Religion has always nourished the arts, it is in many ways owes its development and higher achievements. Higgledy-piggledy in the era of the late XIX and XX centuries, this argument a thing of the past, art has become a source of life, nature, images of the past ...

But to confront the great masterpieces, the eternal creations of old masters who inspired the book of books - the Bible - it is not possible.

Biblical images in the art of Europe, of course, stands on a pedestal beautiful creations of human genius. The exhibition, entitled «Images of God's world», which opens today at the Moscow House of graphs presented religious prints and books. Of course, collected in this exhibition - it is only a small part of the great heritage of European engravings (part of it - Russian engraving) XVI - XIX centuries. The exhibits are united not only by subject matter, but also what might be called the historical development of a line engraving. The latter based on small collections could show only a dotted line - some striking facts of the history of engraving.

All of the development of engraving in XV - XVI centuries, is divided into two epochs - before and after Albrecht Dürer. His theoretical study and, more importantly, they created an art system have opened up endless possibilities in the transfer form and space, and to reflect the finest nuances of human emotion, mood, state of nature, his mature work defined the development of the whole European engravings century ahead.

These prints include a series of «great passions», the ninth leaf of which is presented at the exhibition. In the series «The life of Mary» evident characteristic of the German tradition of intonation - an abundance of detail, interest in the genre details. «Life of Mary» in the interpretation of Dürer became poetic story, full of love, joy and sadness.

Do not escaped the influence of Durer and other well-known engraver of the XVI century - Italian Marcantonio Raimondi. Raimondi Copying sheets of graphic cycle «The life of Mary» without permission of Durer, and to return to the light at Nuremberg (1511) complete a series of woodcut, resulting in a first in the history of art litigation relating to the protection of copyright.

The exhibition provides an opportunity to compare the original Durer (5 sheets from the series «The life of Mary») and a copy Raimondi - 17 sheets of the same series.

For all of their striking similarity dramatically striking difference in the pattern of lines, which builds the image. Soft, plastic line woodcut, carved on a tree are replaced by an intense sharp cutter on a copper plate, the complex is transferred to the hatching whimsical orderly linear bar. You have to wonder just how masterful Raimondi managed to overcome differences in the techniques of high and gravure printing, creating a seemingly similar products. His work was the beginning of reproductive engraving, which has since spread widely throughout Europe.

A special place in the establishment of reproduction prints belong to the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, the XVI century edition prints acquires a mass commercial nature. The most interesting use religious stories - lists that illustrate the Scriptures or hagiographic literature. Reproduction in run prints, religious paintings and drawings by great masters receive a new life and new fans, they were part of everyday life and became the province of broad fans.

set up such a brilliant galaxy of engraving master virtuosos, many of which are publishers and dealers engravings. At this time, having a dynasty and engravers, publishers - Viriksov, Kollartov, Sadelerov, Gein.

Among the religious subjects especially popular and have been distributed so-called «passionate» series, devoted to the last earthly days of Jesus Christ. Lists of such series, issued by Anton Viriksom and Jakob Hein, presented at the exhibition. The popularity of these engravings contributed execution, bordered with virtuosity, sophisticated technology, transfer and plasticity of form, shades and nuances of tone, creating almost «beautiful» effect.

The next stage in the illustration Biblical texts is the emergence of so-called «historical» Bibles - engraved on copper Album detail illustrating biblical texts. The exhibition is presented tselnogravirovannaya Bible, published in 1712 in Augsburg Christoph Vaygelem. The tradition of the publication of illustrated Bibles existed until the XX century, to the type of publication and include «The Old Testament in scenes», printed in St. Petersburg in 1846 to the design of the famous artist AA Agina. This is one of the most interesting illustrated bible of Russian publications.

presented at the exhibition of works by Russian artists show the main stages of development of Russian religious illustrations. They cover all the major centers of its inception: the Moscow Synodal printing, printing of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Moscow Old print.

No less interesting and presented in the exhibition display a special kind of religious art medalernogo a shallow metal plasticity: the Orthodox church and the badge obrazka (breast icons). The collection of 55 refers to the time of the reign of Emperor Alexander III and Nicholas II Romanov (1881-1917). Complements his rare token depicting St. Apostles Peter and Paul Church (Western Europe, the end of XVII century). Interest in the collection of Orthodox icons and tokens appeared not so long ago - a certain momentum has the celebration of 1000 anniversary of the baptism of Russia, seen in 1988. Until now, large collections of these items are not displayed, and the exhibition provides an opportunity to see the samples of little-known areas of religious art.

festive mood, the Easter, gives the exhibition a collection of minerals in the form of eggs. Stone, with a range of aesthetic qualities and natural beauty, as well as possible, reflecting the uniqueness and diversity of God's marvelous world.

In general, exhibits, which will last until May 8, form a mosaic and an excellent panoramic view of «World of God».

exhibition at the House of graphs can be visited at: Potapovsky trans., 10, from Wednesday to Sunday, from 12 to 19 hours.

Source: graphichouse.ru