In the Winter Palace opened the exhibition "Faces of the Divine. Greek icons from the collection Velimezisa ", organized by the State Hermitage. The exhibition displays over 40 icons

In the Winter Palace (Halls № 364-367) opened the exhibition "Faces of the Divine. Greek icons from the collection Velimezisa ", organized by the State Hermitage Museum jointly with the Public Fund of Alexander S. Onascisa. The exhibition displays over 40 icons.

Greek icons enjoy special veneration in Russia, which have never forgotten that, of Byzantium, "from the Greeks, came to our Orthodox faith. Represented in the exhibition are icons of XVI - XVIII centuries - to the time when the Byzantine Empire ceased to exist as a state, but its artistic culture continued to live and grow. In science, this period was called "Post-Byzantine". During this period in different regions of the former Byzantine Empire, formed the local art schools with its individuality and technical features. But through all of them lay the ancient traditions of Byzantine iconography IV - middle of XV century. In Crete, was under the protectorate of Venice, formed the Cretan School - a brilliant and exquisite, in which the Byzantine tradition of icon painting technique and mixed with Western European art, especially the Venetian. His "western" style artists were Greeks living in Italy, near Otranto. Instead, icon-painters in the monasteries of the Holy Mount Athos were cultured conservation purely Byzantine iconography and technique, and for many years shunned "Western innovations».

From the middle of XVII century, during the Veneziano-Turkish war over Crete, many Greeks, Cretans, including artists, migrated to the Ionian islands - Corfu, Zant, Kefalonia, Lefkas, facilitating the development of this iconic shops . His individual style developed Iconographers Epirus in Northern Greece, a special activity which accounts for XVIII - XIX century. Samples of work of all these schools and trends can be seen in the icons provided by the exhibition. Most of the exhibited works dates to the writings of mass production. These are the icons that were written for ordinary customers, for smaller churches and chapels. However, they have their own special charm and artless simplicity. It is this mass production creates that cultural background through which the ancient traditions of Byzantium survived for centuries and today are a source of inspiration of contemporary icon painters in Greece, and Russia.

From the ancient, eroded by the beetle-borers boards are looking at us stern faces of Orthodox saints who gave their lives for the Christian faith. Thoughtful look like the Virgin passes through us - she discovered that is not available to us mortals. Infant Jesus gently pressed against the countenance of the Mother, as a mere child - as if he was not destined to take Passion for the entire human race. Looking at these old icons should be not only (and not so much) to remember the external beauty of their art, but do not forget their main purpose - to give people faith, hope and love.

The exhibition catalog of scientific illustration, which has introductory remarks by Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the State Hermitage Museum, Antonis Samaras, Greek Minister of Culture, Antonios S. Papadimitriou, President of the Board of Directors of the Public Foundation Alexander S. Onascisa .

The exhibition runs until December 13, 2009.

Source: hermitagemuseum.org