The history of Russian icon painting has seven centuries. The names of the masters, whose creations have survived to this day, are the glory of Russian painting, as well as the images of Orthodox saints they created. Few museums can be proud of the fact that their expositions exhibit original icons of the 12th-19th centuries, when most of the masterpieces of Russian icon painting were created. The Private Museum of Russian Icons on Taganka, founded by entrepreneur and philanthropist Mikhail Abramov, today has a fairly extensive exposition - over four thousand copies are presented to the public in its exhibition halls, including 600 icons, the rest are pectoral crosses and antiquities related to icon painting and Orthodoxy.
Russian icon painting as a reflection of culture
In which city of the Russian state the first private museum of the Russian icon appeared, no one dares to say for sure - it could exist, but remain unknown to outsiders. Historians write about many private museums, highlighting the mostsignificant of them, and whose statements are the most accurate is a moot point.
It is more reliable to speak about the icon painters themselves, the years of their creations were established with amazing accuracy - from Theophan the Greek to Fyodor Zubov. They painted the most famous domestic churches, their works are the most priceless Orthodox icons. A Russian museum - any one that could boast of having among its exhibits a particle of the creation of great icon painters - could be considered unspeakably rich. The masterpieces that have survived to this day are a true achievement of both national and world culture.
The Museum of Russian Icons, founded by Mikhail Abramov, opened in Moscow on Goncharnaya Street, behind the Kotelnicheskaya skyscraper in the Taganka district, not so long ago - in 2006, but today it is the largest private collection of icons in Russia. Initially tothe collection was located in the Vereiskaya Plaza business center on Slavyansky Boulevard and occupied only a small area. It was possible to get a sightseeing tour only by prior arrangement. Only after the opening of the new building on Taganka, everyone got access to the private collection of icons.
The first private collections of icons in Russia
The most valuable rarities of the Taganka Museum: the icon of Our Lady Hodegetria by Simon Ushakov – the only signature icon of the master; the image of St. Nicholas of Myra; a unique collection of Pskov icon painters of the 16th century.
The first private ancient repositories of icon painting monuments began to appear in Russia in the first half of the 19th century. The most famous of them were collected by M. Pogodin and P. Korobanov. But the icon was considered the true art of painting only in the 20th century. At the same time, the collector N. Likhachev, who owned the most extensive collection of works by Russian icon painters in St. Petersburg, opened the first private museum of Russian icons accessible to the public. In Moscow, such galleries opened their doors in houses owned by the artist I. Ostroukhov and the merchant S. Ryabushinsky. It was not long before the revolution.
Modern private exhibitions of ancient icon painting
One can safely say that the first founder of the modern private museum of Russian icons was the collector E. Roizman from Yekaterinburg. His collection of late Old Believer iconography, reflecting the culture of the 18th-19th centuries, became available to the general public in 1999, when the significant opening of the Nevyansk Icon Museum took place.
In Moscow, for true connoisseurs of Orthodox painting, the doors of two private collections of icons are open at once. In addition to the collection of Mikhail Abramov, the museum “House of Icons and Painting named after S. P. Ryabushinsky on Spiridonovka. Among its exhibits there are genuine masterpieces. These include the icon of Our Lady Hodegetria of the Georgian work of the 15th century, the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, painted in the first half of the 16th century, and a dozen creations of Russian icon painters of the late period, which constitute the true glory of Russian painting. Today, the Museum of Russian Icons on Spiridonovka has an exposition that includes more than twohalf thousand icons.
Stages of founding the museum on Taganka
Mikhail Abramov acquired antique icons for his collection both in Russian and foreign private galleries. With his funds, everything that could be found standing in antique salons was bought. True, the main part of the exhibits came from several private collections, the largest of which were in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Thus, the Museum of Russian Icons has replenished with masterpieces kept in the personal collections of three Moscow artists - S. Vorobyov, V. Momot and A. Kokorin.
In 2007 in Bern, Mikhail Abramov officially purchased and legally imported into Russia 10 icons stolen in 1984 from the Veliky Ustyug State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve (the temple of Dmitry Solunsky in the village of Dymkovo). Of course, the purchaser had no idea about the difficult fate of these icons, painted in the 16th-17th centuries in the Kostroma lands. They were not listed as wanted, as there were no photographic images of them. Only after an examination at the State Research Institute of Restoration was it possible to find out the history of these icons. Of course, Mikhail Abramov transferred them to the state repository. In 2008, these icons were demonstrated to visitors at the Tretyakov Gallery at the “Returned Property” exhibition.
But the experts of the Abramov Museum once revealed among the acquired exhibits a shrine once stolen in Rostov - a carved cross. It was promptly returned to the state. Mikhail Abramov himself is consciously engaged in the purchase of Russian icons abroad, applyingall efforts to return valuable exhibits of her great history to her homeland.
Priceless exhibits of the Taganka Museum
Icons of the level of Rublev or Dionysius, of course, are not here - the bulk are works of the 16th - early 20th centuries. The works of the masters of the Armory are well represented. Some icons delight the heart with their touching provinciality: Rostov, Vologda, Obonezhie, Tver, Kargopolye, Solikamsk, the Volga region - these are just some of the places where these exhibits come from. Fans of unraveling iconography will like the boards of the 18th-19th centuries: large museums usually neglect such “late” images, but they are extremely curious.
Abramov's acquisition in 2007 of a collection of icons that previously belonged to the well-known Leningrad collector V. Samsonov was an important event for the philanthropist. The Museum of Russian Icons on Goncharnaya Street has been replenished with genuine masterpieces of Russian icon painting - the image of the Mother of God Odigidria, painted by Simon Ushakov himself, and several icons of a later period by lesser-known masters, but that did not lose their true historical and cultural value. Even the acquisition of the collection itself is intriguing.
Samsonov dreamed during his lifetime to open a museum of icon painting in his native city, the true pearl of which would be his own collection, but these dreams were not destined to come true. After the death of the collector, some of the exhibits were lost by his unworthy heirs, and the remains were taken to one oftemples, where they were stored in complete negligence. It was bought by Mikhail Abramov, thereby not only replenishing the exposition of his own museum, but also dedicating it to the blessed memory of the first owner.
How the museum determines the true value of exhibits
Fast with collecting icons, Abramov struck up close relationships with connoisseurs of ancient Russian art, specialists from the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian Museum. Not a single exhibit passes the examination, this helps to maintain a high historical and cultural level of the collection. In addition, if it is possible to acquire a very valuable exhibit, it is checked at least twice for confirmation of a non-criminal past. The Ministry of Culture has the database of stolen valuables, which received it from Rosokhrankultura - all ancient objects are checked against this database.
The Director of the Museum of the Russian Icon Nikolai Zadorozhny strictly monitors that no acquisition could cast a shadow on the noble beginning of the mission that the philanthropist Abramov is leading. Under his leadership, a unique Old Believer chapel of the 19th century, discovered in the forest of the Tver region, almost destroyed, was transported to the museum and equipped. The chapel was carefully dismantled literally piece by piece, delivered to the museum workshop and recreated almost in its original form, where the images of the icons are arranged in the proper order, and the liturgical books are opened, as if for prayer, and only candles illuminate the entire room. Visitors can only enter by bending over.
A little bit about expositions
In the summer of 2014, a new exposition was opened at the Abramov Museum, under which the entire fourth floor of the building was taken. It is dedicated to icon painting of the 19th-20th centuries. All the variety of late Russian painting from rubella and chromolithographs to monumental temple icons is presented to the general public. You can also admire the strictly canonical Old Believer icons painted in the so-called "centers of ancient piety", which were located in Tver, Vetka, Moscow, the Moscow region and the Urals. A large part of the exposition was devoted to acquaintance with the art of book writing of those years.
In total, the museum has four exposition floors, the entrances to them are imitated as safe doors. Behind one of them is a recreated Old Believer chapel of the 19th century with cast and carved Old Believer crosses, icons, and the Gospel. The remains of an ancient iconostasis are exhibited in the vestibule. Even the buffet has antiques - ancient Russian painted spinning wheels are hung on its walls. One of the exposition halls is equipped for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Lectures, demonstrations and guided tours
Stationary tours at the museum are held six days a week, with the exception of Wednesdays. The theme of these excursions differs little from ordinary museum ones. In addition to an overview of the collection of icons, you can visit such as "Russian icon painting of the XIV-XVI centuries" and "Russian icon painting of the XIX-early XX centuries. Basic styles, leading centers and masters. But author's excursions deserve special attention, one of which is "The World of the Russian Skete: the Culture of the Old Believers", developed by E. B. Solodovnikova, - is most in demand among visitors.
Quite often the museum hosts lectures and themed evenings. Concerts are organized - a piano is put up in the lobby for these purposes. So that everyone can not only see priceless exhibits, but also listen to a series of lectures on the cultural traditions of ancient Russia, the museum is equipped with a conference room, a specialized library fund is being assembled, where you can find everything about the history of the creation of an Orthodox icon. The Abramov Russian Museum is also widely known abroad, thanks to its rich display and generosity - museum visitors can admire its exhibits for free - everything is paid for by its founder Mikhail Abramov. This circumstance fundamentally distinguishes the private Museum of Russian Icons from state galleries.
State museums of both capitals
The main monuments of the fine arts of the Russian state are stored in the Tretyakov Gallery and the Hermitage. But two more museums in Moscow and St. Petersburg should be remembered, since they are directly related to the great heritage of Russian icon painting, and among their exhibits are the most famous icons of ancient masters. One of them is the State Russian Museum. Icons among its exhibits occupy a prominent place, but not dominant. The museum is located in the northern capital.
The Andrey Rublev Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art, located in Moscow, has no less relation to Russian icon painting. Founded in 1947, it hasrich exposition and is the main repository of the great national heritage of fine arts. The museum exhibits one of the most revered by Christians icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, painted by Rublev in 1409.
Orthodox churches are living museums of icon painting
How many Orthodox churches across the country - you can't count them all, and each has icons. Of course, most of the temples and the shrines in them are of only relative value, more for the study of artists, and not historians. Those churches that have true masterpieces protect their valuables in every possible way for a few dozen permanent parishioners, but they will never agree to transfer them to museums where they could be seen by thousands of connoisseurs of ancient art. It is impossible to reproach the priests for the lack of patriotism - the churches entrusted to them need these icons. The Russian Museum, even the smallest, has several priceless exhibits, but not every church can boast even one icon of great historical and cultural significance. Although, to be fair, what were they written for, if not to serve as an inspiration for parishioners to pray?
The importance of ancient icons for modern Orthodox believers
Of course, museum displays, even if they are Orthodox icons, have little to awaken true faith in the hearts. It’s a shame to admit it, but nevertheless they have more museum value - the very atmosphere of the exposition erects a wall between admirationart and the delight of feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit. Abramov, who created the Museum of Russian Icons, can break this trend, but so far his project has not managed to avoid this bleak fate, although the interior of some rooms is as close as possible to the temple ones. Nevertheless, to see the holy images before which our forefathers bowed their knees is the greatest happiness for every Orthodox Christian. This happiness gives people the Museum of Russian Icons. Moscow has been enriched with another monument of ancient culture.
It is also pleasing that the founder of the museum tried to bring not only the interior decoration of the premises closer to the church, but also carefully worked on the external ensemble of the complex - opposite the Museum of the Russian Icon is the Athos Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery. The choice of seat was perfect.
The role of patrons in preserving the heritage of Orthodoxy
Abramov, who created the Museum of Russian Icons on Taganka, deserves not only the respect of his contemporaries. His selfless love for the culture of his native Fatherland helps to recreate the history of Russian Orthodoxy bit by bit. A lot of effort and money is spent on this.
The work and legacy of the Tretyakov brothers lives on to this day, this is proved by the true philanthropist Mikhail Abramov. The Museum of Russian Icons created by him is the best evidence of this. Moreover, the founder of the museum – is quite young and can do a lot more for the prosperity of the glory of his native Fatherland. Moreover, he continues to search for exhibits for his brainchild to this day, and who knows what rare iconsare still stored in the villages and villages of a vast country behind curtains and blinds, in front of which lighted candles burn in the red corners of the rooms.
