Theophan the Greek (circa 1340 - around 1410) - the great Russian and Byzantine icon painter, miniaturist and master of monumental fresco paintings.
Theophanes was born in Byzantium (hence the nickname Greek), before arriving in Rus', he worked in Constantinople, Chalcedon (a suburb of Constantinople), Genoese Galata and Cafe (now Feodosia in the Crimea) (only frescoes in Feodosia have survived). Probably arrived in Rus' together with Metropolitan Cyprian.
Transfiguration
Theophanes the Greek settled in Novgorod in 1370. In 1378, he began work on the painting of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyina Street. The most grandiose image in the temple is the chest image of the Almighty Savior in the dome. In addition to the dome, Feofan painted the drum with the figures of the forefathers and prophets Elijah and John the Baptist. The paintings of the apse have also come down to us - fragments of the rank of saints and the "Eucharist", part of the figure of the Virgin on the southern altar pillar, and "Baptism", "Nativity of Christ", "Meeting", "Sermon of Christ to the Apostles" and "Descent into Hell" on vaults and adjoining walls. The best preserved frescoes of the Trinity chapel. This is an ornament, frontal figures of saints, a half-figure of the “Sign” with forthcoming angels, a throne with four saints approaching it and, in the upper part of the wall, Stylites, the Old Testament “Trinity”, medallions with John of the Ladder, Agathon, Akakiy and the figure of Macarius of Egypt.
The subsequent events of Theophan's life are poorly known, according to some information (in particular, from a letter from Epiphanius the Wise to Abbot of the Afanasiev Monastery Cyril of Tverskoy), the icon painter worked in Nizhny Novgorod (the paintings have not been preserved), some researchers tend to believe that he also worked in Kolomna and Serpukhov. In the early 1390s. Feofan arrived in Moscow.
Regarding the icons painted by Theophanes, no clear information has been preserved. Traditionally, his authorship is attributed to the Assumption of the Mother of God, the Don Icon of the Mother of God, the Transfiguration of the Lord, and the deesis rite of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin.
There is no exact information about where and when the Assumption icon was painted, but according to indirect data, it is believed that this happened in Moscow. The icon is two-sided, on one side the plot of the Assumption of the Mother of God is written, and on the other is the image of the Mother of God with the infant Christ. The image belongs to the type of icons of the Mother of God "Tenderness", and subsequently the icon was called "Our Lady of Tenderness of the Don". In modern art history there is no consensus about the origin of these images. In addition, the icon “Transfiguration” is attributed to Feofan - the temple image of the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Savior in the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky, although artistically and figuratively it is weaker than his images and follows his style outwardly and superficially.
Theophanes the Greek led the painting of a number of Moscow churches - this is the new stone church of the Nativity of the Virgin in 1395, together with Semyon Cherny and students, the church of St. Michael the Archangel in 1399, the painting of which burned out during the invasion of Tokhtamysh, and the Church of the Annunciation, together with the elder Prokhor from Gorodets and Andrei Rublev in 1405. Also icons of the Deesis tier from the iconostasis of the Cathedral of the Annunciation are attributed to Theophanes. Its main feature is that it is the first iconostasis in Russia with full-length figures. The iconostasis consists of the following icons: Basil the Great, Apostle Peter, Archangel Michael, Mother of God, Savior, John the Baptist, Archangel Gabriel, Apostle Paul, John Chrysostom.
Stylite, 1374
Trinity, 1374
Saved by the Almighty. Painting of the dome of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyin Street in Veliky Novgorod, 1378
Three Stylites, 1378
Fresco of Theophanes the Greek Old Testament Trinity
Fresco. Forefathers Adam, Abel, Seth
Fresco Abel, 1378
The fresco Stylite Alimpiy was painted by Theophanes the Greek in 1378 in the Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin in Novgorod
Frescoes of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyin Street
Archangel
Don Icon of the Mother of God 1390s
Assumption, 1390s
Our Lady, 1405
Saved in strength, 1405
John Chrysostom, 1405
Apostle Paul, 1405
Apostle Peter 1405
Archangel Gabriel, 1405
Basil the Great, 1405
John the Baptist, 1405
Icons of saints and incorporeal forces
Prophet Gideon, 1405
School Day by Day - Theophanes Grek Museums of the Moscow Kremlin
Fully
Byzantine painter and icon painter, who worked in the cities of Russia in the last quarter of the 14th - early 15th centuries. The works created by Theophan the Greek are classified as the best examples of ancient Russian painting.
The beginning of the way. Byzantine art.
Feofan Grek is considered one of the most famous Russian painters. He was born in Byzantium around 1340. Despite the fact that it is difficult to call Theophan the Greek native Russian due to his origin, the written tradition often ranks him among Russian artists - largely because he created a significant part of his life not in his homeland, but in Rus'.
Unfortunately, information about the childhood and youth of Theophanes the Greek is fragmentary and paints a very unfinished picture. The exact date of birth and death of the painter is unknown, so researchers usually consider these years to be very approximate. An outstanding master of the medieval era, Feofan arrived in Rus' already around 1390, when he was about fifty years old. Prior to that, he fruitfully worked in Byzantium. Although his works numbered in the dozens, none of them (dating from the Byzantine period) have survived.
Biographical data on the life of Feofan are mainly contained in the Novgorod and Moscow chronicles. Nevertheless, a letter dated around 1415, written by the Moscow hagiographer Epiphanius the Wise to Archimandrite Kirill of the Savior-Afanasiev Monastery, is of great importance. In this letter, Epiphanius gives a detailed descriptive description of the principles on which almost all the works of Theophanes the Greek are built. According to Epiphanius, he even kept the Four Gospels illustrated personally by Theophanes. Moreover, the Greek origin of Theophanes is confirmed in the same letter. Epiphany speaks highly of the master's abilities, saying that "he is an excellent painter among icon painters." If you believe the letter, then by that time Theophan had already painted more than 40 stone churches - both in Rus' and in Byzantium - in Constantinople, Chalcedon, etc.
Theophanes the Greek and Rus'
One of the Novgorod chronicles dates the first work of Feofan in 1378. It was the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyina Street. Now it acts not only as an outstanding monument of art of the XIV century, but also as the only work of the master that has survived to this day. The church is the main source for judging both about his work and about the role that Theophanes the Greek played for his contemporary era.
Given the past centuries, the church is well preserved, although its frescoes have come down to us only in fragmentary form. In his traditional manner, Theophanes the Greek used religious subjects when painting the church, decorating the dome with the figure of Christ surrounded by archangels, and placing the figures of the forefathers (Adam, Noah, Abel, etc.) on the drum. Analyzing the surviving painting, we can say that Feofan worked in an individual manner: his painting is distinguished by expressiveness and freedom. As a creator, Feofan was not afraid to experiment and used a variety of techniques, including a muffled general tone of the painting and bright bleaching highlights. The master's palette is dominated by brown and silver-blue colors. The Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, thanks to Theophanes the Greek, is still considered one of the most outstanding monuments of art of the XIV century.
Unfortunately, detailed information about the early work of Theophan the Greek (that is, about the period of activity before his arrival in Rus') has not been preserved. In this regard, researchers dare to talk about only one documented work of Theophanes. The rest is attributed to him in connection with a number of different factors, among which are the commonality of spiritual and aesthetic ideas, the manner of painting, the style of the era. It is not known for certain whether these works actually belong to Theophanes the Greek or were painted by someone else - probably a painter with a similar manner of execution.
The Byzantine, famous in time, set foot on Russian soil around 1390. By that time, according to tradition, Theophanes was deeply imbued with the ancient teachings of hesychaism. It was a renewal movement in Orthodoxy, the essence of which was the veneration of the Divine Light. This light was revealed to believers only through the practice of regular meditation - deep inner concentration. Passion for hesychaism directly influenced the work of Theophan the Greek. The idea of the possibility of gaining God's kingdom on earth through regular meditative practices captured Feofan and was visually embodied in the expressive-spiritualistic style of his painting.
The work of Theophanes the Greek was practically unknown to the general public until the beginning of the 20th century - and this despite the fact that from scanty annalistic information it is quite obvious that he was revered by his contemporaries. Modern researchers often equate the names of Theophan the Greek and Andrei Rublev. Rublev, being the younger contemporary of Theophanes (the age difference between them was about thirty years), is also considered an outstanding icon painter for his era. In the work of these two masters, a clearly constructed religious picture, embodied in matter - paintings of icons, churches, temples. Both creators are, to some extent, a mystery to researchers, since very little reliable biographical data about their lives has been preserved. For icon painting of the 14th century, Andrei Rublev and Theophanes the Greek were key figures, combining, on the one hand, the talent of muralists, and, on the other hand, the talent of icon painters. It is the inability to trace their lives from birth to death that allows modern inhabitants to concentrate on the work of both masters.
Among the works attributed to Theophanes the Greek and authentically executed by him, but not survived to this day, it is necessary to mention the Assumption Cathedral in Kolomna (later it was rebuilt). Most likely, Feofan painted it upon arrival on Russian soil, i.e. around 1390. Later, in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, there turned out to be an icon, whose authorship very many experts are accustomed to associate with the name of Feofan - “Our Lady of the Don”, which was originally located in the Assumption Cathedral in Kolomna.
The stylistic manner of Theophanes the Greek
The Greek's manner of painting icons and frescoes is ambiguous. The frescoes performed by the Greek are rather gloomy - the saints are depicted as stern, as if detached from those watching them, immersed in themselves. After all, this is precisely the meaning of being - to gain salvation by seeing oneself. As for the iconography of the Greek, the images embodied in it are impressive and monumental. The whole composition is aimed at subordinating one goal - to offer a prayer of thanksgiving to the Almighty. When painting, the creator paid attention to each face, trying to convey its smallest features. If the frescoes of Theophanes create a rather oppressive atmosphere, then his iconography is addressed to calmness and peace. This ability to express an idea with completely different methods (not only stylistic, but also technical) certainly betrays in Theophanes the Greek a true master of his craft and a creator of amazing talent.
The great icon painter Theophanes the Greek (circa 1337 - after 1405)"The glorious sage, the zealously cunning philosopher ... deliberately isographed books and among icon painters
tsev, an excellent painter,
- this is how the talented writer characterizes Theophan the Greek,
contemporary, monk Epiphanius the Wise.
The great painter of the Russian Middle Ages Feofan was from Byzantium, which is why he received the nickname of the Greek. The most probable date of birth of the artist is the 30s of the XIV century.
Saved by the Almighty. Painting on the dome of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyina Street in Veliky Novgorod. Theophanes the Greek. 1378
To Rus'Feofanarrives at the age of 35-40 years. By this time he had painted forty stoneshen churches in Constantinople, Chalcedon and Galata. From Byzantium, the master moved torichthat timeGenoese colonyKafu (Feodosia)and from there to Novgorod.
In Rus', which was experiencing a period of upsurge associated with the beginning of an active
struggle for the liberation and unification of the Russian lands around Moscow, Feofan found fertile ground for the development of a powerful creative gift. His deeply original art, coming from Byzantine traditions, develops in close interaction with Russian culture.
Stylite Simeon the Elder. Fresco in the Church of the Transfiguration, Novgorod.
The first work done by Theophanes the Greek in Rus' is the frescoes of one of the remarkable churches of Novgorod the Great - the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyina Street, built in 1374. He worked on the frescoes of this church in the summer of 1378 by order of the boyar Vasily Danilovich and the townspeople from Ilyina Street.
frescoes sokh
partially injured. in the domePantocrator (Judge Christ) is depicted, surrounded by four seraphim. In the piers there are figures of the forefathers: Adam, Abel, Noah, Sir, Melchizedek, Enoch, the prophet Elijah and John the Baptist, and in the chamber - the personal chapel of the customer - five pillars, "Trinity", medallions with images of John of the Ladder, Agathon, Akakiy and figures Macarius.
View of the southern wall with the image of the three pillars
Each ofSt. Theophanes the Greek gives a deeply individual complex psychological characteristic. At the same time, the mighty wrathful Pantocrator, and the wise majestic Noah, and the gloomy Adam, and the formidable prophet Elijah, and the self-deepened pillars have something about
bshher - these are people of a mighty spirit, steadfast character, people tormented by contradictionsyami, behind the external calmness of which lies a fierce struggle with the passions that overwhelm a person.
Old Testament Trinity. Fragment of a fresco in the Church of the Transfiguration
Even in the composition of "Trinity" there is no peace. There is no youthful softness in the images of angels. Their beautiful faces are full of severe detachment. The figure of the central angel is especially expressive. External immobility, static even moreemphasize internal tension. The outstretched wings, as it were, overshadow the other two angels, uniting the composition as a whole, giving it a special strict completeness and monumentality.
The program tells about the work of the great Russian icon painter Theophan the Greek and especially about his icon "Assumption", in which the artist decisively transformed the icon-painting canon. This icon is two-sided - on one side of it is written the plot of the Assumption of the Mother of God, and on the other - the image of the Mother of God with the infant Christ. This icon, belonging to the "Tenderness" type, receivedname "Our Lady of Tenderness of the Don"
Assumption of God 
mother, XIV century
In arrazakh Feofan - a huge force of emotional impact, they soundtragic pathos. Acute drama is also present in the most picturesque language of the master. Feofan's writing style is sharp, impetuous, temperamental. First of all, he is a painter and sculpts figures with energetic, bold strokes, superimposing bright highlights, which gives faces a quivering, emphasizes the intensity of expression. The color scheme, as a rule, is laconic, restrained, the color is saturated, weighty, and brittle sharp lines, the complex rhythm of compositional construction stillmore enhance the overall expressiveness of the images. The murals of Theophanes the Greek are created on the basis of knowledge of life, human psychology. They have a deep filosophic meaning, a penetrating mind and a passionate temperament are felt, and
second.
Go transformationunderneath, 1403
It is no coincidence that contemporaries were struck by the originality of the thinking of the great painter, the free flight of his creative imagination. “When he depicted or painted all this, no one saw him ever look at the samples, as some of our icon painters do, who in bewilderment constantly peer at them, looking back and forth, and not so much paint with paints as they look He, it seemed, paints with his hands, while he himself constantly walks, talks with those who come and thinks over the lofty and wise with his mind, but with sensual eyes he sees rational kindness.
The frescoes of the Transfiguration of the Savior are a valuable monument of the monumental art of Novgorod, they
iyali on the work of many painters. The murals of the churches of Fyodor Stratil are closest to them.that and the Assumption on the Volotovo field, probably made by the disciples of Theophan.
Archangel Michael. The cycle of details of the icons of the Deesis tier of the iconostasis
Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. 1405
In Novgorod Theophanes the Greek, apparentlylived for a long time, then worked for some time in Nizhny Novgorod, then came to Moscow. More information about this period of the master's work has been preserved. Probably, Feofan had his own workshop and carried out orders with the help of his students. Mentioned in chroniclesworkspan ten years. During the period from 1395 to 1405, the master painted three Kremlin churches: the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin (1395), the Archangel Cathedral (1399), the Cathedral of the Annunciation (1405) , and in addition, fulfilled some ordersbasics: frescoes of the tower of Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich and the palace of Prince Vladimir Andreevich the Brave (cousin of Dmitry Donskoy).Of all the works, only the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Kremlin, created in collaboration with Andrei Rublev and "Elder Prokhor from Gorodets", has survived.
Rublev worked on icons depicting holidays. Theophanes the Greek owns most of the icons of the deesis series: "Savior", "Our Lady", "John the Baptist", "Archangel Gabriel", "Apostle Paul", "John Chrysostom", "Basil the Great".
However, the iconostasis has a common design, a strictly harmonic composition connected by a single rhythm. In the center is a formidable judge - the Savior, seated on a throne; from both sides, saints approach him, who pray to Christ for sinful humanity. As before, the saints of Theophan are powerful and each is individual in his appearance. But still, new qualities appeared in their images: they are more restrained, stately. More warmth in the image of the Mother of God, gentleness in the Archangel Gabriel, calmness in the wise Apostle Paul.
Archangel Gabriel. 1405
The icons are exceptionally monumental. The figures stand out in a clear silhouette against a radiant gold background, laconic, generalized decorative colors sound tense: the snow-white tunic of Christ, the velvety blue maforium of the Mother of God, the green clothes of John. And although Feofan retains the picturesque manner of his paintings in icons, the line becomes clearer, simpler, more restrained.
In the work on the decoration of the Cathedral of the Annunciation, two great masters of ancient Rus' met, in their own way expressing an era full of dramatic clashes in art. Feofan - in tragic, titanic images, Rublev - in harmoniously bright, who embodied the dream of peace and harmony between people. These two masters were the creators of the classical form of the Russian iconostasis.
Mother of God. 1405
The work in the cathedral was completed in one year. It is not known how the fate of Theophan the Greek developed in the future, what were his subsequent works. Scholars suggest that Feofan worked as a miniaturist. Some of them believe that the miniatures of two famous handwritten monuments of ancient Rus' - the Gospel of the Cat and the Gospel of Khitrovo - were made in the workshop of Feofan, perhaps according to his plan. Where the master spent the last years of his life is unknown. He probably died between 1405 and 1415, since from the letter of Epiphanius the Wise it becomes known that in 1415 the great painter was no longer alive.
The Byzantine master found a second home in Rus'. His passionate, inspired art was in tune with the attitude of the Russian people, it had a fruitful influence on contemporary Feofan and subsequent generations of Russian artists.
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Why did Theophanes the Greek leave Byzantium? What did he find in Rus'? In Rus', the widest field of activity opened up for him, which he could no longer find in the rapidly impoverished Byzantium. And there is reason to believe that Theophan did not emigrate from Constantinople by chance. He fled to Russia from the impending "academic" reaction, as it ran counter to his individual tastes and aspirations. On the other hand, Feofan's bold entry into the Novgorod school of painting was a life-giving shake-up for her. Breaking out of the Byzantine stagnation, the genius of Theophan awakened in Russian painting the will to emancipate, to freely reveal their own dynamism, their own temperament. The ascetic severity of his images could not take root on Russian soil, but their psychological versatility met the desire of Novgorod artists to convey the inner world of a person, and the picturesqueness of Feofanov's compositions opened up new horizons for their inspired skill.
Thus, the transition of Theophanes the Greek from Byzantium to Rus' has a deep symbolic meaning. It is, as it were, a relay race of art, the transfer of its bright torch from the ossifying old hands into the hands of the young and strong.
Theophanes the Greek was not only a skilled medieval painter, but also a bright personality.
He was born in Byzantium, the dates of the artist's life are only conjectural: 1340-1410. For more than 30 years he worked in Rus' - first in Veliky Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Kolomna, then in Moscow. The ancient Russian writer Epiphanius the Wise, in his letter to Cyril, archimandrite of the Tver Spaso-Afanasevsky Monastery, reports that Theophan painted forty churches in Constantinople, Galata, Cafe (modern Feodosia) and other cities, i.e. he arrived in Rus' as an accomplished master.
Theophanes was born, presumably, in Constantinople (Byzantium). In connection with his origin, he received the nickname "Greek" in Rus'. Little information about him has been preserved, mainly these are separate facts set forth in the annals, as well as the indicated letter of Epiphanius the Wise.
Velikiy Novgorod
Church of the Transfiguration
In the 1370s, Feofan arrived in Novgorod the Great and painted the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyin Street. The frescoes of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior are the first known work of Theophan in Rus'. These frescoes have come down to us only in the form of fragments. The frescoes of the dome are best preserved: Pantokrator (Almighty), figures of archangels and six-winged seraphim. In the drum of the dome there are full-length figures of the forefathers.
Theophanes the Greek. Pantokrator (Christ). From Wikipedia
The fiery gaze of Christ the Pantocrator meets those entering the temple already on its threshold. It is as if lightning flashes from his piercing eyes: “I have come to send fire on the earth” (Gospel of Luke: 12:49).
The drum depicts the forefathers Adam, Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, as well as the prophets Elijah and John the Baptist (Forerunner).
Theophanes the Greek. Elijah the Prophet
The best-preserved frescoes are located on the choirs of the Trinity chapel: “Trinity” and the figure of St. Macarius of Egypt, a number of medallions with figures of saints and five pillars.
Theophanes the Greek. Daniel Stylite
The images created by Theophan surprise with bold artistic solutions: they are not impassive, as required by the icon-painting canon, but, on the contrary, are full of feelings. They are distinguished by inner strength, huge spiritual energy. In the images of pillars, Theophan expressed his ideal of a spiritualized ascetic. The light on the fingertips of Daniil the Stylite, the glare on clothes, in the eyes and on the hair create the impression of a physical sensation of light by this ascetic. He was called a Stylite because he spent many years in prayer on a high pillar. The life of Daniel the Stylite reports that he was awarded from God the gift of miracles and healing.
Theophanes the Greek. Macarius the Egyptian
Macarius was born around 300 in Lower Egypt. At an early age, at the request of his parents, he married, but was widowed early. After the death of his wife, Macarius delved into the study of the Holy Scriptures. And after the death of his parents, he retired to the desert and became a novice with an old hermit who lived there. He was ordained to the clergy (clergyman), but he was weighed down by the dignity he received, left the village and retired all alone into the wilderness.
The elongated figure of the ascetic Macarius of Egypt is all enveloped in light, like a white flame. He is depicted in a pose of acceptance of grace, openness before God. Saint Macarius lives in the Light, he himself is this Light. Having plunged into the Light, he, nevertheless, does not dissolve in it, but retains his personality. But this personality is transformed by the Divine Light.
The frescoes of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior are among the greatest works of world medieval art.
Nizhny Novgorod
Feofan arrived here in the 1380s. The city was devastated and literally burned out by the Tatar-Mongols in 1378. It was necessary to restore the temples. It is believed that Feofan could paint the Spassky Cathedral and the cathedral church of the Annunciation Monastery. But these paintings have not been preserved.
Kolomna
Here Feofan was presumably in 1392 and took part in the paintings of the Assumption Cathedral, built in 1379-1382. The frescoes of this temple also did not survive.
Moscow
In the early 1390s. Feofan arrived in Moscow, and his further activities were connected with Moscow, where he painted churches and created icons. In Moscow, Theophanes the Greek also showed his worth in book graphics: the miniatures of the Gospel of Khitrovo (late 14th century) and the Gospel of Fyodor Koshka (late 14th-early 15th centuries) resemble the works of the Byzantine master. Art critics argue whether Feofan was Andrei Rublev's teacher. It is known that they worked together, and this could not but affect the formation of the young master. After the departure of the great Greek, it is he who will determine the paths of ancient Russian art.
According to Epiphany's letter and the text of the Trinity Chronicle, Feofan decorated three churches in the Moscow Kremlin.
In 1395, together with Simeon the Black and his students, he painted the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God, which has not survived.
In 1405, Theophanes the Greek, together with Prokhor from Gorodets and Andrei Rublev, worked in the Annunciation Cathedral - the cathedral church of Vasily I. These frescoes have not been preserved. But the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin has been preserved, many icons are considered by experts to be reliable works of Theophan.
Icons of Theophanes the Greek
About the authorship of icons, they usually say: “Attributed” to one or another icon painter. Why is it so? Because in ancient times the authors did not sign their works. Establishing the authorship of an anonymous work, the time and place of its creation is called attribution.
The icon "Our Lady of the Don" was transferred to the Cathedral of the Annunciation from the Assumption Cathedral in Kolomna and belongs to the brush of Theophan the Greek or one of the masters of his circle.
The icon "Our Lady of the Don" refers to one of the many variants of "Tenderness", which is why it is sometimes called the "Our Lady of Tenderness of the Don". The epithet "Donskaya" is associated with the legend about the miraculous help of the image to the army of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich (Donskoy) in the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380.
Icon "Our Lady of the Don" - two-sided, on the back "Assumption of the Mother of God".
The front side of the icon (1382-1395). State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow)
On July 3, 1552, before the Kazan campaign, Ivan the Terrible prayed before the Don Icon. He took it with him on a hike, and then placed it in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.
Icon of Theophan the Greek "Assumption of the Virgin" (1392). Turnover of the Don Icon of the Mother of God
Theophanes the Greek is also credited with the icon of the Transfiguration. It was a temple image of the Transfiguration Cathedral of the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky. The modern resolution of the attribution commission of the Tretyakov Gallery denies its authorship, and the icon is considered the work of an "unknown icon painter."
Icon of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ before the Disciples on Mount Tabor (c. 1403). State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow)
“After six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up to 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 and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with Him. At this Peter said to Jesus: Lord! it's good for us to be here; if you wish, we will make three tabernacles here: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice from the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; Listen to him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were very afraid. But Jesus, coming forward, touched them and said, Stand up and be not afraid. And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus alone. And as they were descending from the mountain, Jesus forbade them, saying: Tell no one about this vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead” (Gospel of Matthew, 17:1-9).
The bright and peculiar nature of the painting is similar to Feofanov's style: temperament, fiery sound of light, expressive manner of painting. But the character of the image of the Savior is different: the face is not formidable, as in the Novgorod frescoes, but merciful, the look is attentive and meek.
Mount Tabor is depicted on the icon, and on its top is the transfigured Christ in white robes, surrounded by radiance. Next to him are the Old Testament prophets Elijah and Moses, below are the apostles Peter, James and John the Theologian who fell to the ground, who were witnesses of a miracle. In the middle part of the icon, two groups of apostles with Christ are depicted ascending Mount Tabor and descending from it.
“The composition of the icon is elongated in height, which creates a feeling of a spatial difference between the upper and lower zones, the “higher” world and the “lower” world. At the same time, the opposition of the earthly and the heavenly is overcome with the help of light penetrating the entire space of the icon, lying in wide shining planes on the hills and clothes of the apostles, flashing with bright highlights on their faces ”(Masterpieces of the Tretyakov Gallery: icon painting. M., 2012).
The mystery of the Transfiguration lies in the fact that the apostles are not passive contemplators of the miracle of the Transfiguration. They themselves change under the influence of this Light, become different.
Theophan the Greek style
Theophan the Greek's style is distinguished by expressiveness and expression. His fresco paintings are characterized by "cursive writing": almost monochrome painting, lack of detail, but at the same time, the images have a strong impact on the viewer.
In the work of Theophanes the Greek, the Byzantine classical principle (singing of earthly beauty as a Divine creation) and the striving for spiritual asceticism, rejecting the external, spectacular, beautiful, were expressed.
The art of Theophan the Greek brought to Rus' the concept of Christian symbolism: a symbol of Divine light through the transmission of white highlights, gaps. The limited range of colors symbolizes the image of the monastic renunciation of the multicolored world. The creative personality of Theophan the Greek is also manifested in his revolutionary thinking, detachment from the canons. His religious experiences are individual and gravitate toward monastic asceticism.
We know about the outstanding personality of Theophan the Greek (Grechanin) thanks to two historical figures and their good relations. This is Cyril, archimandrite of the Tver Spaso-Afanasievsky monastery, and hieromonk of the Trinity-Sergius monastery, a follower of Sergius of Radonezh, and later the compiler of his lives, Epiphanius the Wise.
In 1408, due to a raid by Khan Edigei, Hieromonk Epiphanius took his books and fled from danger from Moscow to neighboring Tver, and there he took refuge in the Spaso-Afanasevsky Monastery and became friends with its rector, Archimandrite Kirill.
Probably, during that period, the rector saw the “St. Sophia Church of Constantinople”, painted in the Gospel, which belonged to Epiphanius. A few years later, in a non-preserved letter, Cyril apparently asked about drawings with views of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, which impressed him and remembered him. Epiphanius responded by giving a detailed explanation of their origin. A copy of the 17th-18th centuries has been preserved. an excerpt from this response letter (1413 - 1415), titled as follows: "Written out from the message of Hieromonk Epiphanius, who wrote to a certain friend of his, Cyril."
Epiphanius explains to the abbot in his message that he personally copied those images from the Greek Feofan. And then Epiphanius the Wise tells in detail and picturesquely about the Greek icon painter. Therefore, we know that Theophanes the Greek worked "by imagination", i.e. did not look at canonical samples, but wrote independently at his own discretion. Feofan was in constant motion, as he moved away from the wall, looked at the image, comparing it with the image that had developed in his head, and continued to write. Such artistic freedom was unusual for Russian icon painters of that time. In the process of work, Feofan willingly maintained a conversation with those around him, which did not distract him from his thoughts and did not interfere with his work. Epiphanius the Wise, who knew the Byzantine personally and communicated with him, emphasized the mind and talent of the master: “he is a living husband, a glorious wise man, a cunning philosopher, Feofan, a Greek, a deliberate book iconographer and an elegant painter in icon painters.”
There is no information about the family, or about where and how Theophanes received his icon painting education. In the epistle, Epiphanius points only to the finished works of the Byzantine. Theophanes the Greek decorated forty churches with his paintings in various places: Constantinople, Chalcedon and Galata (suburbs of Constantinople), Cafe (modern Theodosius), Novgorod the Great and Nizhny, as well as three churches in Moscow and several secular buildings.
After work in Moscow, the name of Theophan the Greek is not mentioned. The details of his personal life are not known. The date of death is not exact. There is an assumption, based on indirect evidence, that in old age he retired to the holy Mount Athos and ended his earthly life as a monk.
Theophan the Greek in Veliky Novgorod
The only reliable works of the Russian-Byzantine master are considered only paintings in Novgorod the Great, where he lived and worked for some time. So in the Novgorod chronicle of 1378 it is specifically stated that “the church of our Lord Jesus Christ” was painted by the Greek master Feofan. We are talking about the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyina Street, built in 1374 on the Trade side of the city. Apparently, the local boyar Vasily Mashkov called the Byzantine master to paint the temple. Presumably, Theophan arrived in Rus' with Metropolitan Cyprian.
The Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior has survived, and the paintings of the Greek have survived only partially. They were cleared for several decades intermittently, starting in 1910. The frescoes, although they have come down to us with losses, give an idea of Theophan the Greek as an outstanding artist who brought new ideas to Russian icon painting. The painter and art historian Igor Grabar assessed the arrival of masters of the size of Theophan the Greek in Russia as a fruitful external impulse at the turning points of Russian art, when it was especially needed. Theophanes the Greek ended up in Rus' when the state was freed from the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols, slowly rose and revived.
Feofan Grek in Moscow
The Moscow chronicles testify that Theophanes the Greek created the murals of the Kremlin churches in the late 14th - early 15th century:
- 1395 - painting of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in the hallway in collaboration with Simeon the Black.
- 1399 - painting.
- 1405 - painting of what stood earlier on the site of the current one. Feofan painted the Annunciation Cathedral together with Russian masters Prokhor from Gorodets and Andrei Rublev.
Miniature of the Front Chronicle, 16th century. Feofan Grek and Semyon Cherny painting the Church of the Nativity. Inscription: “In the same year, in the center of Moscow, the Church of the Nativity of the Most Pure Theotokos and the chapel of St. Lazarus were painted. And the masters are Theodore the Greek and Semyon Cherny.
Features of the work of Theophan the Greek
The frescoes of Theophanes the Greek are characterized by minimalism in color and the lack of detail in small details. That is why the faces of saints appear stern, focused on inner spiritual energy and radiate powerful force. White spots are placed by the artist in such a way that they create light similar to that of Tabor and focus attention on details that are important in meaning. The strokes of his brush are characterized by sharpness, precision and boldness of application. The characters in the icon painter's murals are ascetic, self-sufficient and deepened in silent prayer.
Theophan the Greek's work is associated with hesychasm, which meant unceasing "intelligent" prayer, silence, purity of heart, the transforming power of God, the Kingdom of God within man. Through the centuries, following Epiphanius the Wise, Theophanes the Greek is recognized not only as a brilliant icon painter, but as a thinker and philosopher.
Works by Theophanes the Greek
There is no reliable data, but the work of Theophan the Greek is usually attributed to the double-sided icon of the Donskaya Mother of God with the Assumption of the Mother of God on the back and the deesis tier of the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin. The iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral is also distinguished by the fact that it became the first in Rus', on the icons of which the figures of saints are depicted in full growth.
Previously, it was assumed that the icon "The Transfiguration of the Lord" from the Transfiguration Cathedral of Pereslavl-Zalessky belongs to the brush of Theophan the Greek and the icon painters of the workshop that he created in Moscow. But recently, doubts about its authorship have intensified.
Don Icon of the Mother of God. Attributed to Theophanes the Greek.
Icon of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ before the Disciples on Mount Tabor. ? Theophan the Greek and workshop. ?
Theophanes the Greek. Jesus Pantocrator- R painting in the dome of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyina Street. Velikiy Novgorod.