The most famous icon of Andrei Rublev. Famous icons of Andrei Rublev. Gospel Khitrovo. Face of the Evangelist Matthew

ICONS OF ANDREY RUBLEV

Biography and creativity of Andrei Rublev

Andrei Rublev (+ c.1430), icon painter, student of Theophanes the Greek, reverend.

At first he was a novice with St. Nikon of Radonezh, and then a monk in the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery in Moscow, where he died and was buried.

Trinity Old Testament
Andrey Rublev
Moscow school
1422 - 1427
142 x 114 cm
lime board. Matting weave, gesso, tempera
icon. Temple image from the iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery

In room XIV - AD. XV century Rublev created his masterpiece - the “Trinity” icon (located in the State Tretyakov Gallery, on the subject of “Abraham’s hospitality”. He filled the traditional biblical plot with deep poetic and philosophical content. Moving away from traditional canons, he placed a single cup (symbolizing sacrificial death) in the center of the composition. , and its outlines were repeated in the contours of the side angels. The central (symbolizing Christ) angel took the place of the victim and is highlighted by the expressive contrast of dark cherry and dark spots. blue flowers, orchestrated by an exquisite combination of golden ocher with delicate cabbage roll and greenery. The composition inscribed in a circle is permeated with deep circular rhythms, subordinating all the contour lines, the consistency of which produces an almost musical effect.

“Trinity” is designed for distant and near points of view, each of which differently reveals the richness of shades and masterly work of the brush. The harmony of all elements of the form is an artistic expression of the main idea of ​​the “Trinity” - self-sacrifice as the highest state of spirit that creates harmony in the world and life. In 1405, together with Theophan the Greek and Prokhor from Gorodets, he painted the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (the frescoes have not survived), and in 1408, with Daniil Cherny and other masters, he painted the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir (the painting has been partially preserved) and created icons for its monumental three-tiered iconostasis, became important stage formation of a system of high Russian iconostasis.

Annunciation
Andrey Rublev
1405
81 x 61 cm
icon. Festive rite

In the ancient life of St. Sergius of Radonezh, compiled by his disciple Epiphanius, decorated with numerous miniatures (16th century copy), Andrei Rublev is depicted in three forms: sitting on the stage and painting the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands on the wall of the temple; coming to the newly built monastery stone church and buried by the Lavra brethren.

The largest works of Andrei Rublev are icons, as well as frescoes in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Vladimir (1408). The Deisis by Theophanes the Greek and Andrei Rublev, as well as the entire golden-domed Church of the Annunciation in the royal courtyard, near the royal treasury, burned down during a great fire in Moscow in 1547.

Epiphany
Andrey Rublev (?)
first half of the 15th century
81 x 62 cm

icon. Festive rite
Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

The greatest masters of ancient Russian painting, including Dionysius, were deeply influenced by his work. At the Stoglavy Cathedral (1551), Rublev’s icon painting was proclaimed a role model: it was directly ordered that “the painter should paint icons from ancient images, as the Greek painters wrote, and as Andrei Rublev and other notorious painters wrote.”

Much work on the restoration of his works and clarification of his artistic biography, done in the 20th century, led to the formation of the romantic “Rublev legend”, which extracts the heroized figure of the artist from the anonymous, ascetic, supra-individual environment of medieval creativity.

Locally revered as a saint since the 16th century, Andrei Rublev has now become one of the all-Russian saints: he was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1988; the church celebrates his memory on July 4 (July 17 n.st.).

Savior Almighty
Andrey Rublev
1410 - 1420s
158 x 106 cm
(the right board of the icon “Spas” is pine, added during later restoration
icon. The central part of the iconographic deesis from Zvenigorod
Moscow, State Tretyakov Gallery

The works of Andrei Rublev

The works of Andrei Rublev belong to the highest achievements of Russian and world spiritual art, which embodied a sublime understanding of the spiritual beauty and moral strength of man in Holy Rus'. These qualities are inherent in the icons of the Zvenigorod rank (“Savior”, “Apostle Paul” (located in the Russian Museum), “Archangel Michael”, all from the turn of the 14th-15th centuries), where laconic smooth contours and a broad brushwork style are close to the techniques of monumental painting.

Transfiguration
Andrey Rublev
Moscow school
1405
80.5 x 61 cm
lime board, ark, shallow husk. Pavoloka, gesso, tempera
icon. Festive rite
Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Of Rublev’s frescoes in the Assumption Cathedral, the most significant is the composition “The Last Judgment,” where a traditionally formidable scene turned into a bright celebration of the triumph of Divine justice. The works of Andrei Rublev in Vladimir indicate that by that time he was a mature master who stood at the head of the school of painting that he created.

In 1425 - 1427 Rublev, together with Daniil Cherny and other masters, painted the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery and created the icons of its iconostasis. The time when new internecine wars were brewing in Rus' and the harmonious ideal of man, which had developed in the previous period, did not find support in reality, also affected Rublev’s work. The coloring of later icons is more gloomy; in some icons the decorative principle is enhanced, in others archaic tendencies appear. Some sources call the painting of the Spassky Cathedral of the Andronikov Monastery (c. 1427) Rublev’s last work. A number of works are also attributed to him, the attribution of which to Rublev’s brush has not been definitely proven: frescoes of the Assumption Cathedral on the “Gorodok” in Zvenigorod (late 14th - early 15th centuries), icons - “Our Lady of Vladimir” (c. 1409, Assumption Cathedral, Vladimir ), “Savior in Power” (1408), part of the icons of the festive rite (“Annunciation”, “Nativity of Christ”, “Candlemas”, “Baptism”, “Resurrection of Lazarus”, “Transfiguration”, “Entrance into Jerusalem” - everything is ok . 1399) Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, part of the miniatures of the “Gospel of Khitrovo”.

Savior is in power
Andrey Rublev
Moscow school
10s of the 15th century
18 x 16 cm
icon
Moscow, State Tretyakov Gallery

Archangel Gabriel

Moscow school
1425 - 1427
189.5 x 89.5 cm
icon. Deesis rank

Dmitry Solunsky
Andrey Rublev and his follower
Moscow school
1425 - 1427
189 x 80 cm
icon. Deesis rank
Trinity Cathedral in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Sergiev Posad

Nativity
Andrey Rublev
1405
81 x 62 cm
icon. Festive rite
Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Presentation of the Lord
Andrey Rublev
1405
81 x 61.5 cm
icon. Festive rite
Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
Andrey Rublev
1405
80 x 62.5 cm
lime board, ark, shallow husk. Pavoloka, gesso, tempera
icon. Festive rite
Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Ascension of the Lord
Andrey Rublev
1408
125 x 92 cm
linden board, pavoloka, gesso, tempera
icon
Moscow, State Tretyakov Gallery

Saint John the Baptist
Andrey Rublev with assistants
Tver school
1408
313 x 105 cm
linden board, pavoloka, gesso, tempera
icon. Deesis rank

archangel Michael

Moscow school
1408
314 x 128 cm
linden board, pavoloka, gesso, tempera
icon

Saint Gregory the Theologian
Andrey Rublev, Daniil Cherny and workshop
Moscow school
1408
314 x 106 cm
linden board, pavoloka, gesso, tempera
icon. From the Deesis rite ("Vasilievsky rite") of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir

Saint John Chrysostom
Andrey Rublev, Daniil Cherny and workshop
1408
313 x 105 cm
linden board, pavoloka, gesso, tempera
icon

Annunciation
Andrey Rublev, Daniil Cherny and workshop
1408
125 x 94 cm
linden board, pavoloka, gesso, tempera
icon. Festive rite

Descent into Hell
Andrey Rublev, Daniil Cherny and workshop
1408
124 x 94 cm
linden board, pavoloka, gesso, tempera
State Tretyakov Gallery

Apostle Andrew the First-Called
Andrey Rublev, Daniil Cherny and workshop
Moscow school
1408
313 x 105 cm
linden board, pavoloka, gesso, tempera

Archangel Gabriel
Andrey Rublev, Daniil Cherny and workshop
Moscow school
1408
317 x 128 cm
linden board, pavoloka, gesso, tempera

Art critic M.V. Alpatov wrote: “Rublev’s art is, first of all, the art of big thoughts, deep feelings, compressed within the framework of laconic images-symbols, the art of great spiritual content,” “Andrei Rublev revived the ancient principles of composition, rhythm, proportions, harmony, relying mainly on his artistic intuition."

Purity, wisdom and spirituality, incomprehensible to modern man, shine through in all his few works that have survived to this day. His angels, Jesus, the Mother of God heal our souls, crippled by the diseases of our time, make us forget, at least for a moment, about the general state duping of humanity, and plunge into the world of eternal peace, goodness and love. In Rublev’s work, the dreams of the Russian people about ideal human beauty were most clearly expressed. The era of Rublev was an era of revival of faith in man, in his moral strength, in his ability to self-sacrifice in the name of high Christian ideals.

The legendary name of Andrei Rublev, who worked in the 15th century, was preserved people's memory, and works of different times were often associated with it when they wanted to emphasize their extraordinary historical or artistic significance. Thanks to restorations and the liberation of monuments from later layers, it became possible to recognize the master’s original paintings. In parallel with restoration discoveries, information accumulated historical sources, which began to be used for systematic research into the works of Andrei Rublev. Thus, the true discovery of Rublev painting took place in the twentieth century.

It is not known exactly when Andrei Rublev was born, to what class he belonged, or who was his teacher in painting. Most researchers consider the year 1360 to be the date of birth of the artist. The earliest information about the artist goes back to the Moscow “Trinity Chronicle”. Among the events of 1405, it is reported that “the same spring began to sign the stone church of the Holy Annunciation at the Great Prince’s court, and the masters were Theophan the icon-maker Grechin, and Prokhor the elder of Gorodets, and the monk Andrei Rublev.” The last mention of the master’s name, according to the then tradition, meant that he was the youngest in the artel. But at the same time, participation in the honorary order to decorate the house church of Vasily Dmitrievich, the eldest son of Dmitry Donskoy, along with the then famous Feofan the Greek in Rus', characterizes Andrei Rublev as already a fairly recognized, authoritative master.

The following message from the Trinity Chronicle dates back to 1408: On May 25, “the great stone cathedral church of the Holy Mother of God in Vladimir began to be signed by the order of Prince the Great and the masters Danilo the icon painter and Andrei Rublev.” Daniil mentioned here is Andrei’s “comrade”, better known under the name Daniil Cherny, a comrade in subsequent works. The Vladimir Assumption Cathedral, mentioned in the chronicles, is the oldest monument of the pre-Mongol era, erected in the second half of the 12th century under princes Andrei Bogolyubsky and Vsevolod Big Nest, was cathedral Metropolitan The temple, devastated and burned by the Horde conquerors, needed restoration. Moscow Prince Vasily Dmitrievich, a representative of the branch of Vladimir princes, descendants of the Monomakhs, undertook the renovation of the Assumption Cathedral at the beginning of the 15th century as a certain logical and necessary act associated with the revival of the spiritual and cultural tradition of Rus' in the era of national independence after the victory on the Kulikovo Field.

From the works of Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny in the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral, the icons of the iconostasis have survived to this day, forming a single ensemble with frescoes, partially preserved on the walls of the temple.

In 1768-1775, the dilapidated iconostasis of 1408, due to inconsistency with the tastes of Catherine’s era, was removed from the cathedral and sold to the village of Vasilyevskoye near Shuya (now Ivanovo region). Information about the later fate of the iconostasis prompted the Central State Restoration Workshops to organize a special expedition, which in 1919-1922 removed the surviving monuments. After restoration, these icons entered the collections of the State Tretyakov Gallery and the State Russian Museum. The iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral included icons of the Deesis, festive and prophetic rows. In accordance with the size of the cathedral, its iconostasis is one of the largest that has come down to us. Thus, the Deesis icons (eleven of them in the gallery’s collection) have a height of 3.14 m. The composition and composition of the ancient Russian iconostasis developed on Moscow soil at the turn of the 14th-15th centuries, and in this we see a certain merit of Theophanes the Greek and Russian masters, to the circle which belonged to Andrei Rublev.

The Vladimir Deesis is a stylistically integral ensemble of a single epically solemn rhythm, perfectly correlated with the scale of the interior and the compositional structure of the fresco images. The coloristic solution of the Deesis is harmoniously clear. Calm, unclouded, pure colors are ideally consistent with the overall sublime and enlightened intonation. The ideological concept of the Deesis composition (translated from Greek “Deesis” means “prayer”) is associated with the theme of the “Last Judgment” and reflects the idea of ​​​​the intercession and prayer of saints for the human race before the Savior. The program of the “Last Judgment” in the frescoes of the Assumption Cathedral is executed with particular insight. The vast space of the temple is filled with images of sublime beauty and nobility. In the icon deesis, which correlates with the images of the fresco ensemble, the individual characteristics of the Savior and the saints represented in prayer before him are, as it were, strengthened and sharpened.

The central icon of the Deesis “Savior in Power” depicts Jesus Christ with the opened text of the Gospel, seated on a throne. The red rhombus, bluish-green oval and red quadrangle framing Christ symbolize his glory and “powers”, heavenly (in the oval) and earthly (symbols of the four evangelists in the corners of the rhombus). The Icon of the Savior, like most of the icons on the iconostasis, was repeatedly renewed, repainted and strengthened. Restoration opening of the monument revealed the author's surface with areas of insertions on a new ground and thorough abrasion of the original painting with the loss of delicate transparent upper layers (glazes). But thanks to the technological thoroughness of the monument, the beautifully executed multi-layered painting of the face, a modern viewer, even in this state of the icon, is able to comprehend the depth and sublime nobility of the image, to appreciate the pure, soft-sounding tones of the icon, its solemn, classically clear rhythm. The majesty of the appearance of the Savior, combined with spiritual gentleness, allows us to see here the national Russian ideal, fundamentally different from the Greek one, the presence of which is so noticeable in the monuments of the pre-Rubble era. In the expressive face of the Savior, the viewer will easily notice Slavic ethnic features. His image embodied popular ideas about justice, trampled underfoot in real life. The saints praying before the Savior, represented on other icons, are filled with selfless faith in a fair trial. Surprisingly accurate, soulful characteristics were found for each character, without at the same time violating the intonation unity of the entire ensemble. The ability to unite large multi-figure groups with a single emotional sound is one of the features of Andrei Rublev’s compositional gift. The image of the Mother of God emphasizes a capacious, monumental character, a smooth flowing silhouette, broken by the accentuated gesture of hands outstretched in prayer. The entire image is imbued with meek and sad prayer, intercession “for the human race.” In the image of John the Baptist, attention is focused on the theme of majestic sorrow, “spiritual lamentation,” in the old expression. John calls for repentance, as stated in the large inscription of the charter on the unfolded scroll in his hand. John the Theologian and Andrew the First-Called, Gregory the Great and John Chrysostom turn to the Savior with epic concentration and trust. In the image of Gregory the Great, wise from the experience of a long life, majesty was combined with meek calm and thoughtfulness. In several layers in a warm tone, the face is smoothly painted, traversed by the elegant graphics of the top drawing. The special beauty of the pure, exquisitely composed tone is marked by the scarlet stripes of the sakkos lining, the pale green omophorion with the finest tints, and the green edge of the Gospel, the lid of which is intricately ornamented.

A true decoration of the coloring of the Deesis series are sections of red cinnabar, arranged in certain places and with a certain calculation, different in area and configuration. These are the geometric frames of the figure of the Savior on the throne in the center, the wide cloaks of the archangels and narrow expressive inclusions on the icons of Saints Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom.

The presence in the Deesis composition among the praying saints of two figures of archangels, Michael and Gabriel, goes back to the long tradition of depicting the “heavenly powers” ​​worshiping him on the sides of the central image of Jesus Christ (Savior). In the paintings of Andrei Rublev, images of angels are given special significance. In the fresco ensemble of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, numerous faces of angels present a spectacle of exceptional beauty and diversity, drawing a person into the world of sublime feelings and moods. The angels on the Deesis icons organically complement the images of angels trumpeting heaven and earth, twisting the vault of heaven, standing behind the apostles in the “Last Judgment,” worshiping the Mother of God, solemnly sitting on the throne.

The festive row located above the Deesis, illustrating the Gospel events, has not been completely preserved. In total, five icons have reached us: “The Annunciation”, “The Descent into Hell”, “The Ascension” (in the Tretyakov Gallery collection), “The Presentation” and “The Nativity of Christ” (in the State Russian Museum collection). Most researchers tend to consider these monuments as works of the workshop of Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny. Three holiday icons from the gallery's collection are executed by different masters, but they are united by unity of scale, compositional, rhythmic and coloristic principles, and impeccable design. According to ancient tradition, the authors of the drawing or graphic design were leading masters, they were called bannermen. Probably, such bannermen of the Vladimir “holidays” were “comrades” Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny. A lot was included in the preliminary drawing, so that the subsequent work with paints, no matter how individual it was, retained the basic properties of the image intended by the leading master. That is why the Vladimir “holidays” do not fall out of the single ensemble of the iconostasis. Perhaps important images or details were painted by the main masters. The Ascension icon stands out for its most perfect execution, and is attributed by many researchers to Andrei Rublev himself. Expanded on comparatively small space On the icon surface, the image of Christ ascending to the heavenly world in a circle of glory, accompanied by gracefully soaring angels, captivatingly conveys the greatness of the moment. The figures of two angels standing among the apostles in white clothes, as if permeated with light, point with raised hands to the evidence of the miracle taking place. On the tops of the mountainous landscape, which serves as a backdrop to what is happening, fragments of trees with lush crowns, as if illuminated by a mystical light and shimmering blue-white-red highlights on fruits or flowers, have been preserved. The image of these trees is correlated with the idea of ​​a “life-giving tree,” one of the ancient symbols of Christ and the Resurrection. Nature, responding to an event presented as a cosmic event, is depicted by the artist with an understanding of the most ancient symbolic identifications, rooted in deep pre-Christian antiquity.

Against the background of the light clothes of the angels, the figure of the Mother of God stands out in the center of the group. Hand gestures emphasize her condition: left hand with an open palm, as if in contact with divine energy, which fills the space, the right hand in a gesture of conversation is turned towards the Apostle Peter, who sedately extended his hand in a similar position. On either side of the Mother of God, the apostles, filled with sublime joy, contemplate the miracle of the Ascension. It should be noted the typological similarity of the faces of the icon with similar images in frescoes and the Deesis. In the ensemble of 1408, most of the characters acquired those characteristic features by which, in the future, the Rublevsky type would be determined.

The Ascension icon, like no other of the multi-figure holiday icons, has a special rhythmic organization of the composition. Here the sense of harmony and plastic balance characteristic of Andrei Rublev was manifested. The coloring of the icon is diverse due to the nuances of each tone. The picturesque planes of the main tones are enlivened by the richness of the upper modeling pattern and glazes.

The next work by Andrei Rublev in terms of creation is the so-called “Zvenigorod Chin”, one of the most beautiful icon ensembles of Rublev painting. The rite consists of three waist icons: the Savior, the Archangel Michael and the Apostle Paul. They come from Zvenigorod near Moscow, the former center of an appanage principality. Three large icons were probably once part of the seven-figure Deesis. In accordance with the established tradition, the Mother of God and John the Baptist were located on the sides of the Savior, on the right the icon of the Archangel Michael corresponded to the icon of the Archangel Gabriel, and paired with the icon of the Apostle Paul there should have been an icon of the Apostle Peter on the left. The surviving icons were discovered by restorer G.O. Chirikov in 1918 in a woodshed near the Assumption Cathedral on Gorodok during an examination by an expedition of the Central State Restoration Workshops of this ancient princely temple of Yuri Zvenigorodsky, the second son of Dmitry Donskoy. Since the nature of the arrangement of icons on the altar barrier is not entirely clear, the rite could have been included in the iconostasis of both the princely Assumption Cathedral and the neighboring Nativity Cathedral of the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, the patron of which was the Zvenigorod prince.

In relation to this group of monuments, the authorship of Andrei Rublev, unfortunately, is not verified by any of the written sources that have reached us, contemporary paintings. After the restoration of the rank, I.E. Grabar, who first published it, based on the data of stylistic analysis, attributed the icons as the works of Andrei Rublev. This attribution, not disputed by any of the researchers of the artist’s work, is also confirmed by historical facts. The alleged customer of the rank, Yuri Zvenigorodsky, is known for his connections with the Trinity-Sergius Monastery; he was the godson of St. Sergius of Radonezh and erected the stone Trinity Cathedral over his tomb (1422). It is natural to assume that Andrei Rublev, who worked at the Trinity Monastery, could fulfill the order of a large investor, who was also the godson of the founder of the monastery.

Later information has been preserved that is associated with the Zvenigorod rank. According to the inventory of 1697-1698, seven Deesis icons were hung on the walls of the Assumption Cathedral in Gorodok. It is difficult to say due to what circumstances the Deesis was not located on the altar barrier at that time. Perhaps the icons were transferred from the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, perhaps they were transferred from the altar barrier of the Assumption Cathedral.

The “Zvenigorod” rank combined high pictorial merits with depth of figurative content. The soft, sincere intonations, the “quiet” light of his coloring amazingly resonate with the poetic mood of the landscape of the Zvenigorod outskirts, the most beautiful places near Moscow, personifying for us the image of the Motherland. In the Zvenigorod rank, Andrei Rublev acts as an established master who has reached the pinnacle of the path, an important stage of which was the painting of 1408 in the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. Using the possibilities of a half-length image, which seems to bring enlarged faces closer to the viewer, the artist expects long-term contemplation, attentive peering, and an interview.

The central icon of the Deesis “Savior” is marked by special significance, the endless, inexhaustible depth of its content. With this mature work, Rublev affirms a fundamentally different iconographic type of Christ from the Byzantine one, the previous version of which were similar images in the ensemble of 1408 (the fresco Savior the Judge from the “Last Judgment” and the icon “Savior in Power”, which we discussed above). Zvenigorod’s “Spas” seems to lose the certain abstractness of the images of the deity and appears humanized, inspiring trust and hope, carrying good start. The master endows Christ with Russian features both externally and allows them to be felt internally, in a special tonality of state: clarity, benevolence, active participation. Despite the fragmentarily preserved face and half of the figure, the impression of the image is so complete and complete that it suggests the fundamental, increased importance in the art of Andrei Rublev of the expressiveness of the face and eyes. In this, the master follows the precepts of pre-Mongol art, which left excellent examples of the psychological expressiveness of faces: “Our Lady of Vladimir”, “Ustyug Annunciation”, Novgorod’s “Savior Not Made by Hands”, “Angel of the Golden Hair”, “Savior of the Golden Hair”. Giving the Savior a Slavic appearance, the master paints the face in exclusively soft light tones.

The expressiveness of the Byzantine faces of that time was achieved by the contrast of a brown-green lining tone (in Greek “sankir”) with a light, highly bleached layer of subsequent modeling (ochre). In the Byzantine faces, the whitening strokes - “movers”, placed on top of the modeling layers, which were sometimes arranged fan-shaped, sometimes in pairs or combined into groups, stood out sharply. Cinnabar stains also sound contrastingly and artistically striking in Greek faces: on the lips, as a “brown,” in the shape of the nose, along the contour of the eye sockets and in the inner corner of the eyes (tearpiece). This is exactly how the faces of Theophan’s Deesis from the Annunciation Cathedral in the Kremlin are painted, including the face of the icon of the Savior.

Rublev's painting of faces is different. The Russian icon painter prefers a soft chiaroscuro style, the so-called float, that is, smoothly, “floatingly,” as the icon painters said, and laid down tones in several layers, taking into account the transmission of the brighter lining through the transparent and light upper ones. The most prominent places were covered with light modeling ocher several times, so that these areas of multi-layered writing give the impression of emitting light, luminous. To revive the painting of the face, between the final layers of ocher, a thin layer of cinnabar was laid in certain places (called “drumyanka” by icon painters). The facial features were outlined with a confident, calligraphically clear upper brown pattern. The modeling of the form was completed with very delicately placed bleaching “slides”. They were not painted as actively in the faces of the Rublev circle and were not as numerous as those of Theophanes and the Greek masters. Thin, graceful, slightly curved, they did not contrast with the tone on top of which they were laid, but served as an organic completion of the light sculpting of the form, becoming part of this smooth highlighting, as if its culmination.

Moving on to the image of the Archangel Michael, it should be noted that it is close to the circle of angelic images in the murals of the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral. The grace and flexibility of the contour, the proportionality of movement and rest, the subtly conveyed thoughtful, contemplative state - all this especially makes the image similar to the angels on the slopes of the large vault of the cathedral. Among the fresco images there is an angel, which can be considered as preceding the Zvenigorod one. It is located on the southern slope of the large vault, in the second row, where it rises above the seated Apostle Simon. But the fresco angel is perceived in the circle of his many brothers, the entire fresco angelic host or cathedral. His figurative characteristics seem to be dissolved in the environment of others like him. The Zvenigorod Archangel Michael is an icon from the Deesis. Like, probably, its counterpart, the now lost icon of the Archangel Gabriel, it embodied the quintessence of the “angelic theme”, since through these two images in the Deesis those coming to Christ are perceived “ heavenly powers", praying for the human race.

The Zvenigorod Archangel was born in the imagination of an artist of the highest thoughts and embodied the dream of harmony and perfection that lived in his soul in spite of all the hardships and tragic circumstances of his life at that time. The image of the archangel seemed to merge distant echoes of Hellenic images and ideas about the sublime beauty of the heavenly inhabitants, correlated with a purely Russian ideal, marked by sincerity, thoughtfulness, and contemplation.

The pictorial design of the icon is exceptionally beautiful. The pinkish tones predominant in the personal body are slightly enhanced by a splash of pink along the line of the nose. Delicate, slightly plump lips, painted in a more intense pink, seem to concentrate this leading tone. Golden-brown hair in soft curls, framing the face, gives the range a more warm shade, which is consistent with the gold assist of the angel wings painted in bright ochres, and with the gold background. The turquoise-blue headband in the hair, as if permeated with light, is woven into this golden palette like a splash of noble enamel. It is tonally echoed by blue, a more muted shade in the paportki (wings) and in small areas of the chiton with a gold patterned shoulder. But the predominant color in the pre-face (a term in icon painting, meaning the entire painting except the face, that is, what is painted before the face) turns out to be pink again. This is the tone of an angelic himation, draped over the shoulders and draped in exquisite folds. Filling most of the pictorial surface, the pink tone is masterfully modeled by whitened folds, emphasized by the top pattern of a condensed coral pink tone. The color scheme of this icon, combining golden yellow, pink and blue tones, enriched with gold background, ornament and assistive shading of angel wings, seems to ideally correspond to the image of an archangel, a heavenly celestial.

The third character of the rank, the Apostle Paul, appears in the master’s interpretation as completely different from how he was usually depicted in the circle of Byzantine art of that time. Instead of the energy and determination of the Byzantine image, the master revealed features of philosophical depth and epic contemplation. The apostle's clothing, with its color, rhythm of folds, and subtlety of tonal transitions, enhances the impression of sublime beauty, peace, enlightened harmony and clarity.

The Tretyakov Gallery also houses the most famous work of Andrei Rublev - the famous “Trinity”. Created in the prime of his creative powers, the icon is the pinnacle of the artist’s art. During the time of Andrei Rublev, the theme of the Trinity, which embodied the idea of ​​a triune deity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), was perceived as a symbol of the reflection of universal existence, the highest truth, a symbol of spiritual unity, peace, harmony, mutual love and humility, readiness to sacrifice oneself for the sake of the common benefits. Sergius of Radonezh founded a monastery near Moscow with a main church in the name of the Trinity, firmly believing that “by looking at the Holy Trinity, the fear of the hated discord of this world was overcome.”

St. Sergius of Radonezh, under the influence of whose ideas Andrei Rublev’s worldview was formed, was a holy ascetic and an outstanding personality in the history of mankind. He advocated for overcoming civil strife, actively participated in the political life of Moscow, contributed to its rise, reconciled warring princes, and contributed to the unification of Russian lands around Moscow. A special merit of Sergius of Radonezh was his participation in the preparation of the Battle of Kulikovo, when he helped Dmitry Donskoy with his advice and spiritual experience, strengthened his confidence in the correctness of his chosen path and, finally, blessed the Russian army before the Battle of Kulikovo. The personality of Sergius of Radonezh had special authority for his contemporaries; a generation of people during the Battle of Kulikovo was brought up on his ideas, and Andrei Rublev, as the spiritual heir of these ideas, embodied them in his work.

In the twenties of the 15th century, a team of masters, headed by Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny, decorated the Trinity Cathedral in the monastery of St. Sergius, erected above his tomb, with icons and frescoes. The iconostasis included the “Trinity” icon as a highly revered temple image, placed according to tradition in the lower (local) row on the right side of the Royal Doors. There is evidence from one of the sources of the 17th century about how the abbot of the monastery Nikon instructed Andrei Rublev “to paint the image of the Most Holy Trinity in praise of his father Saint Sergius.”

The plot of “Trinity” is based on the biblical story of the appearance of deity to righteous Abraham in the form of three beautiful young angels. Abraham and his wife Sarah treated the strangers under the shade of the Mamre oak, and Abraham was given to understand that the deity in three persons was embodied in the angels. Since ancient times, there have been several options for depicting the Trinity, sometimes with details of the feast and episodes of the slaughter of the calf and the baking of bread (in the gallery’s collection these are 14th-century Trinity icons from Rostov the Great and 15th-century icons from Pskov).

In the Rublev icon, attention is focused on the three angels and their condition. They are depicted seated around a throne, in the center of which is a Eucharistic cup with the head of a sacrificial calf, symbolizing the New Testament lamb, that is, Christ. The meaning of this image is sacrificial love. The left angel, signifying God the Father, blesses the cup with his right hand. The middle angel (Son), depicted in the gospel clothes of Jesus Christ, with his right hand lowered onto the throne with a symbolic sign, expresses submission to the will of God the Father and readiness to sacrifice himself in the name of love for people. The gesture of the right angel (the Holy Spirit) completes the symbolic conversation between the Father and the Son, affirming high meaning sacrificial love, and comforts the doomed to sacrifice. Thus, the image of the Old Testament Trinity (that is, with details of the plot from the Old Testament) turns into the image of the Eucharist (the Good Sacrifice), symbolically reproducing the meaning of the Gospel Last Supper and the sacrament established at it (communion with bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ). Researchers emphasize the symbolic cosmological significance of the compositional circle, into which the image fits laconically and naturally. In the circle they see a reflection of the idea of ​​the Universe, peace, unity, which embraces multiplicity and cosmos. When comprehending the content of the Trinity, it is important to understand its versatility. The symbolism and polysemy of the images of the “Trinity” go back to ancient times. For most peoples, such concepts (and images) as a tree, a bowl, a meal, a house (temple), a mountain, a circle, had symbolic meaning. The depth of Andrei Rublev's awareness in the field of ancient symbolic images and their interpretations, the ability to combine their meaning with the content of Christian dogma, suggest a high level of education, characteristic of the enlightened society of that time and, in particular, of the artist’s likely environment.

The symbolism of the “Trinity” is correlated with its pictorial and stylistic properties. Among them, color is the most important. Since the contemplated deity was a picture of the heavenly heavenly world, the artist, with the help of paints, sought to convey the sublime “heavenly” beauty that was revealed to the earthly gaze. The painting of Andrei Rublev, especially the Zvenigorod rank, is distinguished by a special purity of color, nobility of tonal transitions, and the ability to impart a luminous radiance to the color. Light is emitted not only by golden backgrounds, ornamental cuts and assists, but also by the delicate melting of bright faces, pure shades of ocher, and the peacefully clear blue, pink and green tones of the angels’ clothes. The symbolism of the color in the icon is especially palpable in the leading sound of blue-blue, called Rublevsky cabbage roll. Comprehending the beauty and depth of content, correlating the meaning of the “Trinity” with the ideas of Sergius of Radonezh about contemplation, moral improvement, peace, harmony, we seem to come into contact with the inner world of Andrei Rublev, his thoughts translated into this work.

The icon was in the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity Monastery, which later became a monastery, until the twenties of our century. During this time, the icon underwent a number of renovations and copy-pasting. In 1904-1905, on the initiative of I.S. Ostroukhov, a member of the Moscow Archaeological Society, a famous artist, collector of icons and trustee of the Tretyakov Gallery, the first thorough clearing of the “Trinity” from later records was undertaken. The work was supervised by the famous icon painter and restorer V.P. Guryanov. The main notes were removed, but the writings were left on the inserts of the new gesso, and in accordance with the restoration methods of that time, additions were made in places of loss that did not distort the author’s painting.

In 1918-1919 and in 1926 the best masters The central state restoration workshops carried out the final clearing of the monument. In 1929, “Trinity”, as a priceless masterpiece of ancient Russian painting, was moved to the Tretyakov Gallery. There is also, as it were, a second circle of monuments created in the traditions of Andrei Rublev’s painting, probably by his students and followers.

The gate canopy with the image of the Eucharist rises to the Trinity iconostasis, for which Andrei Rublev wrote “Trinity”. The compositional and iconographic scheme of the canopy closely follows the design of the two icons of the Trinity iconostasis (“Communion with bread” and “Communion with wine”), and it is possible that it was written specifically for the Royal Doors of the Trinity Cathedral. The monument comes from the Annunciation Church located near the Trinity Monastery (Lavra) in the village of Annunciation, or Prince, the ancient estate of the extinct family of Radonezh princes. The village was donated as a contribution to the monastery by Prince Andrei Vladimirovich of Radonezh. The subtly conveyed thoughtful and contemplative state of the characters in “Eucharist” is close to the character and spirit of Rublev’s works.

The Rublev monuments stored in the Tretyakov Gallery were created during the peak of Moscow painting in the 15th century. Having joined in the 14th century, due to historical conditions, the Byzantine (Constantinople) art of the so-called Palaiologan style (that is, the period of the Palaiologan dynasty in Byzantium), a style that influenced the culture of most countries of the Eastern Christian world, Moscow masters, having mastered its individual elements and techniques, managed to overcome the Byzantine legacy. Rejecting the asceticism and severity of Byzantine images, their abstraction, Andrei Rublev, however, sensed their ancient, Hellenic basis and translated it into his art. Andrei Rublev managed to fill traditional images with new content, correlating it with the most important ideas of the time: the unification of Russian lands into single state and universal peace and harmony.

Academician D.S. Likhachev noted that “the national ideals of the Russian people are most fully expressed in the works of its two geniuses - Andrei Rublev and Alexander Pushkin. It was in their work that the dreams of the Russian people about the best person, about ideal human beauty were most clearly reflected. The era of Rublev was an era of revival of faith in man, in his moral strength, in his ability to sacrifice himself in the name of high ideals.”

Chronology of the life and work of Andrei Rublev

Around 1360 - Andrei Rublev was born, probably in central Russia. According to other sources, he was born in 1365.

Late 1390s - Creation of miniatures for the book "The Gospel of Khitrovo".

Before 1405 - He became a monk with the name Andrei at the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. According to other sources - in the Andronikov Monastery.

1405 - Worked together with Theophan the Greek and Prokhor, “the elder from Gorodets,” on decorating the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the home church of the Moscow princes, with icons and frescoes. "Transfiguration".

1408 - Together with Daniil Cherny, he worked on the painting and iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. “The Mother of God”, “John the Theologian”, “Apostle Andrew”, “The Savior is in power”.

Between 1408-1422 - Creation of the Belt Zvenigorod rank. "Savior", "Archangel Michael", "Apostle Paul".

Around 1411 (according to other sources 1427) - Icon of the Trinity.

Between 1422-1427 - Together with Daniil Cherny, he supervised the painting and creation of the iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. The temple image of the Trinity is painted.

All subsequent ancient Russian painting experienced and continues to experience the enormous influence of Rublev’s work. In 1551, at the Stoglavy Cathedral, Rublev’s icon painting was proclaimed a perfect role model.

Rublev’s rebirth occurred already in the 20th century, when numerous restorations of his works were carried out, studies of the master’s life and clarification of his biography were carried out. Gradually, Rublev's name becomes a legend, a kind of symbol of the lost Holy Rus' and all ancient Russian art. The clearest expression of this legend was Andrei Tarkovsky's film "Andrei Rublev", filmed in 1971, which clearly emphasized the amazing contrast between an extremely cruel historical era and the peaceful and harmonious images of the reverend painter.

Andrei Rublev is revered as one of the great Russian saints.

On July 17, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the holy icon painter, Reverend Andrei Rublev. The exclusivity of his icons was appreciated in ancient times, and from the 16th century the famous “Trinity” began to serve official sample for Russian icon painters. We invite you to remember 7 amazing faces of the artistic genius of Ancient Rus'.

"The Last Judgment." Face of Christ

Thousands of people from all over the world come to Vladimir to visit the Assumption Cathedral and see the unforgettable frescoes created in 1408 by Daniil Cherny and Andrei Rublev. This painting today is the only monument of Rublev’s art confirmed in chronicles. Executed in the Byzantine tradition, the painting of the Second Coming of Christ is reinterpreted. Central figure The composition is undoubtedly Christ, who seems to descend from heaven to the audience waiting for Him. He seems surprisingly close, his face is bright and gentle. He brings peace and salvation to people. The presence of each participant in the picture is justified and symbolic: the Angel, twisting the heavens, like a scroll, announces the approach of Judgment; the prepared Throne with the instruments of the Passion recalls the atoning sacrifice of the Savior; the figures of the ancestors symbolize the bonds of original sin. Under the figure of Christ are the Mother of God and the Forerunner, who remind the viewer of the incessant prayer of the patron saints of the human race. Their prayer seems to be continued by the faces of the apostles, who look benevolently and at the same time sternly at the viewer. Almost for the first time in Russian art, the idea of ​​a righteous and merciful Court was embodied in this picture in such a perfect artistic form.

"Trinity". Faces of Angels

By the time Rublev painted the Old Testament Trinity icon (1411 or 1425-1427 (?)), there was a tradition of depicting this biblical episode, which was based on the legend of the hospitality of the forefather Abraham, receiving and treating three strangers. The Rublev icon became a new look at a well-known plot. There are no traditional Abraham and Sarah on it; in the background, their home and the Mamre Oak, under which the meal was served, remain almost invisible. Three Wandering Angels appear before the viewer. They sit in calm silence around the table with refreshments. Everything here is aimed at creating unsurpassed drama and reflective contemplation. The central Angel is identified with Christ, whose figure sets the circular rhythm of the entire composition: the silhouettes echo each other with the sliding and falling lines of clothing, bowed heads, and turned gazes. Equivalent figures of Angels are in unity with each other and in absolute agreement. Living specifics are replaced here by a sublime image of the eternal council and predestination of Christ’s sacrifice. You can see Rublev’s “Trinity” in the Tretyakov Gallery.

"Zvenigorod rank". Face of the Savior

In 1918, in a woodshed near the Zvenigorod Assumption Cathedral “on Gorodok,” three Deesis icons were discovered, which were attributed to I. Grabar based on a stylistic analysis of Rublev’s brush. Later, researchers almost unanimously accepted the attribution of Grabar, despite the fact that Rublev’s authorship was never documented. The “Zvenigorod rite” includes three icons: “Savior”, “Archangel Michael” and “Apostle Paul”. The most perfect, undoubtedly, is the image of the Savior, whose calm, thoughtful and surprisingly benevolent gaze is directed at the viewer. Hope, the promise of intimacy and heartfelt participation, along with sublime, ideal beauty, which is infinitely removed from the world of ordinary people - the Russian icon painter managed to perfectly embody all this.

"Zvenigorod rank". Face of Archangel Michael

The second icon of the “Zvenigorod rank” was the image of Archangel Michael. His face, turned to the Savior, seems to echo him with thoughtful meekness and tranquility of his gaze. This image refers us to the Angels of the Holy Trinity, and not only in its humility, but also in its visual similarity - a long, flexible, slightly elongated neck, a cap of thick curls, a bowed head. The third icon - “Apostle Paul” - was made in a manner different from Rublev’s, so a number of researchers believe that this face would have been created by another master, for example, Rublev’s long-time associate, Daniil Cherny. You can see the icons of the Zvenigorod rank in the Tretyakov Gallery.

List of icons of the Mother of God of Vladimir. Face of the Virgin Mary

Despite the obvious discovery of features of Rublev's writing, the author of the icon could not have been Rublev himself, but someone from his inner circle. Grabar unequivocally states that the work was made by a great master: “Everything here is from Rublev - the cold bluish overall tone, the character of the drawing, facial features, with the slight hump of the nose typical of Rublev, graceful hands, beautiful silhouette of the entire composition, rhythm of lines and harmony of colors.” The traditional Byzantine prototype - the Mother of God holding Her Son on her right hand and tenderly bending towards Him - was realized with some, most likely deliberate deviations. This is especially true for the figure of the Mother, since the Baby is reproduced exactly according to the Byzantine model. In the figure of the Mother of God, the anatomical correctness of the forms is violated, first of all, the bend of the neck, which allows the Mother’s face to come as close as possible to the face of Jesus. Their gazes meet. The hands of the Virgin Mary are amazingly depicted, wide open in a prayerful gesture. The Mother's face is covered with a maforium, which, like a dome, extends over the Baby, protecting and calming him. And, of course, one is struck by Rublev’s tranquility, purity, absence of sorrow and suffering, filled with silence, peace and a feeling of love in the face of the Mother of God. You can see the icon in the exhibition of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve.

Trinity iconostasis. Face of Dmitry Solunsky

The name of Rublev is associated with the creation of the iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The icon painter's brush is supposedly visible in the icons of Archangel Gabriel, Demetrius of Thessaloniki and the Apostles Peter and Paul. The Trinity iconostasis is unique. It is the only architectural and picturesque temple ensemble that has been completely preserved to this day, created during the heyday of ancient Russian art. Who painted these icons - Andrei Rublev or Daniil Cherny - still remains a mystery. During the latest restoration work, a firm belief was expressed only that among the icons there are undoubtedly those that belong to Rublev. When looking, for example, at the image of Dmitry Thessaloniki, I really want to believe that it was painted by Rublev: the same head bowed in meek contemplation, the same graceful hands raised in prayer, the same cap of thick curly hair, the same wide-open and childishly naive eyes, the same meekness and tranquility.

Gospel Khitrovo. Face of the Evangelist Matthew

Another hypothetical monument of Rublev's writing - miniatures of the altar Gospel of Khitrovo - stand out in the heritage of the icon painter. This unique example of a manuscript, kept today in the collection of the Russian State Library, was allegedly made in one of the best workshops of the Grand Ducal Moscow at the turn of the 14th-15th centuries. The text of the manuscript is accompanied by eight miniature front illustrations depicting the evangelists and their symbols. The style of the miniatures suggests that they were painted by Theophanes the Greek, Daniil Cherny and Andrei Rublev, while the names of the last two icon painters are most often mentioned. There is no consensus among scientists: for example, G. Vzdornov believes that they all belong to the brush of Cherny, and O. Popova convincingly proves the opposite - they were all created by Rublev. The symbolic image of the Evangelist Matthew is most often attributed to Rublev. The tilt of the neck, the outline of the head of fluffy hair, and the type of face are very close to the Rublev images created by the master in the Vladimir frescoes. However, Angel's gaze is harsher. In clothes flying through the air with the Gospel in his hand, he quickly moves towards the viewer, wanting to quickly convey the Word of God to him.
Despite the fact that it is often not possible to accurately establish the authorship of the holy icon painter, our country has a grandiose heritage, including unsurpassed examples of ancient Russian culture.

Andrei Rublev (1370-1428) is the most famous and revered icon painter of the Russian land. Canonized by the Orthodox Church in the rank of venerables.

Monasticism

The painter took monastic vows at the Andronikov monastery under the name Andrey. Rublev's creativity came from the ancient traditions of the Principality of Moscow, and he acquired artistic experience by following Slavic religious canons.

It cannot be called painting in the usual sense; from the very beginning, his work reflected a sacred theme. The artist's first works, which he wrote, were intended for the "Gospel of Khitrovo". These were miniatures that coincided in meaning with the content of the book.

First masterpieces

In 1405, Rublev participated in the painting of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin together with Theophan the Greek, an experienced icon painter, who at that time already had such masterpieces to his credit, just as Monk Andrei Rublev was allowed to take on such responsible work, and even with such a famous artist as thanks to his pronounced talent. In the very first months of the icon painters’ work, the highest clergy of Moscow became convinced of making the right choice- Andrei Rublev’s paintings fully corresponded to the high church standards of that time. After completing work on the frescoes of the Annunciation Cathedral, Rublev became a recognized master of Russian icon painting.

The second time paintings by Andrei Rublev are mentioned in the chronicle of 1408, these were paintings in the Vladimir Cathedral of the Assumption. This time the artist worked together with the famous icon painter Daniil Cherny. By that time, Rublev had already formed his own style, truly Russian. Next working together icon painter from the Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad.

"The Holy Trinity"

At the very beginning of the 15th century, Andrei Rublev created one of the main works of his life - an icon that is currently in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. The artist endowed the traditional story from the Bible with a special meaning and gave the image a barely noticeable plot content. In the center, the icon painter placed a bowl, and around it there were three angels sitting detachedly. Holy spirits, servants of God, are dressed differently. The angel in the middle is dressed in a red chiton with a sewn yellow clave and covered with a blue himation, behind him is a spreading tree, a symbol of belonging to the Supreme Creator. The Holy Spirit on the right, dressed in smoky green tones, is in his incarnation, with a rock rising behind him. The angel on the left, in light purple capes, is located against the background of the house; he is the creator, the head of house-building. In the gaze turned to the other two angels, one can read paternal superiority. The Holy Spirit in the middle and the angel sitting on the right bowed their heads towards him.

An unsurpassed world-class masterpiece created by the Russian icon painter Andrei Rublev is “Trinity”. The description of the painting, its history, information about where it was located for six hundred years - all this is reflected in special publications dedicated to the great artist. The most reliable information can be found in the Tretyakov Gallery, which is located at the address: Moscow, Lavrushinsky Lane, building 10.

List of works

Famous paintings by Andrei Rublev are about thirty icons painted by the artist in different time, which are located in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the Cathedral of the Assumption in Vladimir, the Russian Museum of St. Petersburg, and the Tretyakov Gallery. At one time, iconographic images were found that corresponded to the painting style of the famous icon painter, but the complete identity could not be determined.

Let's list Andrei Rublev's paintings with names and locations:

• "Transfiguration of the Lord" (81x61 cm). Festive rite in the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral.
• "Annunciation" (81x61 cm). Festive rite in the iconostasis of the Kremlin Annunciation Cathedral.
• "Savior Almighty" (158x106 cm). Tretyakov Gallery.
• "Old Testament Trinity" (142x114 cm). Tretyakov Gallery.
• "The Presentation of the Lord" (81x61 cm). Annunciation Cathedral, festive rite.
• (189x89 cm). Trinity Cathedral of the Zagorsk Monastery.
• "Dmitry Solunsky" (189x80 cm). Trinity Cathedral of the Sergiev Posad Lavra.
• "The Nativity of Christ" (81x62 cm). Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Moscow Kremlin.
• "Savior is in power" (18x16 cm). Tretyakov Gallery.
• "Entrance to Jerusalem" (80x62 cm). Festive rite in the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral.
• "The Ascension of the Lord" (125x92 cm). Tretyakov Gallery.
• "Saint John the Baptist" (315x105 cm). Tretyakov Gallery.
• "St. Gregory the Theologian" (314x106 cm). Cathedral of the Assumption in Vladimir.
• "Descent into Hell" (124x94 cm). Tretyakov Gallery.

Paintings by Andrei Rublev in the Russian Museum

The following icons are located in St. Petersburg:

• "Archangel Gabriel" (317 x 128 cm);
• "Apostle Andrew the First-Called" (313x105 cm);
• "Annunciation" (125x94 cm);
• Saint" (313x105 cm);
• "Archangel Michael" (314x128 cm).

Andrei Rublev (circa 1370 - October 17, 1428, Moscow) is the most famous and revered master of the Moscow school of icon painting, book and monumental painting of the 15th century. Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in the rank of venerables.

Biography of Andrei Rublev

The biography of Andrei Rublev contains few reliable facts. Exact date Rublev’s birth is not known, and historians call the Principality of Moscow or Novgorod his place of birth. Andrei grew up in a family of icon painters. Later he became a monk, and then took the name Andrey.

Together with other masters, Rublev painted the Annunciation Cathedral, which was a confirmation of his skillful skill at that time. Also for his biography, Rublev painted the Trinity Cathedral and the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Vladimir.

But Rublev's greatest fame was as an icon painter. He created many icons, although the iconography was not traditional, in it he combined spiritual beauty and human strength.

The most outstanding work of Rublev is considered to be the icon “ Life-giving Trinity", depicting three angels and a thicket in the center. Among the others famous works Rublev - “Apostle Paul”, “Savior from the Zvenigorod rank”, fresco “The Last Judgment” in the Assumption Cathedral.

Not all icons and frescoes have survived to this day.

The last work, if we consider the short biography of Andrei Rublev, was the painting in the Spassky Cathedral. The great master died in October 1428.

Rublev's creativity

Andrei Rublev adopted the traditions of classicism of Byzantine art of the 14th century, which he knew from the works of Greek masters who were in Moscow, and especially from the creations of Theophan the Greek of the Moscow period (Don Icon of the Mother of God, Icon of the Deesis in the Annunciation Cathedral).

Another important source of the formation of Andrei Rublev's art is the painting of the Moscow school of the 14th century with its soulful soulfulness and special softness of style, based on the traditions of Vladimir-Suzdal painting of the 12th - early 13th centuries.

The images of Andrei Rublev are generally adequate to the images of Byzantine art around 1400 and the first third of the 15th century, but differ from them in greater enlightenment, meekness and humility; they have nothing of the aristocratic nobility and intellectual dignity glorified by Byzantine art, but preference is given to modesty and simplicity.

The faces are Russian, with medium-sized features, without emphasized beauty, but always light and handsome.

Almost all the characters are immersed in a state of silent contemplation, which can be called “divine thinking” or “divine speculation”; any internal affects are not characteristic of them.

The work of Andrei Rublev determined the 15th century. the flourishing of the national school of Russian painting, original in relation to Byzantium. It had a huge influence on all Russian art of the Moscow circle right up to Dionysius.

IN scary times During the wars and strife of the 14th–15th centuries, the great icon painter Andrei Rublev appeared in Rus'.

The idea of ​​Rublev as a man of kind, humble disposition, “full of joy and lightness,” has been preserved.

He was characterized by great internal concentration. Everything he created is the fruit of deep thought. Those around him were amazed that Rublev spent a long time carefully studying the creations of his predecessors, treating the icon as a work of art.

Although Rublev's name was mentioned in chronicles in connection with the construction of various churches, he became known as an artist only at the beginning of the twentieth century after the restoration in 1904 of the Trinity, the main shrine of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the most perfect work of ancient Russian painting. After clearing this icon, it became clear why the Stoglavy Cathedral decided to paint this image only the way Rublev painted it. Only then did the search for other works by the artist begin.

During the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, Rublev was already part of the princely artel of craftsmen, which moved from city to city and was engaged in the construction and decoration of churches. At that time, many churches were being built in Rus', and icon painters had to work in each of them.

Cannot be followed consistently creative path Rublev, because ancient Russian icon painters never signed or dated their works.