Icon "Christmas": description, meaning

Andrei Rublev is the founder of the Moscow School of Painting, an artist, author of frescoes and icons, including the world-famous work "Nativity of Christ".

Little information is known about his life history. The name Andrew was given to him when monastic tonsure. The worldly name of the icon painter is unknown to historians. On the few surviving information of contemporaries, Rublev was a humble, humble, quiet person.

He came from a family of icon painters. His whole life was dedicated to the monastic ministry. Fame for him as a painter came quite early.

Briefly about the life and work of Andrei Rublev

Some sources claim that he was born in the Moscow principality, some called the place of his birth, Veliky Novgorod. Approximate date of birth is 1380.

The year of his death and burial place are known for certain. In 1428, the painter was buried in the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery, where a museum of his name is currently open.

Relatively detailed information about his life and work appeared in 1918, when during the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir , his frescos were cleared and icons of the Zvenigorod rank were found. The most striking composition from the frescoes of Rublev is "The Last Judgment". The dusky scene is represented by the painter as a triumph of supreme justice and is not gloomy, but rather festive in nature.

Early work of Rublev is characterized by warm emotional coloring. The works written during this period are imbued with reverential joy and spiritual beauty. One of the most famous is the icon "Christmas Christ. "

Later life Rublyov associated with the beginning of internecine warrior in Russia, which led to the destruction of moral ideals. The inner harmony of the author did not find support from outside, which clearly reflected on the creativity of this time. Images and colors become darker.

From 1425 to 1427 Andrei Rublev, in alliance with Daniil Cherniy, created the iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.

Until now, only a small part of the master's works has survived. Its authorship belongs to the "Life-Original Trinity", "Descent into Hell", "Annunciation", "Ascension", "Sfense".

Icon of the Nativity of Christ: description and creation date

The icon is written on a lime board. The 1405 year is considered the time of its completion. Up to now, the icon has been preserved in the middle state. In the lower left corner, in the place where the boards are fastened, a new layer of gesso is applied in the form of an oblong spot. Below right there are also two inserts. The former gesso was partially lost around the perimeter of the icon. The cinnabar edging was preserved only in the upper part. On the field of the icon, in the area of the head of the infant Jesus, there are injuries from nails hidden by wax and gesso. Small plates are also visible on the face of the Mother of God, maforia and chiton.

On the front of the icon, from the top to the bottom edge, there is a crack. Another is in the layer of gesso, in the central region of the composition. Time has greatly thinned out and in many places the colorful layer of the icon has been destroyed. Gold, which were painted with haloes, wings of angels, pieces of clothing and baptismal, almost completely lost. Faces of saints and gaps in clothing are poorly preserved. In the most holistic form - the faces of shepherds and Samomiya.

Composition and colors of the icon

The icon "Christmas" is executed in greenish-yellowish, white, transparent-olive tones. Thanks to this selection of colors and shadows, the entire image seems airy and immaterial.

In the center of the composition there is a Mother of God lying on a cinnabar bed, clothed in a dark red garment (maforium). She leans against her hand, turning away from the baby. Behind her back, the black background of the cave clearly appears, where the Nativity of Christ took place. The icon of Andrei Rublev, the image of Mary, is dominant over the other figures in the composition.

On top are the nursery, closely adjacent to the bed of the Mother of God. The new-born Christ is enveloped in a white veil, tied with a cinnabar hatchet, which indicates that this particular baby is the Messiah. The icon "Christmas", the meaning and its meaning will undoubtedly be understood and close not only to believers, but also to people who are somehow familiar with the history of the origin of this Orthodox holiday.

In the upper right part, two angels are shown, glorifying the birth of Christ, from the opposite side, also from above - three wise men on horseback. In the lower field to the right is a scene of the bathing of the infant Jesus by two servants. Currently, the icon "Christmas" is in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin, where anyone can see it.

History of the icon

The icon was saved from destruction in 1960. The director of the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Museum took her out of the ruined church, thus preserving her to this day. From Nizhny Novgorod, the masterpiece was secretly taken to Moscow. However, the capital restorers could not immediately recognize the true story - the Nativity of Christ. Icon of Andrei Rublev Was hidden under a colorful layer of the 19th century.

Iconography of the event

The birth of Jesus Christ is the greatest festival for Christians of the whole world at all times. This event is marked by the appearance of the Savior. However, Orthodox masters, observing traditions, added to their work certain details that give them more vitality and warmth. Adoration of the Magi, the washing of the baby, glorifying angels complement the captured event. The work of Andrei Rublev is a unique example of the Orthodox iconography of the birth of Christ. Glee and joy are filled not only with religious rituals dedicated to this day, but also icons of the Nativity of Christ. The Orthodox images of this feast are based on the rules of Byzantine writing, for which strict adherence to canons and exact dogmaticity are characteristic.

Icons of a festive series

The creations of the great icon painter rightfully occupy an important place in the treasury of Russian Orthodox painting. The author painted the dogmatic stories with warm emotional and philosophical content.

The icon of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ is included in the cycle of festive icons: "Annunciation", "Christmas", "Sfense", "Epiphany", "Resurrection of Lazarus", "Transfiguration", "Entrance to Jerusalem". Despite the fact that the attribution of these works to Rublev's authorship has not been confirmed for certain, they were executed with observance of all the author's techniques that the icon painter used in his work.

Christmas in the works of other artists

Andrei Rublev was by no means the only author whose works reflected the greatest event for all Christians. His brush belongs to the most famous example of the canonical painting on the birth of the Messiah: the icon of the Nativity of Christ. The description of the works of other authors for the most part repeats the content of Rublev's masterpiece. This circumstance is largely due to the fact that the Moscow school of painting founded by Rublev had a large number of followers.

Bethlehem, the Church of the Nativity of Christ: icons

As stated above, the Nativity of Jesus is a great event, one of the few laid down foundations of the Christian faith. It formed not only the whole direction of iconography, but also left a grandiose trace in church architecture.

The Church of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem is by right one of the most important ever Christian shrines. It was built in 325 AD. E. On the site of the cave where, according to legend, the baby Jesus appeared. In 529, the church was burned during the Samaritan uprising, but was soon completely restored under the reign of Emperor Justinian.

One of the most famous icons of the temple is the miraculous image of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Bethlehem, who performs the prayers of all those who ask. Among parishioners and tourists, it enjoys the same popularity as the Rublev icon of the Nativity of Christ. In Bethlehem, the annual influx of worshipers numbered several hundred thousand people.

A special distinguishing feature of the image is that the Virgin is depicted on it smiling, whereas in the traditional religious painting the face of the Mother of God expresses sorrow or tenderness. One of the brightest works created in such traditions is the icon "Christmas". The meaning of her symbols for the Orthodox faith can not be overestimated.

On one of the 44 columns of the temple there is a myrrh-streaming image of the Savior, which believing Christians also consider miraculous.

He evokes the same awe and reverence as the icons of the Nativity of Christ. The Orthodox of the whole world come to Bethlehem to worship these shrines. In the decoration of the temple to this day preserved parts of the precious mosaic of the time of King Constantine.

The main shrine

The main part of the temple is the cave in which Jesus Christ was born. The very place of his birth is marked by a silver star in a marble floor and surrounded by 15 burning lamps. 5 of them belong to Armenians, 4 - to Catholics, and 6 - to the Orthodox Greek confession. The cave is shallow, oblong, its length is about 12 meters, and its width is 4 meters.

Next to the Christmas star is the throne of the "Holy Crèche", where you can see the wax image of the baby Jesus.