shedding their sweat and blood for Christ and for each of us.
Approaching the boundary of my life, the boundary that the great Pushkin could not cross, at whom many stopped, I ask myself the question of questions: who did I serve? To whom, not what, and in general, what is art?
I hope that my paintings will awaken the genetic memory of my contemporaries, pride in my Fatherland, and perhaps help the viewer find the only correct path for himself. And then - I will be happy with my duty. " (pavel-ryzhenko.rf)

His paintings were loved by believers and secular people. Paul himself is remembered by everyone as a person great power Spirit and faith.

October 18 is the day of memory of the outstanding Russian Orthodox artist Mikhail Nesterov. Mikhail Nesterov died in 1942. The artist came to faith after the loss of his beloved wife. He was one of the founders of the "Union of Russian Artists", preserved in his paintings the best traditions of the Russian Church and Orthodox painting.

Orthodox paintings by these artists allow us to reveal a little more the mystery of the Bible.

10 major pieces of ecclesiastical art: murals, icons and mosaics

Prepared by Irina Yazykova

1. Roman catacombs

Early christian art

Until the beginning of the 4th century, Christianity in the Roman Empire was persecuted, and Christians often used the catacombs for their meetings - the underground cemeteries of the Romans - in which in the 2nd century they buried their dead. Here, on the relics of the martyrs, they performed the main Christian sacrament - the Eucharist. Eucharist(Greek "thanksgiving") is a sacrament in which the true Body and true Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is taught to the believer under the guise of bread and wine., as evidenced by the images on the walls of the catacombs. The first communities, consisting of Jews, were far from the fine arts, but as the apostolic preaching spread, more and more pagans joined the Church, for whom the images were familiar and understandable. In kata combas, we can trace how Christian art was born.

In total, there are over 60 catacombs in Rome, their length is about 170 kilometers. But only a few are available today Catacombs of Priscilla, Callista, Domitilla, Peter and Marcellinus, Commodilla, kata-comba on Via Latina and others.... These underground mustache-burial vaults are galleries or corridors, within the walls of which there are tombs in the form of niches covered with slabs. Sometimes the corridors expand, forming halls - cubicles with niches for sarcophagi. On the walls and vaults of these halls, on the slabs, paintings and inscriptions have been preserved. The range of images - from primitive graffiti to complex subject and decorative compositions, similar to the Pompeian frescoes.

Early Christian art is imbued with deep symbolism. The most common symbols are a fish, an anchor, a ship, a vine, a lamb, a basket of bread, a phoenix, and others. For example, fish was perceived as a symbol of baptism and the Eucharist. One of the earliest images of a fish and a basket of bread we find in the Callistus catacombs dates back to the 2nd century. Fish also symbolized Christ himself, since the Greek word ichtyus (fish) was read by the early Christians as an acronym in which the letters unfold into the phrase “Jesus Christ the Son of God Savior” (Ἰησοὺς Χριστὸς Θεoς ῾Υιὸς Σωτήρ).

Fish and a basket of bread. A fresco from the Callista Catacombs. 2nd century Wikimedia Commons

The Good Shepherd. Fresco from the catacombs of Domitilla. III century Wikimedia Commons

Jesus Christ. A fresco from the Commodilla Catacombs. End of the 4th century Wikimedia Commons

Orpheus. Fresco from the catacombs of Domitilla. III century Wikimedia Commons

It is important to note that the image of Christ until the 4th century is hidden under various symbols and allegories. For example, the image of the Good Shepherd is often encountered - a young shepherd boy with a lamb on his shoulders, referring to the words of the Savior: "I am the good shepherd ..." (John 10:14). Another important symbol of Christ was the lamb, often depicted in a circle, with a halo around its head. And only in the IV century do images appear in which we recognize the more familiar image of Christ as the God-man (for example, in the catacombs of Commodilla).

Christians often reinterpreted pagan images as well. For example, on the vault in the ka-takambah of Domitilla, Orpheus is depicted sitting on a stone with a lyre in his hands; around him are birds and animals listening to his singing. The whole composition is inscribed in an octagon, along the edges of which there are biblical scenes: Daniel in the lion's den; Moses bringing water out of the rock; resurrection of Laza-rya. All these plots are a prototype of the image of Christ and His resurrection. So Orpheus in this context is also related to Christ, who descended into hell in order to bring out the souls of sinners.

But more often in the painting of the catacombs, Old Testament subjects were used: Noah with the ark; sacrifice of Abraham; Jacob's ladder; Jonah being devoured by a whale; Daniel, Moses, three youths in the fiery furnace and others. From the New Testament - the adoration of the Magi, the conversation between Christ and the Samaritan woman, the resurrection of Lazarus. There are many images of meals on the walls of the catacombs, which can be interpreted both as the Eucharist and as funeral meals. There are often images of people praying - orant and orant. Some female images are associated with the Mother of God. It must be said that the image of the Mother of God appears in kata-kombas earlier than the image of Christ in human form. The most ancient image of the Mother of God in the catacombs of Priscilla dates back to the 2nd century: Mary is represented here sitting with the Child in her arms, and next to her is a young man pointing to a star (different versions are expressed: the prophet Isaiah, Balaam, Mary's husband Joseph the Betrothed).

With the invasion of the barbarians and the fall of Rome, the plundering of burials begins, they stop burying in the catacombs. By order of Pope Paul I (700-767), the popes buried in the catacombs are transferred to the city and temples are built over their relics, and the catacombs are closed. So by the VIII century, the history of the catacombs ends.

2. Icon "Christ Pantokrator"

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

"Christ Pantokrator" (Greek. "Almighty") - the most famous icon of the pre-Noboric period Iconoclasm- a heretical movement, expressed in the denial of the veneration of icons and the persecution of them. In the period from the 8th to the 9th century, it received official recognition several times in the Eastern Church.... It is written on a blackboard using the encaustic technique Encaustic- a painting technique in which the binder of paints is wax, and not oil, as, for example, in oil painting., which has long been used in ancient art; all early icons were painted using this technique. The icon is not very large, its size is 84 × 45.5 cm, but the character of the image makes it monumental. The image is written in a free, somewhat expressive painting manner; pasty smears Pastose smear- a thick smear of undiluted paint. clearly sculpt the form, showing the volume and three-dimensionality of space. There is still no striving for flatness and conventionality, as it will be later in canonical icon painting. The artist was tasked with showing the reality of the Incarnation, and he strove to convey the maximum sensation of the human flesh of Christ. At the same time, he does not miss the spiritual side, showing in the face, especially in the look, the strength and power that instantly affects the viewer. The image of the Savior is already quite iconographically traditional and at the same time unusual. The face of Christ, framed with long hair and a beard, surrounded by a halo with a cross inscribed in it, is calm and peaceful. Christ is clothed in a dark blue tunic with a gold clave Clav- an ornament sewn in the form of a vertical strip from the shoulder to the bottom edge of the garment. and the purple cloak are the robes of the emperors. The figure is depicted up to the waist, but the niche that we see behind the Savior's back suggests that he is seated on a throne, behind which stretches the blue sky. Right hand ( right hand) Christ blesses, in his left hand he holds the Gospel in a precious frame, decorated with gold and stones.

The image is majestic, even triumphant, and at the same time unusually attractive. There is harmony in it, but it is largely based on dis-co-nence. The viewer cannot fail to notice the obvious asymmetry in the face of Christ, especially in the way the eyes are written. Researchers explain this effect in different ways. Some trace it to the traditions of ancient art, when the gods depicted one punishing eye, the other merciful. According to a more convincing version, this reflects the polemic with the Monophysites, who asserted one nature in Christ - the divine, which absorbs his human nature. And as a response to them, the artist depicts Christ, emphasizing in Him both divinity and humanity.

Apparently, this icon was painted in Constantinople and ended up in the Si-Nai monastery as a contribution of the Emperor Justinian, who was a kti-tor, that is, a donor, of the monastery. The highest quality of workmanship and theological depth of the development of the image speaks in favor of its metropolitan origin.

3. Mosaic "The Mother of God on the Throne"

Hagia Sophia - Wisdom of God, Constantinople, IX century

After a long, more than a hundred years of iconoclastic crisis, in 867, by imperial decree, the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Constantinople was again decorated with mosaics. One of the first mosaic compositions was the image of the Mother of God enthroned in a conch Concha- a semi-dome ceiling over semi-cylindrical parts of buildings, for example, apses.... It is quite possible that this image restored an earlier image that was destroyed by the icon-fighters. The Russian pilgrim from Novgorod Anthony, who visited Constantinople around 1200, left in his notes a mention of the fact that the mosaics of the altar of St. Sophia were executed by Lazarus. Indeed, the iconographer Lazarus, who suffered under the iconoclasts, lived in Constantinople, and after the Council of 843, which restored icon veneration, he received popular recognition. However, in 855 he was sent to Rome as the ambassador of Emperor Michael III to Pope Benedict III and died around 865, so he could not be the author of the Constantinople mosaic. But his fame as a victim of the iconoclasts linked this image with his name.

This image of the Mother of God is one of the most beautiful in Byzantine monumental painting. Against a golden shining background, on a throne decorated with precious stones, the Mother of God sits regally on high cushions. She holds before her the infant Christ, seated on her lap, as if on a throne. And on the sides, on the arch, there are two archangels in the vestments of courtiers, with spears and mirrors, guarding the throne. Along the edge of the concha there is an inscription, almost lost: "The images that the deceivers have overthrown here have been restored by the pious rulers."

The face of the Mother of God is noble and beautiful, it does not yet have that asceticism and stupid guests that would be characteristic of later Byzantine images, there is still a lot of antique in it: a rounded oval of the face, beautifully outlined lips, a straight nose. Sight big eyes under the curved arches of the eyebrows, it is set aside slightly, this shows the virgin's chastity, to which the eyes of thousands of people entering the temple are fixed. In the figure of the Mother of God, there is a royal greatness and at the same time a truly feminine grace. Her robe of deep blue, adorned with three gold stars, falls in soft folds, emphasizing the monumentality of the figure. The slender hands of the Mother of God with long fingers hold the baby Christ, protecting Him and at the same time revealing to the world. The face of the baby is very lively, childishly plump, although the proportions of the body are rather adolescent, but the golden royal robe, upright posture and a blessing gesture are designed to show: before us is the true King, and He sits on Mother's lap with royal dignity.

The iconographic type of the Mother of God enthroned with the Christ Child gained particular popularity in the 9th century, the post-iconoclastic era, as a symbol of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. And often it was placed precisely in the apse of the temple, marking the visible appearance of the Heavenly Kingdom and the mystery of the Incarnation. We meet him in the Church of Hagia Sophia in Thessaloniki, in Santa Maria in Dom Nika in Rome and elsewhere. But the masters of Constantinople developed a special type of image in which bodily beauty and spiritual beauty coincided, artistic perfection and theological depth coexisted harmoniously. In any case, the artists strove for this ideal. Such is the image of the Mother of God from Hagia Sophia, which laid the foundation for the so-called Macedonian Renaissance - this name was given to art from the middle of the 9th to the beginning of the 11th century.

4. Fresco "Resurrection"

Chora Monastery, Constantinople, XIV century

Two last century Byzantine art is called the Paleologian Renaissance. This name is given by the ruling dynasty of the Palaeologus, the last in the history of Byzantium. The empire was declining, pressed by the Turks, it was losing territory, strength, power. But her art was taking off. And one of the examples of this is the image of the Resurrection from the Chora monastery.

The Constantinople monastery of Chora, dedicated to Christ the Savior, according to tradition, was founded in the 6th century by the Monk Sava the Sanctified. At the beginning of the 11th century, under the Byzantine emperor Alexei Comnenus, his mother-in-law Maria Duka ordered the construction of a new temple and turned it into a royal tomb. In the XIV century, between 1316 and 1321, the temple was again rebuilt and decorated by the efforts of Theodore Metohit, the great logothete Logofet- the highest official (auditor, chancellor) of the royal or patriarchal chancellery in Byzantium. at the court of Andronik II Andronicus II Palaeologus(1259-1332) - emperor Byzantine Empire in 1282-1328.... (On one of the mosaics of the temple, he is depicted at the feet of Christ with the temple in his hands.)

The Chora mosaics and frescoes were created by the best masters of Constantinople and are masterpieces of late Byzantine art. But the image of the Resurrection stands out especially, because the eschatological ideas of the era are expressed in it in a magnificent artistic form. The composition is located on the eastern wall of the paraclesia (south aisle), where the tombs stood, which, apparently, explains the choice of theme. The interpretation of the plot is connected with the ideas of Gregory Palamas - an apologist for hesychasm and the doctrine of divine energies Hesychasm in the Byzantine monastic tradition was a special form of prayer in which the mind is silent, is in a state of hesychia, silence. The main goal of this prayer is to achieve inner illumination with a special Tabor light, the same one that the apostles saw during the Transfiguration of the Lord..

The image of the Resurrection is located on the curved surface of the apse, which enhances its spatial dynamics. In the center we see the Risen Christ in white shining clothes against the background of a dazzling blue and white mandorla Mandorla(Italian mandorla - "almond") - in Christian iconography, almond-shaped or round radiance around the figure of Christ or the Mother of God, symbolizing their heavenly glory.... His figure is like a bunch of energy that spreads waves of light in all directions, dispelling darkness. The Savior crosses the abyss of hell with a wide, energetic step, one might say - flies over it, because one of his legs rests on the broken leaf of the hellish gates, and the other hangs over the abyss. The face of Hri-hundred is solemn and concentrated. With an imperious movement, He drags along Adam and Eve, lifting them above the graves, and they seem to soar in obscurity. To the right and to the left of Christ are the righteous, whom He brings out of the kingdom of death: John the Baptist, Kings David and Solomon, Abel and others. And in the black abyss of hell, opened under the feet of the Savior, one can see chains, hooks, locks, pincers and other symbols of hellish torment, and in the same place - a bound figure: this is the defeated Satan, deprived of his strength and power. Above the Savior, in white letters on a dark background, the inscription "Anastasis" (Greek. "Resurrection").

The iconography of the Resurrection of Christ in such a version, which was also called "Descent into Hell", appears in Byzantine art in the posttiko-no-Boric era, when theological and liturgical interpretation of the image began to prevail over the historical one. In the Gospel we will not find a description of the Resurrection of Christ, it remains a mystery, but, reflecting on the mystery of the Resurrection, theologians, and after them the icon painters, created an image that shows Christ's misfortune over hell and death. And this image does not appeal to the past, as a memory of an event that occurred at a certain moment in history, it is turned to the future, as the fulfillment of the aspiration of a universal resurrection, which began with the Resurrection of Christ and entails the resurrection of all mankind ... This cosmic event is no coincidence on the vault of paraclesia, above the composition of the Resurrection, we see the image Last judgment and the angels rolling up the scroll of heaven.

5. Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

First third of the 12th century

The image was painted in Constantinople and brought in the 30s of the XII century as a gift from the Patriarch of Constantinople to the Kiev prince Yuri Dolgo-ruky. The icon was erected in Vyshgorod Now the regional center in the Kiev region; located on the right bank of the Dnieper, 8 km from Kiev. where she became famous for miracles. In 1155, Yuri's son Andrei Bogolyubsky took her to Vladimir, the icon was here for more than two centuries. In 1395, at the behest of Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich, she was brought to Moscow, to the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, where she stayed until 1918, when she was taken for restoration. She is now in the State Tretyakov Gallery... Legends about numerous miracles are associated with this icon, including the deliverance of Moscow from our Tamerlane in 1395. Before her, they elected metropolitans and patriarchs, crowned monarchs to the kingdom. Our Lady of Vladimir is revered as a talisman of the Russian land.

Unfortunately, the icon is not well preserved; according to the data of restoration work in 1918, it was rewritten many times: in the first half of the 13th century after Batu's devastation; at the beginning of the 15th century; in 1514, in 1566, in 1896. From the original painting, only the faces of the Mother of God and the Child of Christ have survived, part of the cap and border of the cape - maforia Maforiy- a female robe in the form of a plate, covering almost the entire figure of the Mother of God. with golden assist Assist- in icon painting, strokes of gold or silver on the folds of clothes, wings of angels, on objects symbolizing the reflections of Divine light., a part of Jesus' chiton with a gold assist and a shirt visible from under it, a left hand and part of a baby's right hand, remnants of a gold background with fragments of the inscription: “МР. .U ".

Nevertheless, the image retained its charm and high spiritual intensity. It is built on a combination of tenderness and strength: the Mother of God hugs the Son to her, wanting to protect him from future sufferings, and He gently presses against her cheek and hugs her neck with his hand. The eyes of Jesus are lovingly fixed on the Mother, and her eyes are looking at the viewer. And in this piercing gaze a whole range of feelings - from pain and compassion to hope and forgiveness. This iconography, developed in Byzantium, received the name "Tenderness" in Russia, which is not quite accurate translation the Greek word "eleusa" - "merciful", this is how many images of the Mother of God were called. In Byzantium, this iconography was called "Glycophilus" - "Sweet kiss".

The color of the icon ( it comes about faces) is built on a combination of transparent ocher and color linings with tonal transitions, glazes (melts) and thin whitewash strokes of light, which creates the effect of the most delicate, almost breathing surface. The eyes of the Mother of God are especially expressive, they are painted with light brown paint, with a red brushstroke in the teardrop. Beautifully outlined lips are written in three shades of cinnabar. The face is framed by a blue cap with dark blue folds, outlined by an almost black outline. The face of the Baby is written softly, transparent ocher and toasty brown create the effect of warm soft baby skin. The lively, spontaneous expression on Jesus' face is also created by the energetic strokes of paint that sculpt the shape. All this testifies to the high skill of the artist who created this image.

The dark cherry maforium of the Mother of God and the golden chiton of the Infant God were written much later than the faces, but on the whole they harmoniously fit into the image, creating a beautiful contrast, and the overall silhouette of the figures united by hugs into a single whole is a kind of pedestal for beautiful faces.

The Vladimir icon is two-sided, external (that is, for performing various processions, processions of the cross), on the back there is a throne with the instruments of passions (early 15th century). On the throne, covered with a red cloth decorated with gold ornaments with gold borders, there are nails, a crown of thorns and a book in gold binding, and on it - White dove with a golden halo. A cross, a spear and a cane rise above the pre-table. If you read the image of God-te-ri in unity with the turnover, then the gentle embrace of the Mother of God and the Son becomes a prototype of the future sufferings of the Savior; clutching the Infant Christ to her breast, the Mother of God mourns His death. This is exactly the case in Ancient Rus and understand the image of the Mother of God giving birth to Christ for the atoning sacrifice for the salvation of mankind.

6. Icon "Savior Not Made by Hands"

Novgorod, XII century

The double-sided external icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands with the scene "Worship of the Cross" on the back, a monument of pre-Mongol times, testifies to the deep assimilation by Russian icon painters of the artistic and theological heritage of Byzantium.

On a board close to a square (77x71 cm), the face of the Savior is depicted, surrounded by a halo with a crosshair. Large, wide open eyes Christ is looked a little to the left, but at the same time the viewer feels that he is in the field of vision of the Savior. The high arch of the eyebrows is curved and accentuates the look. A bifurcated beard and long hair with a golden assist frame the face of the Savior - stern, but not stern. The image is laconic, restrained, very capacious. There is no action here, no additional details, only a face, a halo with a cross and the letters IC XC (abbreviated "Jesus Christ").

The image was created by the firm hand of an artist who owns a classic drawing. The almost perfect symmetry of the face emphasizes its importance. Restrained but refined color is built on subtle ocher transitions - from golden yellow to brown and olive, although the nuances of color are not visible in their entirety today due to the loss of the upper layers of paint. Due to the loss, traces of the image are barely visible precious stones in the crosshairs of a halo and letters in the upper corners of the icon.

The name "Savior Not Made by Hands" is associated with the legend about the first icon of Christ, created not by hand, that is, not by the hand of an artist. This legend says: King Abgar lived in the city of Edessa, he was sick with leprosy. When he heard about Jesus Christ healing the sick and raising the dead, he sent a servant for him. Unable to leave his mission, Christ nevertheless decided to help Abgar: He washed his face, wiped it with a towel, and immediately the face of the Savior was miraculously imprinted on the fabric. The servant took this towel (ubrus) to Abgar, and the king was healed.

The church considers miraculous image as evidence of the Incarnation, for he reveals to us the face of Christ - God who became a man and came to earth for the salvation of people. This salvation is accomplished through His atoning sacrifice, which is symbolized by the cross in the Savior's halo.

The composition on the back of the icon, which depicts a Calvary cross with a crown of thorns, is also dedicated to the atoning sacrifice of Christ. On either side of the cross are worshiping archangels with instruments of passion. On the left is Mikhail with a spear that pierced the heart of the Savior on the cross, on the right is Gavri-il with a cane and a sponge saturated with vinegar, which was given to be drunk on the crucified. Above - fiery seraphim and green-winged cherubs with ripids Ripids- liturgical objects - metal circles with the image of six-winged seraphim fixed on long handles. in the hands, as well as the sun and the moon - two faces in round medallions. Under the cross we see a small black cave, and in it are the skull and bones of Adam, the first man who, by his disobedience to God, plunged humanity into the kingdom of death. Christ, the second Adam, as the Holy Scriptures calls Him, by his death on the cross conquers death, restoring eternal life to mankind.

The icon is in the State Tretyakov Gallery. Before the revolution, it was kept in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. But initially, as Gerold Vzdornov established Gerold Vzdornov(b. 1936) - a specialist in the history of ancient Russian art and culture. Leading researcher of the State Research Institute of Restoration. Founder of the Museum of Dionysius Frescoes in Ferapontov., it comes from the Novgorod wooden church of the Holy Image, erected in 1191, now not existing.

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

Pereslavl-Zalessky, about 1403

Among the works of Old Russian art in the halls of the Tretyakov Gallery, the Transfiguration icon attracts attention not only by its large size - 184 × 134 cm, but also by its original interpretation of the Gospel story. This icon was once a temple icon in the Transfiguration Cathedral of Pereslavl-Zalessky. In 1302 Pereslavl became part of the Moscow principality, and almost a hundred years later Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich is undertaking the renovation of the ancient Spassky Cathedral, built in the XII century. And it is quite possible that he attracted to this the famous icon painter Theophanes the Greek, who had worked before in Novgorod the Great, Nizhny Novgorod and other cities. In ancient times, the icons were not signed, so the authorship of Theophanes cannot be proven, but the special handwriting of this master and his connection with the spiritual movement, called hesychasm, speaks in his favor. Hesychasm paid special attention to the theme of divine energies, or, in other words, the uncreated Tabor light, which the apostles contemplated during the Transfiguration of Christ on the mountain. Let us consider how the master creates an image of this luminous phenomenon.

We see a mountainous landscape on the icon, Jesus Christ stands on the top of the central mountain, He blesses with his right hand, and holds a scroll in his left. To the right of Him is Moses with the tablet, to the left is the prophet Elijah. At the bottom of the mountain there are three apostles, they are thrown to the ground, Jacob covered his eyes with his hand, John opened in fear, and Peter, pointing his hand at Christ, as the Gospel sheets testify, exclaims: “It is good for us here with You, let us make three booths ”(Matthew 17: 4). What amazed the apostles so much, causing a whole spectrum of emotions, from fright to excitement? This is, of course, the light that came from Christ. In Matthew we read: “And he was transformed before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white like light” (Matthew 17: 2). And on the icon, Christ is clothed in shining garments - white with golden highlights, from Him emanates radiance in the form of a six-pointed white-gold star surrounded by a blue spherical mandorla pierced with thin golden rays. White, gold, blue - all these modifications of light create the effect of multiform radiance around the figure of Christ. But the light goes further: three rays emanate from the star, reaching each of the apostles and literally nailing them to the ground. The garments of the prophets and apostles also have reflections of bluish light. Light glides over mountains, trees, falls wherever possible, even caves are outlined with a white outline: they look like funnels from an explosion - like the light emanating from Christ, not only illuminates, but penetrates into the earth, it transforms, changes the universe ...

The space of the icon develops from top to bottom, like a stream flowing down from a mountain, which is ready to flow into the viewer's area and involve him in what is happening. The time of the icon is the time of eternity, here everything happens at the same time. On the icon, different plans are combined: on the left, Christ and the apostles are ascending the mountain, and on the right, they are already descending from the mountain. And in the upper corners we see clouds on which the angels bring Elijah and Moses to the Mount of Transfiguration.

The icon "Transfiguration" from Pereslavl-Zalessky is a unique work, written with virtuoso skill and freedom, while here you can see the incredible depth of interpretation of the Gospel text and find their visual image those ideas that were expressed by the theorists of hesychasm - Simeon the New Theologian, Gregory Palamas , Gregory Sinait and others.

8.Andrey Rublev. Icon "Trinity"

Early 15th century

The image of the Holy Trinity is the pinnacle of Andrei Rublev's creativity and the pinnacle of ancient Russian art. In the "Legend of the Holy Icon Painters", compiled at the end of the 17th century, it is said that the icon was painted by order of the hegumen of the Trinity Monastery Nikon "in memory and praise to the Monk Sergius", making the contemplation of the Holy Trinity the center of its spiritual life. Andrei Rublev managed to reflect in colors the depth of the mystical experience of St. Sergius of Radonezh - the pioneer of the monastic movement, reviving the prayer-contemplative practice, which, in turn, influenced the spiritual revival of Russia in the late 14th - early 15th centuries ...

From the moment of its creation, the icon was in the Trinity Cathedral, over time it darkened, it was renovated several times, covered with gilded vestments, and for many centuries no one saw its beauty. But in 1904 a miracle happened: on the initiative of the landscape painter and collector Ilya Semenovich Ostro-ukhov, a member of the Imperial Archaeological Commission, a group of resto-gates led by Vasily Guryanov began to clear the icon. And when suddenly a cabbage roll and gold peeped out from under the dark layers, it was perceived as a phenomenon of truly paradise beauty. The icon was not cleaned then, only after the closure of the Lavra in 1918 was it able to be taken to the Central Restoration Workshops, and the cleaning continued. The restoration was completed only in 1926.

The plot for the icon was the 18th chapter of the Book of Genesis, which tells how one day three travelers came to the forefather Abraham and he arranged a tra-pe-zu for them, then angels (in Greek “angelos” - “messenger, messenger”) told Abraham that he would have a son, from whom there would be great people... Traditionally, icon painters portrayed "The Hospitality of Abraham" as an everyday scene in which the viewer only guessed that three angels symbolized the Holy Trinity. Andrei Rublev, excluding everyday details, depicted only three angels as a Trinity phenomenon, revealing to us the secret of the Divine Trinity.

Against a gold background (now almost lost), three angels are depicted sitting around a table on which a bowl stands. The middle angel rises above the rest, behind him grows a tree (the tree of life), behind the right angel - a mountain (the image of the mountain world), behind the left - a building (the chambers of Abraham and the image of the Divine economy, the Church). The angels' heads are bowed as if they are in silent conversation. Their faces are similar - as if it were one face, depicted three times. The composition is based on a system of concentric circles, which converge in the center of the icon, where the bowl is depicted. In the bowl we see the head of a calf, a symbol of the sacrifice. Before us is a sacred meal, in which an art-food sacrifice is performed. The middle angel blesses the cup; the one sitting to his right expresses with a gesture his consent to accept the cup; the angel, located on the left hand of the central one, moves the cup to the one sitting opposite him. Andrei Rub-lev, who was called the God-seer, makes us witnesses of how in the depths of the Holy Trinity there is a council about an atoning sacrifice for the salvation of mankind. In ancient times, this image was called the "Eternal Council".

Quite naturally, the question arises for the viewer: who is who in this icon? We see that the middle angel is clothed in the clothes of Christ - a cherry tunic and a blue himation Gimatius(Old Greek. "cloth, cape") - the ancient Greeks outerwear in the form of a rectangular piece of fabric; usually worn over a tunic.
Chiton- a semblance of a shirt, often without sleeves. therefore, we can assume that this is the Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. In this case, to the left of the viewer, an Angel is depicted, personifying the Father, his blue tunic is covered with a pinkish cloak. On the right is the Holy Spirit, the angel is clothed in blue-green clothes (green is a symbol of the spirit, the rebirth of life). This version is the most widespread, although there are other interpretations. Often, on the icons of the middle angel, a cross-shaped nimbus was depicted and IC XC was inscribed - the initials of Christ. However, the Stoglavy Cathedral of 1551 strictly forbade the depiction of the cross-shaped halos and the inscription of the name in the Trinity, explaining this by the fact that the Trinity icon does not depict the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit separately, but it is an image of the divine trinity and trinity of divine being ... Equally, each of the angels may seem to us one or another hypostasis, for, according to Saint Basil the Great, "the Son is the image of the Father, and the Spirit is the image of the Son." And when we pass our gaze from one angel to another, we see how similar they are and how different they are - the same face, but different clothes, different gestures, different poses. So the icon painter conveys the mystery of the non-fusion and inseparability of the hypostases of the Holy Trinity, the mystery of their consubstantiality. According to the definitions of the Stoglava Cathedral Stoglavy Cathedral- the church council in 1551, the decisions of the council were presented in Stoglava., the image created by Andrei Rublev is the only acceptable image of the Trinity (which, however, is not always observed).

In the image, written in the difficult time of the princely feuds and Tatar-Mongol yoke, the covenant of St. Sergius is embodied: "The hateful discord of this world is conquered by the view of the Holy Trinity."

9. Dionysius. Icon "Metropolitan Alexy with his life"

End XV - early XVI century

The hagiographic icon of Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, was written by Dionysius, who for his skill was called by his contemporaries "the notorious philosopher" (famous, glorified). The most common dating of the icon is the 1480s, when the new Assumption Cathedral in Moscow was built and consecrated, for which Dionysius was commissioned two icons of Moscow saints - Alexy and Peter. However, a number of researchers attribute the painting of the icon to the beginning of the 16th century on the basis of its style, which found the classic expression of the skill of Dionysius, most fully manifested in the painting of the Ferapontov Monastery.

Indeed, it can be seen that the icon was painted by a mature master who owns both the mono-mental style (the size of the icon is 197 × 152 cm) and miniature writing, which is noticeable in the example of the stamps Brands- small compositions with a self-sustaining plot, located on the icon around the central image - the centerpiece.... This is a hagiographic icon, where the image of the saint in the centerpiece is surrounded by stamps with scenes from his life. The need for such an icon could have arisen after the rebuilding of the Cathedral of the Chudov Monastery in 1501-1503, the founder of which was Metropolitan Alexy.

Metropolitan Alexy was outstanding personality... Originated from boyar family Byakontov, was tonsured at the Epiphany Monastery in Moscow, then became Metropolitan of Moscow, played a prominent role in the administration of the state under Ivan Ivanovich the Red (1353-1359), and under his young son, Dmitry Ivanovich, later called Donskoy (1359-1389). Possessing the gift of a diplomat, Alexy managed to establish peaceful relations with the Horde.

In the centerpiece of the icon, Metropolitan Alexy is shown full-length, in solemn liturgical vestments: a red sakkos Sakkos- long, loose clothes with wide sleeves, liturgical vestments of the bishop. decorated with golden crosses in green circles, on top of which hangs a white epitrachelion with crosses Stole- a part of the vestments of the priests, worn around the neck under the robe and a strip going down to the bottom. This is a symbol of the priest's grace, and without it the priest does not perform any of the divine services., on the head - a white cockle Doll- the upper vestment of a monk who has assumed the great schema (the highest degree of monastic renunciation) in the form of a pointed hood with two long stripes of matter covering the back and chest.... With his right hand, the saint blesses, in his left he holds the Gospel with a red edge, standing on a light green trim (scarf). The color of the icon is dominated by white, against the background of which many different tones and shades stand out brightly - from cold green-new and bluish, pale pink and ocher-yellow to bright spots of flashing scarlet cinnabar. All this multicolor makes the icon festive.

The centerpiece is framed with twenty hallmarks of the life, which should be read from left to right. The order of the hallmarks is as follows: the birth of Eleutherius, the future Metropolitan Alexy; bringing the youth into the teaching; the dream of Eleutherius, foreshadowing his vocation as a shepherd (according to the Life of Alexis, during his sleep he heard the words: "I will create thee a fisher of men"); the tonsure of Eleutherius and the naming of the name Alexy; the appointment of Alexy to the bishop of the city of Vladimir; Alexy in the Horde (he stands with a book in his hands in front of the khan sitting on the throne); Alexy asks Sergius of Radonezh to give his [Sergius] disciple Andronicus to be hegumen in the Spassky (later Andronikov) Monastery founded by him in 1357; Alexy blesses Andronicus for abbess; Alexy prays at the tomb of Metropolitan Peter before leaving for the Horde; the khan meets Alexy in the Horde; Alexy heals Khansha Taidula from blindness; The Moscow prince with the boy-rams meets Alexy on his return from the Horde; Alexy, sensing the approach of death, invites Sergius of Radonezh to become his successor, Metropolitan of Moscow; Alexy prepares his own tomb in the Chudov Monastery; the repose of St. Alexis; gaining relics; further, the miracles of the Metropolitan - the miracle of the deceased baby, the miracle of the lame monk Nahum, and others.

10. Icon "John the Baptist - Angel of the Desert"

1560s

The icon comes from the Trinity Cathedral of the Stefano-Makhrishchi monastery near Moscow, now it is in the Central Museum of Old Russian Culture named after Andrei Rublev. The size of the icon is 165.5 × 98 cm.

The iconography of the image seems unusual: John the Baptist is depicted with angelic wings. This is a symbolic image revealing his special mission as a messenger (“angelos” in Greek means “messenger, messenger”), prophet and forerunner of the Messiah (Christ). The image goes back not only to the Gospel, where great attention was paid to John, but also to the prophecy of Malachi: “Behold, I will send My Angel, and he will prepare the way before Me” (Ml. 3: 1). Like the prophets Old Testament, John called for repentance, he came just before the coming of Christ to prepare the way for Him ("Forerunner" means "walking in front"), and the words of the prophet Isaiah were also referred to him: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way To the Lord, make his ways straight ”(Isa. 40: 3).

John the Baptist appears dressed in a hair shirt and a himation, with a scroll and a cup in his hand. On the scroll there is an inscription made up of fragments of his sermon: “Behold, and testimonies about me, that this is the Lamb of God, take away the sins of the world. Repent nearer, dashing the Kingdom of Heaven, already the ax lies at the root of the tree, for all the tree is cut off ”(John 1:29; Matt. 3: 2, 10). And as an illustration of these words - right there, at the feet of the Baptist, an ax is depicted at the root of a tree, one branch of which is cut down, and the other turns green. This is a symbol of the Last Judgment, showing that the time is near and soon there will be a judgment on this world, the Heavenly Judge will punish sinners. At the same time, in the bowl we see the head of John, his symbol martyrdom which he endured for his teaching. The death of the Forerunner prepared the atoning sacrifice of Christ, which gives salvation to sinners, and therefore John blesses those who pray with his right hand. In the face of John, ascetic, with deep grooves of wrinkles, torment and compassion are visible.

The background of the icon is dark green, which is very typical for icon painting of this time. John's ocher wings resemble flashes of fire. In general, the color of the icon is gloomy, which conveys the spirit of the times - heavy, full of fears, bad signs, but also hope for salvation from above.

In Russian art, the image of John the Baptist - the Angel of the Desert has been known since the 14th century, but it becomes especially popular in the 16th century, in the era of Ivan the Terrible, when the still-yang moods in society also grow. John the Baptist was the heavenly patron of Ivan the Terrible. The Stefano-Makhrishchi monastery enjoyed a special patronage of the tsar, which is confirmed by the monastic inventories containing information about the numerous royal contributions made in the 1560s-70s. Among these contributions was this icon.

Cm. See also the materials "", "" and the micro-heading "". 

Orthodox art is a huge, rich in achievements layer of the cultural heritage of mankind, rooted in the culture of early Christianity and in the Old Testament times, and became the basis of almost all the art of Russia known to us today.

As you know, painting and music are the most ancient directions of Orthodox art that came to Russia in the 10th century together with Christianity. Having originated in quality and icon painting, these directions have developed for many centuries, having been developed in a beautiful secular music and fine arts.

Among the Russian Orthodox painting of the Middle Ages, the most famous and appreciated is the world famous Novgorod icon painting. Its samples that have survived to this day are kept in state museums of Russia and are included in the UNESCO cultural heritage fund. These are known to all connoisseurs of the beautiful icons of the Novgorod Savior, Archangel Michael, Angel Zlatye Vlas, as well as famous icon noble princes Boris and Gleb, on which the saints are depicted in full height... In addition to Novgorod icons, Russian Orthodox painting is famous for other holy images: the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, the Trinity, which is supposedly attributed to the pen of Andrei Rublev, Savior the Almighty, Savior Emmanuel.

Orthodox artists Nesterov, Vasnetsov, Vrubel

However, Orthodox painting has long ceased to be confined only to the art of icon painting. As soon as the culture got out of the influence of the church, and the ban on depicting anyone other than the faces of saints was canceled, in Russia such a concept as secular painting appeared and began to develop and flourish. However, worldly artists also liked to depict biblical stories, both Old Testament and Evangelical. One of the most famous Orthodox artists, without a doubt, can be called M.V. Nesterov, the author of many paintings written on religious themes. He illustrated both the monastic life and the life of the Orthodox community, and also wrote stories about the lives of the saints.

His most famous Orthodox painting, which we remember from school bench, is the "Vision to the youth Bartholomew", the plot for which the artist borrowed from the life of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Orthodox artists M.A.Vrubel and V.M. Vasnetsov are no less famous. Having nothing to do with classical icon painting, Vasnetsov, Vrubel, and Nesterov, in addition to paintings, are also famous for their temple paintings. So, Nesterov took part in the painting of the Solovetsky Monastery, Vasnetsov - the Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev, and the name of Vrubel is inextricably linked with the paintings of the Kiev Cyril Church.

Contemporary Orthodox painting

Exhibitions of Orthodox art, which take place from time to time in different cities of Russia, show that in our time the development of Orthodox painting does not stand still. Among the young artists who distinguished themselves at the exhibitions are P. Chekmarev, E. Zaitsev, V. Sokovnin, Archpriest M. Maleev.

Orthodox paintings by these authors show their lively interest in church life, spiritual personalities, and historical events that took place or are taking place in the church. In Russia and abroad, exhibitions are also held by the modern, but already well-known Orthodox artist A. Shilov, depicting the life of monasteries and their inhabitants. A. Shilov became famous thanks to the portraits of monks: bright, expressive, emotional. Young and old faces depicted in his paintings, touching, sentimental, with carefully written out details, involuntarily

Pavel Dmitrievich Korin is a famous Russian artist and icon painter, author of the heroic triptych "Alexander Nevsky", expressive portraits of his contemporaries: commander Georgy Zhukov, sculptor S.T. Konenkov, cartoonists M.V. Kupreyanova, P.N. Krylova, N.A. Sokolov (Kukryniksov), pianist K.N. Igumnov, Italian artist Renato Guttuso and others. With the power of painting and the energy of creation, Korin's portraits will remain unsurpassed masterpieces world art. “Your heroes have a bearing,” the high-ranking guests of his studio said to the artist. By artistic style portraits of Pavel Korin are comparable to those of his mentor - M.V. Nesterova. A special place in the artist's legacy is occupied by the amazing images of the people of the Church, made in the process of preparing for, perhaps, the very main work P.D. Corina - to the painting "Requiem".

Pavel Korin was born on July 8, 1892 into a family of hereditary Russian icon painters, in the village of Palekh, Vladimir province. When Pavel was five years old, his father, Dmitry Nikolaevich Korin, died. In 1903, Pavel was admitted to the Palekh icon-painting school, from which he graduated in 1907. The family lived very poorly, and at the age of 16, Pavel leaves to work in Moscow. He gets a job in the icon-painting workshop of K.P. Stepanov at the Donskoy Monastery, here he gets the opportunity to improve his art.

An important stage in the development of Korin as an artist was the work on the murals for the Martha and Mary Convent in Moscow in 1908-1917. The monastery was created with funds grand duchess Elizaveta Fyodorovna, the sister of Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna. In 1908-1912, according to the project of the architect A.V. Shchusev in the monastery on Ordynka, the main temple was erected - in honor of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. On April 8, 1912, it was consecrated. The celebration was attended by Elizaveta Fedorovna, Moscow authorities, architect A.V. Shchusev, artists Viktor Vasnetsov, Vasily Polenov, Mikhail Nesterov, Ilya Ostroukhov; Korin's brothers, Pavel and Alexander, were also here. To improve the skill of the icon painter, “in the summer of 1913 Pavel Korin by the architect A.V. Shchusev was sent to the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery to copy two shroud of the 16th century. " At the same time, Korin visited ancient Novgorod. Images similar to the faces of the saints of Novgorod will adorn the tomb in the Martha-Mariinsky monastery.

This burial vault for herself and those sisters who were the first to take initiation in the Martha-Mariinsky monastery, Elizaveta Fedorovna asked in 1913 to paint the artist M.V. Nesterova. The temple-tomb in the name of the Forces of Heaven and All Saints was located under the cathedral church of the Intercession of the Virgin. Korin was Nesterov's best assistant. The young icon painter M.V. Nesterov was personally introduced by the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna (this happened back in 1908).

In 1914, in the Martha-Mariinsky monastery, work continued on the decoration of the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin. The artist Nesterov and his assistant Korin jointly painted the main dome of the cathedral with the fresco "Father Savoath with the Child Jesus Christ" (sketch in the State Tretyakov Gallery), and then Pavel Korin alone designed the dome space of the temple, the vaults of windows and doors. The faces of the archangels and seraphim in floral ornament decorated the temple. The samples of the painting were taken by the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, as if participating in their implementation. After finishing finishing work, Korin, on the recommendation of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, to raise arts education went on a trip to the ancient ancient Russian cities. He will visit Yaroslavl, Rostov the Great, Vladimir.

On August 26, 1917, the complete consecration of the built and painted church of the Most Holy Theotokos took place.

Pavel Korin received other professional skills at the Art School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in Moscow (MUZhVZ), where he entered, earning necessary funds, in 1912. Here his painting teachers were Konstantin Korovin, Sergei Malyutin, Leonid Pasternak.

In the summer, Korin made a trip to Kiev, got acquainted with the painting of the Vladimir Cathedral, its ancient frescoes, mosaics created by V. Vasnetsov, M. Nesterov, V. Zamirailo. The young artist also visited the Hermitage in Petrograd.

After graduating from the MUZHVZ in 1917, Korin was invited to teach drawing at the 2nd State Art Workshops (as the MUZHVZ was now called), where the artist worked in the bitter and hungry years 1918-1919. To physically survive at this time of devastation and war, Pavel Korin in 1919-1922 had to get a job as an anatomist at the 1st Moscow University; this work turned out to be useful for him and as an artist: he got the opportunity to improve his knowledge of human anatomy.

In 1922 in Petrograd, at the Museum of Anti-Religious Propaganda (Kazan Cathedral), the artist makes sketches of the holy relics of St. Joasaph of Belgorod. In 1931 copies famous painting A. Ivanova "The Appearance of Christ to the People", when it is transferred from the Rumyantsev Museum to the Tretyakov Gallery.

In Italy in 1932 he studied the best images of the Italian classics of the Renaissance. Maxim Gorky arranged a trip to Italy for Korin. The artist will paint his portrait at the same time, and later, already in the 1940s, and the portrait of N.A. Gorky's wife. Peshkova.

The destruction of the foundations of the Orthodox state in Russia in the 1920s was an irreparable mistake of history. In Russian and Soviet painting XX century Pavel Korin will forever remain a religious painter, pupil of Palekh. His work developed, despite the February 1917 coup, which was treacherous for Russia, and the policy of the Soviet state. Works for icon painters during the years of the Russian persecution Orthodox Church did not have. The population of the USSR, under the leadership of the communists, retreated from the faith of their grandfathers and fathers, Orthodox churches were closed and collapsed everywhere, only monks and schema monks in monasteries preserved their faith in Orthodox Russia with holy prayers. It was during this period that the artist was born with a grandiose plan to immortalize the "leaving Russia" on the canvas - his "Requiem".

The plot of the film takes place in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, where church hierarchs, monastics and Russian Orthodox people pray for Orthodox Russia. The picture was technically difficult to execute, because a huge canvas with a size of more than 5 x 9 meters was conceived.

The creative concept of "Requiem" was undoubtedly influenced by the painting of M.V. Nesterova. In 1901-1905, Nesterov painted the painting "Holy Russia" (kept in the State Russian Museum) - about the meeting of pilgrims with the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1911, for the Martha-Mariinsky monastery, he created the painting "The Way to Christ": "A landscape of fifteen yards, and good people wander through it - touching and no less impressive for the mind and heart," wrote M.V. Nesterov in a letter on March 23, 1911. "I work hard, I hope to finish the Passionate." The painting "The Path to Christ" was located in the refectory of the monastery church, on its eastern wall, right in the center, and, of course, was well known to Korin, who worked here with Nesterov in those years, as well as to many Muscovites who came to the monastery. Love for this place will remain with Pavel Dmitrievich for the rest of his life, and when the Martha-Mariinsky monastery is closed in 1926, he, together with his brother Alexander, will save its iconostasis and murals from destruction.

Russian believers became more and more convinced of the atheist essence Soviet power... In the painting by P.D. Corina "Requiem" Orthodox people in black sorrow and terrible grief stand in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin and pray - for Holy Russia, for the Orthodox Church. For a long time, the artist could not start working on the actual canvas "Requiem", and then he could not finally complete the picture, so strong were the feelings of the tragic force of grief and universal grief that befell everyone. The artist worked on the epic canvas for thirty years and three years - until 1959. 29 large-format portraits were made for him (they are kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery). These portraits of hierarchs, schema monks, monks, priests, nuns and schemnits shock the audience with their harsh realism. Tragic and dramatic images believers in Orthodox Russia today can be seen at an exhibition in the State Tretyakov Gallery (on Krymsky Val). Exhibition “Requiem”. To the history of “Outgoing Rus” ”, which opened in November 2013, will continue until March 30 of the current year. Maxim Gorky recommended to Pavel Korin to call the painting "Departing Russia" after visiting the artist's studio on the Arbat in 1931. Gorky patronized Korin, and this gave the artist the opportunity to work in peace.

Simultaneously with the work on the Requiem, Korin also painted portraits of his contemporaries: grieving for the “Departing Russia,” the artist did not lose a lively connection with the present, with his time, directed forward. Korin makes portraits of strong and talented people: the writer A.N. Tolstoy, scientist N.F. Gamaleya, actors V.I. Kachalova and L.M. Leonidov; visiting the island of Valaam, he paints a portrait of M.V. Nesterova; later, in the 1940s, he created portraits of the sculptor S.T. Konenkov, pianist K.N. Igumnova; the 1950s include portraits of the artists M.S. Saryan and Kukryniksov. These are monumental works with perfect composition and complete psychologically portrayed.

In 1942, Pavel Korin created the central part of his famous triptych "Alexander Nevsky" (kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery). The image of the heroic and majestic defender of the Fatherland was necessary for the Motherland in these mournful years for it. In the harsh to ascetic image of Prince Alexander Nevsky, heroism and unshakable fortitude are expressed, personifying the Russian principle, consciously necessary Soviet people in a difficult wartime. Later, the artist wrote versions of sketches for the triptych "Dmitry Donskoy" and parts of the triptych "Alexander Nevsky" - "Old tale" and "Northern ballad". Heroic image the warrior-commander of the holy prince Alexander Nevsky, created by P.D. Korin, the power of the impact on the viewer is unmatched.

In autumn and winter 1945, after the end of the Great Patriotic War, Korin paints an equally famous portrait of the commander Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov (kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery). Four times Hero Soviet Union, holder of two Orders of Victory, G.K. Zhukov is depicted in a marshal's uniform, with numerous orders and awards.

On June 24, 1945, Marshal Zhukov hosted the Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow. And on September 7, 1945, in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate, the Victory Parade of the Allied Forces took place. From the Soviet Union, it was Marshal Zhukov who received the parade of units of the armies of the allies: the USSR, France, Great Britain and the United States. When the legendary commander returned from Berlin, Pavel Korin was invited to him: work began on the portrait. From the canvas, a man calmly looks at us, who has become for many a symbol of the power of the Russian army. Zhukov is stately, dignified and handsome.

In 1931-1958, Korin headed the restoration workshop of the State Museum fine arts in Moscow (Pushkin Museum), where from the second half of the 1940s there were trophy masterpieces of the Dresden Picture Gallery, for the safety of which the artist was responsible.

Corinne remained a consummate expert in Old Russian painting, subtly feeling her style, the image of the worldview, transmitted by her. The artist was involved in the creation of ancient Russian images in artistic mosaic panels for the assembly hall of Moscow State University, mosaics and stained-glass windows for the Arbatskaya, Komsomolskaya-Koltsevaya, Smolenskaya and Novoslobodskaya stations of the Moscow Metro. For these works in 1954 he received the USSR State Prize.

In 1958 Pavel Dmitrievich Korin was awarded the title people's artist RSFSR, he was elected a full member of the USSR Academy of Arts.

In 1963, for the 45th anniversary creative activity artist, his personal exhibition was opened in the halls of the Academy of Arts, he was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR.

World fame came to Corin, he visits Italy, France, the USA; in 1965 in New York, at the initiative of Armand Hammer, a large personal exhibition of the artist was organized.

From 1933 until the end of his life, Pavel Korin lived in Moscow on Malaya Pirogovskaya Street, where his workshop was also located. In 1967, after the artist's death, the House-Museum of the Artist (a branch of the State Tretyakov Gallery) was created in the house at 16 Pirogovskaya Street.

Life in art, the creative potential of a person is one of the main topics that worried P.D. Korina, it is no coincidence that he created so many portraits of people of art. He himself, a brilliant painter, a deep connoisseur of ancient Russian art, had a subtle sense of both literature and music, understanding the deep connections of different types of art. Characteristic is the recording made by Korin after Rachmaninoff's concert at the Moscow Conservatory: “Last night I attended Rachmaninov's concert at the Conservatory. Performed were "Cliff" - fantasy for orchestra and Concerto No. 2 for piano and orchestra. What strength, what breadth and what seriousness ... Genius! You need such strength and such breadth in painting. "