ARTISTIC CENTRES OF THE RUSSIAN NORTH

The Moscow Kremlin Museums keep several monuments related to such renowned monasteries of the Russian North as Solovetsky, Kirillo-Belozersky and Spaso-Prilutsky monasteries. Wood carving was one of the favourite activities in the monasteries.

Concerning carved crosses presented on display, their lower parts were usually adorned with the figures of the monastery’s founders, such as St Kirill of Beloozero, SS Zosimus and Sabbatius of Solovetsk, St Dmitry Prilutsky.

Numerous pilgrims used to take away the icons with the images of the monastery’s founders and the hermits. Menaion or “palm” icon with the images of SS Zosimus and Sabbatius against the monastery on the background or with its depiction in their hands is the most widespread type of icons that were given away to people. So they were produced in great amount by monastery masters and foreign masters hired there. All of them are characterized by the accuracy in painting the monastery.

Most common images in wood carving were St Nicholas the Wonderworker and St Paraskeva the Friday.

In the 17th-18th centuries, the carved icons depicting a many-dome church with the Golgotha Cross were very popular in the Russian North. They were usually mounted on sepulchral crosses.

A reliquary cross made in the late 16th – early 17th century in Solvychegodsk in the workshop of the renowned Storganov family is noteworthy. The cross mounted in a silver setting was made of the reliquary of St Peter the Metropolitan of Moscow, whose figure was depicted in the lower part of the cross.

The backside of the icon Our Lady of Smolensk (Hodegetria), the Trinity and Selected Saints bears the inscription with the name of the icon’s owner. This beautiful icon with carved images of the saints was made in one of the biggest trade centres of the Upper Volga region—Galich. It was set in a silver-gilt cover adorned with precious stones.

Showcased are also brilliantly coloured carved icons and a small iconostasis that used to adorn wooden chapels and churches of the Russian North.