BY THE BLESSING OF HOLY PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA KIRILL AND HOLY PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA ALEXY II
Recording is carried out on weekdays every day from 12:00 to 20:00 in the office of the center metro Oktyabrskaya
You must first make an appointment by phone. (495) 5O8-65-25
Training takes place in the branches of the school in the center of Moscow metro Oktyabrskaya, metro Baumanskaya, metro Okhotny Ryad, metro Kashirskaya
Icon painting is taught by experienced masters of the Moscow Icon Painting Center "Russian Icon", specialists from the Orthodox St. Tikhon University, the Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, the Russian Academy of Arts and other educational institutions. All students are provided with unique printed methodological FREE EDUCATIONAL TOOLS
SCHEDULE AND COST OF LESSONS OF THE ICON WRITING DEPARTMENT
BEGINNING COURSES OF ICONOPY "FOUNDATIONS OF ICONOSCRIPTION"
Intensive icon painting courses. No prior skills required.
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metro Oktyabrskaya, Polyanka
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Courses Inlay on wood (Marquetry mosaic from different types of wood)The schedule is subject to change!
Necessarily Please check with the administration for the first day of class for each course.
Registration for the course is in progress. We invite everyone to paint these icons.
| Course name | Start of classes | Schedule | Branch | Educator | Free places |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon "Life-giving Cross of the Lord" or Nominal icon "Constantine" and "Elena" | 11 february 2019 | on weekdays from 12:00 to 17:00 |
m. Polyanka | Recording in progress | |
| The course of the icon "St. Spyridon Bishop of Trimifuntsky" | 27 january 2019 | Sunday from 12:30 to 17:15 |
m.Baumanskaya | Recording in progress | |
| Icon painting course "Family Icon" | 25 november 2018 | m.Baumanskaya | Vinnitskaya Lyudmila Ivanovna | Recording in progress | |
| Icon painting courses "Individual lessons" | You can connect any day | Tuesday, Thursday from 18:30 to 20:45 |
Kolusheva Olesya Nikolaevna | Recording in progress | |
| "Matrona Moskovskaya" icon painting course. For continuing icon painters only. |
10 march 2019 | Sunday from 12:00 to 17:00 |
m Baumanskaya | Vinitskaya Lyudmila Nikolaevna | Recording in progress |
Signing up for icon painting courses by subscription:
Recording in groups:
| Course name | Start of classes | Schedule | Branch | Educator | Free places |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restoration of Monumental Painting (murals) | Saturday from 11:30 to 16:30 |
metro Oktyabrskaya or metro Polyanka | Yasnova Larisa Yurievna | Recording in progress | |
| Restoration of easel tempera painting (icons) | 2 february 2019 |
Saturday from 12:30 to 17:15 |
metro Oktyabrskaya or metro Polyanka | Maneshkina Ekaterina Alexandrovna | Recording in progress |
| Wood carving Iconostases, icon cases |
You can connect from any lesson | Sunday from 12:00 to 17:00 (2 lessons - 6 academic hours) |
metro Oktyabrskaya or metro Polyanka | Turkin Mikhail Alexandrovich | Recording in progress |
| Restoration of tempera painting Works with the base. Strengthening the levkas and the paint layer. Summing up the levkas. Toning, reconstruction. |
You can join from any Tuesday |
Tuesday from 17:00 to 21:30 (10 lessons for 6 academic hours) |
metro Oktyabrskaya or metro Polyanka | Ivanova Olga Alexandrovna | Recording in progress |
| Mosaic Ornaments and St. Maron the Hermit |
You can connect any day | Saturday from 10:00 to 14:30 from 14:30 to 19:00 |
metro Oktyabrskaya or metro Polyanka | Pavel Petyaev | Recording in progress |
Registration for theoretical courses
| Course name | Start of classes | Program | Schedule | Branch | Educator | Free places |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iconography Theology of icons |
6 october | Old Russian art | Saturday from 10:00 to 13:00 |
metro Oktyabrskaya or metro Polyanka | Shchedrina Ksenia Andreevna | Recording in progress |
| Catechism and hagiography | 6 october | answers to theological questions of the LIVING OF SAINTS | Saturday from 13:00 to 14:00 |
m. Oktyabrskaya | Fr. Anatoly Ivanova Anna |
Recording in progress |
| 5 october | Church Slavonic and Greek | Friday from 18:30 to 20:00 |
metro Oktyabrskaya or metro Polyanka | Shchedrina Ksenia Andreevna | Recording in progress | |
| Academic and iconographic drawing | You can connect any day | Creation of folds and gaps in clothes. Face and face. Chiaroscuro concept Grisaille. |
Saturday from 14:00 to 18:30 (10 lessons of 6 academic hours) |
metro Oktyabrskaya or metro Polyanka | Maneshkina Ekaterina Alexandrovna | Recording in progress |
Extramural provides for training only in the specialty "icon painting"; "Mural painting" and "design of iconostases and painting of temples" - optional for 3 and 4 courses. There are no age restrictions in the correspondence department.
Those wishing to study in absentia send by e-mail a photo of their work and all the necessary documents (list on the page Admission rules). The decision on admission is made by the head of the school based on the review of works and documents without exams.
Documents for admission to the correspondence department are accepted annually from June 01 to September 25. The beginning of training - from October 01.
The term of study at the correspondence department is 5 years(9 academic semesters and graduate practice). The academic year is divided into two semesters, at the end of which sessions are held: winter - after Christmas in January, summer - in the second half of June. During the session, students are provided with a hostel.
Upon graduation, graduates are awarded a diploma.
The cost of training in the 2017-18 academic year is 3700 rubles per month for 1 course and 2800 rubles per month for all subsequent courses.
The following subjects are taught in the correspondence department of the School:
- Iconography
- Iconographic drawing
- Fonts and ornaments
- History of Christian Art
- Iconography
- Iconology
- Church Slavonic language
- Catechism
After completing a course in theoretical subjects, students take exams.
Icon painting training
It is possible to pass exams ahead of schedule, after which students are exempted from classes in these subjects. In case of failure in their specialty and theory, students can be left for the second year.
Training is carried out individually, remotely - via the Internet. Students receive assignments and complete them in accordance with the curriculum of the subject. Completed assignments are sent directly to the teacher. Works on icon painting, fonts and ornaments are scanned or filmed with a digital camera and sent in electronic form to the teacher for review.
One month before the session (in December and May), part-time students receive an invitation to the session and the schedule of classes and exams. During the session, under the guidance of teachers, students correct and complete work on icon painting, fonts and ornaments; attend consultations on theoretical subjects, participate in viewing, take exams. After each session, you should plan time for visiting museums in Moscow.
During the sessions, the accommodation of students in the hostel is free, however, it is necessary to bring bed linen with you (or donate funds for its purchase).
At the request of the students, the School will send an official session call to be provided at the place of work.
All materials necessary for teaching, including mineral pigments, icon boards and gold leaf, can be purchased at the School. In addition, students are provided with samples of drawings and icons in the form of reproductions and in electronic form. There is an opportunity to purchase an electronic library of samples of icons, mosaics, frescoes, miniatures and applied church art.
Novice icon painters
Anyone who begins to study the technique of icon making, before getting acquainted with the drawing, materials and methods of their application, must understand the sacred nature of this art, its highest purpose and the closest connection with the life of the Church. Icon painting is not just art, it is ecclesiastical art.
An icon is a book about faith. In the language of lines and colors, she reveals the dogmatic, moral and liturgical teaching of the Church. And the purer and higher the life of a Christian, the more accessible to his soul the language of the icon.
An icon is primarily a sacred object. The face depicted on it receives, according to the rule of the Church, a name through the inscription. By this, the icon is assimilated by the one who is depicted on it, ascends to its prototype and becomes involved in its grace, so that with unworthy, careless handling of the icon, not painting is offended, but the one whose name it received, its prototype. Therefore, from the very beginning, a novice icon painter must be imbued with reverence for icon painting and recognize it as a holy deed.
It is also necessary to gain respect for those people who, over the past centuries, have labored in this matter, managed to develop the language of the icon, created its lofty, truly church style. Among them we know first of all the holy apostle and evangelist Luke, and after him there were countless icon painters among the holy men and fathers of the Church.
The icon is a figuratively expressed prayer, and it is understood mainly through prayer. It is designed only for a believer who is prayerfully standing before her. Its purpose is to facilitate prayer, therefore, a worker in this matter must not forget about prayer during work. Prayer will explain a lot in the icon without words, make it understandable, close, show how spiritually true, how irrefutably true.
The one who seeks external beauty in the icon is mistaken. Church creativity is distinguished by a slightly different understanding of beauty. Spiritual beauty is higher than bodily beauty, and the goal of the Christian life is to ascend to the Primary Source of beauty - God. Nature is one of the means of knowing God, through the contemplation of its beauties, a person is called to glorify God the Creator and create the beauty of his inner image, growing and renewing himself in Christ into a new creation, transformed, redeemed for a new, Eternal Life in Christ. But it is very difficult for a person to think spiritually in earthly conditions, and the Church has established a kind of medium, as it were, a bridge from the material world to the spiritual, creating a symbol - a visual representation of the truths of faith, while developing special forms that are unique to him. This is the ancient icon. Therefore, in front of the icon "we do not worship the written face in prayer, but we ascend to the Prototype" (St. Basil the Great).
The icon figuratively expresses a single, unshakable, general church truth, and it is important to keep it unclouded. Distortions are introduced into the icon from the ineptitude, ignorance or impudent self-will of the icon painter, who is not afraid to deviate from the iconic tradition and introduce into the church image "his own wisdom, the wisdom of the flesh."
An icon, the Church believes, can only be done by the Church with “clean hands”, therefore the Local Hundred-Glavy Council of the Russian Church (Chapter 43 of Stoglava) instructs the icon painter to observe the rules of morality: he must be “humble, meek, reverent, not an idle talker, not a ridiculous man, not I am quarrelsome, not an envious person, not a drunkard, not a robber, not a murderer; especially to preserve mental and physical purity with all fear, and it befits painters to often come to the spiritual fathers and consult with them in everything, and confess, and according to their instruction and teaching to live in fasting, prayer and abstinence with humility. "
The cathedral did not disregard the literacy of the icon painters in their work, and the proper attitude to their work. The Council commands “with great care (diligence) to paint the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Most Pure Mother of God, and the saints in the image, and in the likeness, and in essence, and according to the best examples of the ancient icon painters; but from self-reflection, and according to their guesses, the Deities would not be described. " If any of the disciples begins to “live not according to the rules of the will, in uncleanness, drunkenness and outrage, they should not be excommunicated from the iconic work and do not tell them to touch that, fearing the saying: cursed is a man, do the Lord’s work with negligence (Jer. 48, ten). But the villagers and ignoramuses, who up to this time painted icons without learning, by self-will and self-righteousness, not in the image, should be severely punished to learn from good masters; and to whom God would give this wisdom, he would write, but to whom he does not give, he must at the end of such a deed by the way ", so that the name of God for the sake of a bad letter is not blasphemed, for" they do not know what they are doing, and they do not take it for themselves. " ... This is the testament of the Moscow Cathedral (1551) to all icon painters.
The novice icon painter is encouraged to work only "by samples". The ancient icon comes into contact with another world, not visible to us, divine. To comprehend it, and to comprehend it correctly, not everyone can, let alone give him an appropriate artistic form. However, there were (perhaps there are now) people who, with the purity of their hearts, capable of contemplating the innermost truth, also received the gift of creatively embodying in visible images that which is inaccessible to sensory perception.
For eight centuries, the Church of Christ, represented by its icon painters, worked, developing the artistic form of the icon, and now we have an image in it, as close as possible to the immaterial world, on the one hand, and to our extremely limited understanding of this world, on the other hand. Therefore, in contrast to mundane art, in which one can improve only through the study of nature and nature, icon painting must be learned only through copying ancient icons, in which the invisible is manifested in forms accessible to us.
Copying an icon, a person comprehensively cognizes it and involuntarily comes into contact with the world that is enclosed in it. Gradually, he begins to feel the reality of this world, to recognize the truth of this image, then comprehends the depth of its content, amazed at the clarity of the forms, the inner validity of its details and truly holy simplicity, artistic expression. But to understand the icon in this way takes time, and sometimes quite a long time.
When choosing an icon for copying, it should be borne in mind that along with icons of high artistic quality, there are many so-called "primitives" that came out of the former rural craft workshops. They cannot serve as models for students of icon painting. In the question of what to copy, it is better to follow the advice of experienced craftsmen, since among the icons of different centuries and schools, not every one can be a model for a beginner.
Reproductions can help in drawing and composition, they can show how to put highlights on faces and clothes, but their color is always distorted, so you should not stick to it. The most that reproduction can give is to suggest the placement of color spots; the very same tone, for example, red, blue, green, etc., can be taken correctly only with the experience of copying ancient icons.
In working on an icon, you can fall into mistakes and imperceptibly go astray. This happens both at the beginning and in further work. Anyone who knows secular art, nature and anatomy well cannot get used to the peculiarities of the drawing of the icon for a long time, involuntarily finds many "irregularities", "distortions", seeks to correct something a little here or there; it seems to him that "it cannot be so." It is impossible to follow your knowledge and feelings, since the inner vision is important in the icon, and the outer vision is important for the artist-student. It is necessary to take for the time being "on faith" everything that is incomprehensible and unacceptable, and repeat what is. Understanding comes with time.
In the future, when the originality of the icon-painting image is internally accepted, when the techniques of artistic disclosure of the icon's image are introduced into the memory, it may be tempting to show your creative improvisation, to do it “in your own way,” at least in detail at first. If you embark on this path, without having internal data for that, then gradually many absurdities can be introduced into the iconic image, while in a genuine icon there is nothing accidental.
The Church accepts creativity, but only if the general church truth is preserved in it, and this is possible when the artist, having mastered the technique, also has the gift of not only spiritual vision, but also the creative embodiment of what he saw.
Icon painting studio
In conclusion, let us say that “faith, humility, purity were the natural qualities of the icon painter. By constant devotional deed, he multiplied these qualities in himself, which led him to ever greater enlightenment and, finally, to holiness. He considered his talent not his own, but received from God (a gift), and for God it was necessary to cultivate it, bring fruit to the Lord and humbly return to the Giver of life, leaving nothing for himself (not even a signature on the image), so as not to receive praises that only harmful and distracting from the glorification of the One and Eternal. Humility is not the destruction of the personality, but its enrichment, education, collection and return. Christian humility is joy, renewal and participation in the exploit of Christ, and the Christian exploit - the light yoke of Christ - is joyful and light ”(Archpriest Alexy Ostanov).
"A guide for novice icon painters" WORK OF THE ICONWRITER. Nun Juliania (M.N.Sokolova) Authors: A.E. Aldoshina, N.E. Aldoshina. Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra. 1998.
Education at the courses of icon painting in Moscow
Dear friends, we invite you to the course "Iconography"! This course is aimed at those who, walking through museums, freeze in the hall of icon painting, admiring the works of great masters. Even if you are not very confident in your artistic abilities. The desire to truly touch church art works wonders.
Iconography "courses": simplicity or quackery?
And also for amateur artists who have discovered the beauty of the ancient icon, who are painfully experimenting, trying to figure out an unusual technique. For those who are interested in and love the ancient icon to study, search and even make sketches. Call and sign up, we are happy to invite everyone to the classes!
The lessons are taught by a graduate of the icon-painting department at the Moscow Theological Academy of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra - Pirogova Nina Aleksandrovna. The approach to each student is individual. Classes include the study of the drawing of ancient icons, the study of tonal and color relationships. Preliminary grisaille, sketches, drawings. Based on the experience of ancient icon painters, the work is carried out with natural pigments.
Pirogova Nina Alexandrovna... She graduated from the Penza Lyceum, department of "Artistic woodcarving". Penza Art School, faculty of tempera and oil restoration. Subsequently, she graduated from the icon-painting school at the Moscow Theological Academy of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. After graduation, she worked at the Andrei Rublev Center for Temple Art.
Icon painting is an art that is based on knowledge of philosophy, theology, art history and general academic training. Therefore, we advise taking this course only after mastering drawing and painting. The program includes the study of different schools and icon painting techniques: how to prepare the board for work, what is levkas, pavoloka, egg tempera, theory of colors, composition of paints, including chemical, gilding, drying oil. The course also includes the study of art history related to icon painting, the history of Russia, Russian medieval aesthetics.
The art of icon painting came from Byzantium along with the baptism of Rus.
Byzantine art itself was based on the heritage of ancient culture, as perceived by the Romans. In Ancient Russia, which already had a significant cultural heritage of the pagan era, it found fertile ground and came in the form of a formed church canon, approving the principles and forms of the art of icon painting. The first icon painters in Russia were the Greeks. Their works were distinguished by centuries-old image and technique of execution - monumentality, heavy depth of colors, dark gloomy colors and pronounced asceticism. Icon painting in Russia for a long time, until the Mongol period, was directly dependent on Byzantium.
In the future, she followed her own path of development. This also applied to technique, but the most important thing was that the image began to change, which received a different interpretation. The emphasis was placed not on the severity of the feat, but on its fruits, making the image more joyful than stern. In some samples of this period, there is already greater dynamics, less dependence on antique samples, a more planar solution of the composition.
The same applied to color. Very few icons from the Mongol period have survived. Mostly these are samples that belonged to the Novgorod school. They are characterized by laconic compositions, carpet-like images combined with clear patterns and pure bright colors.
The flowering of Russian icon painting began from the beginning of the XIV-XV centuries. This was the heyday of holiness, which gave the largest number of Russian saints. I would especially like to highlight the Moscow school of icon painting, to which the greatest masters belong - Theophan the Greek, Daniil Cherny, Andrei Rublev, who created real masterpieces, striking in their depth and beauty.
Icon painting training
We believe that the main task of our courses in icon painting in Moscow is the study and revival of icon painting traditions. The entire course of theoretical and practical studies provides an opportunity to join the spiritual world of the icon, to develop their spiritual qualities and artistic talents. During the period of studying icon painting, you will get acquainted with a variety of styles and schools, the peculiarities of the icon painting traditions of different countries, you will receive the necessary practical skills to touch the ancient art and independently perform the images of saints. As you study, our teachers will offer you several stages of acquiring mysterious knowledge:
- Learning the basics of writing icons for beginners;
- Personal writing icons.
The training program will include the following classes:
- Materials and devices for writing icons. Execution techniques;
- Gilding;
- Teaching the basics of icon painting. Preparatory course - painting landscapes, church architecture, clothing, other objects and animals that are depicted on icons;
- Writing a personal icon in compliance with all laws and traditions.
We begin the process of working on the icon by choosing a board, which is filled with a special primer - levkas. Then the creative stage itself begins - the icon painter independently prepares the materials for the work: he grinds paints and semiprecious materials into dust, mixes them with a special egg solution to the desired consistency and starts work. First, he makes a sketch of the image, which is then painted with paints, according to the traditions and laws of iconography. The duration of the work depends not only on the author's intention, but also on the chosen technique.
Icon painting courses
At our icon painting courses in Moscow, you will learn how to write iconographic images on cardboard and on a blackboard using ancient iconographic technologies, as well as get acquainted with modern approaches and techniques in this responsible business. Upon completion of the course, you will have the following knowledge and skills:
- Basics of iconography and monumental painting of temples and churches;
- Foundations and canons of Christian art;
- Laws and rules of painting in Orthodox churches;
- Icon painting technique;
- Skills of self-creation of an icon.
We believe that the main goal and task of our courses is to teach our students to paint holy icons competently, responsibly and reverently, which means to live a full spiritual life in harmony with themselves, with peace and with God.
Lesson cost
Tips for beginners
Introduction
Iconography and canon Preparing the board for painting the icon Soils, their composition and properties Methods of drawing on gesso Applying a paint layer Writing heads and faces Gilding backgrounds, halos and applying gaps in gold Cooking drying oil and paints
Detail of the icon "Nativity of Christ". Wood, egg tempera. First quarter of the 15th century. Tretyakov Gallery.
Introduction
The Russian icon has constantly attracted and is still attracting the closest attention of art critics, artists and simply painting lovers with its uniqueness and mystery. This is due to the fact that ancient Russian icon painting is a peculiar, unique phenomenon. She has great aesthetic and spiritual value.
Icon painting courses at the temple
And, although at present a lot of special literature is being published, it is very difficult for an unprepared viewer to decipher the coded meaning of the icon. To do this, some preparation is required.
Unfortunately, even professional artists do not always understand the beauty and originality of the ancient icon. The aim of this work is to get acquainted with the basics of the icon painting technique.
Of course, only a professional artist who knows in perfection all the secrets of the icon-painting craft and follows the canons of the Life of Saints, which is typical for the old masters, can competently perform icon painting. They very keenly felt the harmony and beauty of the icon. Upon careful study, one can find their attempt to comprehend the icon mathematically. For example, they took the size of the icon's width and laid it on the vertical of the side margin, thereby determining the height of the centerpiece (the central image of the icon), and a third of the icon's width was the height of the top row of stamps. The ratio of the height and width of the icon was most often in proportions as 4: 3. The width of the centerpiece was two diagonals of the side stamps. The figure of the centerpiece was equal to 2.5 diagonals of the hallmarks. The height of the figure together with the nimbus in the centerpiece was equal to 9 radii of the nimbus, etc. These mathematically verified calculations imparted geometric clarity to the composition, allowed the master to build a rhythmic series and focus the viewer's eyes on the main images of the icon.
In the series of religious literature, "craftsmen" stand apart, that is, collections of recipes that indicated how to compose and apply levkas (primer), grind and mix pigments with a binder, make a binder, cook drying oil and much more.
In the old days, the craft was taught by the method of "hooking up", when a young man was brought up to an old, experienced icon painter to learn from the experience.
The traditions and secrets developed over the years have been passed down from generation to generation, from generation to generation, and so on up to the present day. Without this knowledge and without the appropriate craft skills, it is difficult to count on success. The study of the canons of the Lives of the Saints, their sacred vestments, church texts and the original icon painting of the Byzantine and Russian churches is a vast topic. Therefore, to clarify these issues, we have the right to refer our dear reader to more fundamental works and sources.
Our task is much more modest - to give the reader general concepts about the technical, craft side of performing icon-painting works. We will tell you about the device of the icon, the materials used in icon painting, as well as the methods of applying a paint layer on a wooden base. 
Fragment of the icon "Our Lady of Tenderness". Linden, pavoloka, gesso, tempera. First half of the 15th century. Tretyakov Gallery.
Art materials stamps CretacoloR from the Austrian company “Brevillier Urban & Sachs”. Pencils, pastels, artist kits.
Gilding
Transfer gold leaf.
Catalog in the store: paints, pastes, sets for gilding and silvering and decorating various surfaces.
Pearlescent pigment - gold.
Iconography
Icon painting and other artistic directions.
For a novice icon painter
When writing an icon on a wooden base with a chosen recess - ark(or without it) the fabric is glued - Pavoloka... Then a chalk or alabaster soil is applied - levkas .
The first stage of the painting itself - uncover- laying of basic tones. Egg tempera on natural pigments is used. The process of working on the face completes the overlay engines- light points, spots and features in the most intense areas of the image. At the final stage of icon painting, clothes, hair and other details are painted with melted gold, or gilding is performed with an assist. Upon completion of all works, the icon is covered with a protective layer - natural drying oil.
Novice icon painters
An icon is primarily a sacred object. The face depicted on it receives, according to the rule of the Church, a name through the inscription. By this, the icon is assimilated by the one who is depicted on it, ascends to its prototype and becomes involved in its grace, so that with unworthy, careless handling of the icon, not painting is offended, but the one whose name it received, its prototype. Therefore, from the very beginning, a novice icon painter must be imbued with reverence for icon painting and recognize it as a holy deed.
Comments: 3
Color in the icon and its use
The Byzantines believed that the meaning of any art is beauty. They painted icons shining with gilding and bright colors. Each color had its own place, its own meaning. The colors were never mixed, they were light or dark, but always clear. In Byzantium, color was considered as important as the word, because each of them had its own meaning. One or more colors created a speaking image. Learning from the Byzantines, Russian icon painters adopted and preserved the symbolism of color. But in Russia the icon was not as magnificent and austere as in imperial Byzantium. The colors on Russian icons have become more lively, vibrant and sonorous. Icon painters of Ancient Rus learned to create works that were close to local conditions, tastes and ideals.
Comments: 22
Light in the icon. Tabor light and hesychasm
Speaking about icons, one must also say about " the luminous grace of Christ".
Here the concept contained in hesychasm, the doctrine adopted by Orthodoxy, found its expression: God is unknowable in His essence. But God is revealed by grace - divine energy, poured out by Him into the world, God pours out light into the world.
As the great ideologist of hesychasm Gregory Palamas (1296-1359) taught, Jesus Christ is Light, and His teaching is the enlightenment of people. The radiance of Jesus Christ is incomprehensible and inexpressible. He is "unspeakably radiant."
In a possible and accessible form for man, this divine light was shown by Jesus Christ to the closest disciples on Mount Tabor. "... Jesus took Peter, James and John, his brother, and led them up a high mountain alone, and was transfigured before them: and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. And, behold, Moses appeared to them and Elijah, talking with Him "(Matt. HUP, 1-3).
Direct and reverse perspective
One of the reasons that make it difficult to understand ancient Russian icons is a special way of depicting space and the earthly and "heavenly" creatures and objects in it.
We look at pictures through the eyes of a European, and what is depicted on them seems to us very similar to what we see in the world around us.
The most important factor explaining the "plausibility" of European painting is the use of linear perspective in the visual arts of Europe.
The doctrine of perspective originated in the 13th century, and this was an event that played a very noticeable role in the fate of European culture.
Time in the Icon
Another issue that needs to be considered for "adaptation" in the world of icons is how people perceived and understood time in the Middle Ages.
The difference in the understanding of time as a philosophical category in Western Europe and in Byzantium was identified and formed during the Renaissance, when Europe, in contrast to Byzantium, embarked on the path of a new world outlook. After the temporary capture of Constantinople by the crusaders in 1204, the alienation of Byzantium from Europe became in many ways even deeper and more irreconcilable.
A different approach to what time is, to a large extent determined the difference in attitude to the world, to the events taking place in it, to the role of a person in these events and, as a consequence, to the goals, meaning and possibilities of fine art, which in Byzantium and Rus was religious and predominantly remained so in Western Europe. This, in turn, directly affected the formation of fundamentally different pictorial techniques used by artists of Western Europe and icon painters from Orthodox countries.
A brief procedure for working on an icon
On the board with the chosen recess - the "ark", the fabric base of the "pavolok" is glued.
After grinding the surface of the soil, the drawing of the future icon is transferred to it.
The next step is the gilding of the areas of the halo and background.
The first stage of the painting itself - "roskrysh" - laying the basic tones. Paint (egg tempera on natural pigment) is first of all applied to backgrounds, then landscape elements, vegetation ("grass"), buildings ("palatas"), etc., as well as the clothes of the characters are covered - everything that makes up the so-called "lobule "On the icon.
What is an icon
Anyone who begins to study the technique of icon making, before getting acquainted with the drawing, materials and methods of their application, must understand the sacred nature of this art, its highest purpose and the closest connection with the life of the Church. Icon painting is not just art, it is ecclesiastical art.
An icon is a book about faith. In the language of lines and colors, she reveals the dogmatic, moral and liturgical teaching of the Church. And the purer and higher the life of a Christian, the more accessible to his soul the language of the icon.
An icon is primarily a sacred object. The face depicted on it receives, according to the rule of the Church, a name through the inscription. By this, the icon is assimilated by the one who is depicted on it, ascends to its prototype and becomes involved in its grace, so that with unworthy, careless handling of the icon, not painting is offended, but the one whose name it received, its prototype. Therefore, from the very beginning, a novice icon painter must be imbued with reverence for icon painting and recognize it as a holy deed.
The artistic form of the icon
For eight centuries, the Church of Christ, represented by its icon painters, worked, developing the artistic form of the icon, and now we have an image in it, as close as possible to the immaterial world, on the one hand, and to our extremely limited understanding of this world, on the other hand. Therefore, in contrast to mundane art, in which one can improve only through the study of nature and nature, icon painting must be learned only through copying ancient icons, in which the invisible is manifested in forms accessible to us.
By copying an icon, a person fully cognizes it and involuntarily comes into contact with the world that is enclosed in it. Gradually, he begins to feel the reality of this world, to recognize the truth of this image, then comprehends the depth of its content, amazed at the clarity of the forms, the inner validity of its details and truly holy simplicity, artistic expression. But to understand the icon in this way takes time, and sometimes quite a long time.
Traditions of icon painting
Note for ourselves that an icon, in a narrow sense, we call an image made on a board... But, defining this art, we will have in mind not only the icon itself, but the iconographic image in a broad sense, an image that can be painted on the wall, and on metal, and on objects of church use, and not only written, but also engraved , and embroidered, and lined with mosaics, etc.
So, first of all, an icon is not some kind of independent art. Iconography is a part of the life of the Church, one of its institutions. “I am not of this world (John 8:23), - said the Divine Founder and Head of the Church, - My kingdom (that is, the Church) is not of this world” (John 18:36). Therefore, both the nature of the Church and all her institutions are not worldly: their purpose and ultimate goal are the same as those of the Church - the salvation of the world, that is, educating a person in time for eternity, bringing him to grace-filled communion with God, to becoming God-like.
However, the icon painting technique has its own historical life: over time, new materials appeared, to which the icon painters adapted, studying them and applying them in practice.
Icon painter (iconographer, model painter, icon scribe) - a painter specializing in the creation of icons.
Icon (from the Middle-Greek eikon - drawing) + pis a be
Icon painter(isographer, model painter, icon scribe) - a painter specializing in the creation of icons. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in drawing and world art culture (see the choice of profession for interest in school subjects).
Features of the profession
An Orthodox icon is a sacred image made within the framework of the tradition of Eastern Christianity, symbolizing the image of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, a saint or an event from sacred or church history.
Is it only painting?
From the point of view of art critics, the icon is a work of Christian (mainly Orthodox) easel painting for cult purposes.From the point of view of theology, the material and manufacturing technique does not matter.
The church only regulates the content, composition, color and light, the attributes of the saints. Therefore, icons can be mosaic, embroidered, cast, carved, etc.
All of them can be sacred images, have the same content, purpose, and were often created by the same masters.The icon is a work of church liturgical art.
From the point of view of Orthodox worship, it has the same meaning as the Gospel.The earliest surviving icons were created in the 6th century in Byzantium.
Over the centuries, the artistic principles of the Orthodox icon have become established in the form of canonical norms.
In 1551, the Stoglavy Cathedral formulated these norms. The icon of Andrei Rublev was declared the standard of canonicity at the same time.
Although this does not exclude a variety of icon painting styles (schools) that have developed in different localities.According to church tradition, an icon painter, unlike an artist, is viewed not as the author of a specific image, but as a conductor of divine truth.
In Orthodoxy, there is a special liturgical form of initiation into icon painters, which is not the case for representatives of crafts working for the needs of the church.Today, interest in the Russian Orthodox icon is growing. Many churches are being built and restored in Russia and abroad. This requires trained icon painters.
Workplace
The icon painter's workplace is an icon painting workshop.
Important qualities
An icon painter is not just a craftsman who has mastered icon painting technique.
This profession requires a vocation, religious giftedness (and not everyone has it). And also the ability to self-denial: not every painter can keep his creative nature within the given framework. In addition, this ministry requires a pious, non-vain way of life from a person.Knowledge and skills
In addition to the skill of the draftsman and knowledge of the laws of icon painting, the master must know the history of the icon, understand its symbolic and theological meaning.
Where do they teach
Higher education in icon painting can be obtained in some Orthodox universities.
For example:- Orthodox St. Tikhon University for the Humanities in Moscow.
(Faculty of Church Arts.
Departments: Iconography, Restoration of Tempera and Oil Easel Painting.)- In addition, you can study to be an icon painter at an icon painting school or courses.
Some icon painting schools train future masters from the very beginning. In this case, applicants are not required to have any artistic training.
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