Moskou on Roersma Iconpaintings

The Archangel Michaël

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 19:26:28 +0200

This is the most “icon-painterly” work of Ushakov, but not without certain features of eclecticism (figure and background). It shows a certain loss of creative imagination characteristic of court artists while the technique of execution remains highly refined. Whom the small figure on the left represents is not known.

The icon is from the Tolmachevskaya-Sosnovskaya collection.

Mother of God Hodegetria

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 16:35:03 +0200

The hodegetria (“She who guides the way”) is a common picturing of the virgin in the Byzantine and Russian art. According to the legend, the first Maria Hodegetria was painted by the evangelist Lucas. During the first years of the 11th century, icons with this theme appear in Russia.

Archangel Michael

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 19:54:00 +0200

This icon comes from the Novgorod school and differs from the traditional type that is usually depicted with a frontal aspect. He is referred to several times in the book of Daniel (Chapters 10 verse 21 and 12 verse 1). The name is derived from the Hebrew word jakal which means ’to overcome’or ’to be the strongest'.

The Birth of Christ

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 13:18:49 +0100

The Christ-child lies in a manger in a cave with the ox and ass behind. Mary lies on a red carpet among the rocks and plants. Three Kings and shepherds are depicted as is the washing of the Christ-child. Joseph is being addressed by a shepherd. Saint Eudoxia, John Lestwitschnik and St Juliana are depicted above. The middle figure is better known as John Climacus.The icon is from the Novgorod school.

The Virgin Donskaya

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 13:08:02 +0100

This icon is of the Eleousa type and depicts the Virgin’s love for her Son. Their heads are bent towards each other and touch. Sometimes the hand of the child caresses the cheek of his mother or embraces her around her neck.

The Virgin Vladimirskaya

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 13:04:58 +0100

This icon, painted in Constantinople for the ruler Isyaslav of Kiev, arrived in Kiev in 1132. From there it was taken away by his son Bogolyubski to his residence in Vladimir, from which the icon Vladimirskaya takes its name. In 1315 the Eleousa icon finally arrived in Moscow, where it consoled and heartened soldiers during several wars, and became known as the The Mother of Russian Soil.