Andrei Rublev - biography and creativity. Trinity of Andrei Rublev, Archangel Michael, Savior in Power. Icon-painting workshop "Mother of God". Buy icons. Icons to order. Seven famous icons by Andrey Rublev Murals by Andrey Rublev

The birth of the greatest genius of Russian icon painting presumably dates back to the 1370s, or 1380s. At that time, Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich reigned in Moscow, who was to remain in the memory of the Russian people with the nickname Donskoy.

History has not preserved any information about the artist's parents; it is also unknown, neither the place of his birth, nor what name he was called at baptism. Andrew is the name given to him when he was tonsured a monk.

Regarding the nickname Rublev, there are some assumptions. Most likely, it is not a generic nickname (that is, a surname), since the icon painters of that time known to us bore precisely personal nicknames - Theophanes the Greek (a Byzantine painter who worked in Russia in the second half of the 14th - early 15th centuries), Simeon Cherny (d. 1427, monk of the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery) and so on.

As for its meaning, in all likelihood, the nickname Rublev does not come from the monetary unit - the ruble, but from the old word "ruble", which the peasants called a long pole, pressing the straw (hay, bread in sheaves) loaded onto the cart and pulled through rope end notches. In other words, the nickname Rublev could be given to a tall, but thin, lanky man. In favor of this version is the fact that in the XV century. the nicknames "Rublev", "Ruble", "Rubel" were worn by people from various classes: Nikifor Rubel, a Novgorod peasant (mentioned under 1495); Andrei Rublev, Pskov boyar (1484); Ivashko Rubl, Ivangorod merchant (1498); Kirilko Ruble, serf (1500).

The very word “icon” (in Russian, “image”) came to Rus' from Byzantium and meant images of the Savior, the Virgin, holy men and women, as well as gospel events. According to church tradition, the creator of the first Christian icons was the holy apostle and evangelist Luke, who painted the first images of the Savior and the Mother of God. The line between icon veneration and idolatry is extremely thin. “The honor given to the image passes to the prototype, and the one who worships the icon worships the essence depicted on it,” the fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council proclaimed in the 8th century, formulating the dogma on the veneration of icons. Christians were instructed to venerate the icon-painting image "along with the cross and the Gospel."

The first icons in Rus' were of "Greek writing". However, already in the XI century, along with the Greek masters, Russians also appeared. Not only princely and boyar chambers, churches and monasteries, but also the houses of ordinary townspeople and peasants were decorated with holy images. In pre-Mongol times, ancient Russian icon painters created a number of real masterpieces. Unfortunately, the Mongol invasion destroyed almost all the works of the 10th-13th centuries (about thirty icons kept in museums have survived from this period to the present day). Skilled artists mostly died or were taken to the Horde.

Only in the second half of the 14th century did icon-painting schools begin to revive in the specific Russian principalities. The Greeks helped the Russian land to rediscover a picturesque language capable of conveying the truths of the Orthodox faith. The best Byzantine masters were invited to paint the temples being revived and newly built. In the 70s and 80s of the XIV century, the great Theophanes the Greek worked in Novgorod - he painted the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Ilyin Street. In the 1390s, the master moved to Moscow, where he painted frescoes, icons, and miniatures for manuscript gospels. It seemed unusual to Muscovites that Theophanes the Greek, while painting churches, did not look into samples, but freely painted the figures and faces of saints. Epiphanius the Wise* left the following note about him: “When I lived in Moscow, the most glorious sage, the cunning philosopher Feofan, a Greek by birth, a deliberate iconographer and an excellent painter among icon painters, also lived there ...”.

* Epiphanius the Wise (d. c. 1420) - monk of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, author of the lives of St. Sergius of Radonezh, Stefan of Perm and works of other genres. Revered in the face of the saints.

It is not by chance that Saint Epiphanius places the wisdom and theology of Theophanes in the first place. The work of an icon painter in the Orthodox Church has always been considered holy, carried out not only by the skill of the artist, but also by the help of God. Mastery here was not separated from piety and necessarily assumed the skills of prayer and knowledge in theology. The creations of Theophanes the Greek were theology in colors: the color in them was permeated with light, divine energy, the world of saints did not know any darkness and evil. According to church teaching, this light was first seen by the apostles on Mount Tabor during the transfiguration of Christ. As the Gospel tells, the Lord took three apostles with him to Mount Tabor in Galilee and during prayer “transformed before them: and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light” (Matt. 17, 2). For a long time among theologians there were disputes about the nature of this light. Adherents of the humanistic worldview considered its nature to be created, that is, physical, accessible to the human eye. In contrast to them, hesychasts (that is, “silent ones”) believed that the Light of Tabor was of Divine origin and was accessible only to the sight of an enlightened, spiritual person. To become worthy of this light and to see it, hesychasts developed an ascetic and prayerful practice. In the middle of the XIV century, shortly before the birth of Andrei Rublev, the Orthodox Church recognized the correct point of view of the hesychasts, and the Metropolitan of Thessalonica Gregory Palamas (1296-1359), who finally formulated the doctrine of the Light of Tabor, canonized.

Andrei Rublev became the heir to two traditions of "theology in colors" - Greek and Russian. The young master could absorb the Greek tradition in communication with Theophan the Greek and the educated Byzantine priesthood, who came to Rus' together with the Greek metropolitans. But compatriots also gave Andrei an example to follow. The Monk Alipy of the Caves (d. 1088) became the first Russian icon painter to be canonized as a saint. His life, written in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, was undoubtedly known to Andrei. The Monk Alipiy became famous not only for his deeds of fasting and prayer, not only for his skill as an icon painter, but also for his gift of miracle-working: according to legend, he healed the sick with the touch of a brush and paints. Iconography was also practiced by Saint Metropolitan Peter (d. 1326) and the Monk Dionysius of Glushitsky (1363-1437).

Unfortunately, no information has been preserved in which city Andrei studied: in those days, icon-painting schools were formed in Novgorod, Pskov, Tver, and Moscow. But when looking at the icons of the already mature master Rublev, it becomes obvious that he belongs to the Moscow school, whose brilliance, softness and grace had to be absorbed from childhood.

Having learned all the wisdom of the craft from the Moscow icon painters, Andrei Rublev did not stop there and, apparently, continued his education in Constantinople.

Many immigrants from Rus' in those days lived in the capital of the Byzantine Empire. By order of Russian metropolitans and bishops, icons and entire iconostases were painted here, which were then transported to Rus'. So, in 1392 the saint Athanasius Vysotsky*, who lived in the Greek capital for about two decades and worked on translations from Greek into Russian of the books of the holy fathers, brought from Constantinople to the Serpukhov Monastery a deesis tier (a number of icons), which has survived to this day and is called the Vysotsky tier.

*Athanasius (in the world Andrei) Vysotsky (XIV - early XV century) - hegumen of the Serpukhov Vysotsky monastery, student of Sergius of Radonezh, reverend.

It was from the Greeks that Andrei Rublev learned the warm tones of fucking the faces of saints, the inconspicuousness of transitions from one color to another, the expressiveness of faces and figures - in a word, the highest skill and grace, beauty and depth, transparency and radiance of colors.

Years of study passed, and in the 1390s Andrei returned to Moscow.

The outcome of the XIV century was marked by the invasion of Rus' by the invincible Tamerlane. The huge empire he created in Central Asia competed with the decrepit power of the Mongols. In 1395, Tamerlane utterly defeated the Khan of the Golden Horde Tokhtamysh and, continuing to move north, approached the southern border of Rus'. His huge army stormed the city of Yelets, but suddenly turned back, as if driven by an unknown force. In Rus', the flight of the Basurman army was associated with the intercession of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, just at that time transferred to Moscow at the request of Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich, the eldest son of Dmitry Donskoy.

The miraculous icon, which became the symbol and protector of the Russian land, remained in Moscow. Ten years later, Andrei Rublev, with the blessing of Metropolitan Cyprian, will write a list from it for the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir.

It is likely that these upheavals showed Saint Andrew the futility of worldly glory and determined his choice of the monastic path.

The place and time of the tonsure of the artist is not exactly known. Imitating the ancient holy icon painters, Andrei chose the monastic path to purify his soul with fasting and prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures and the works of the holy fathers. There is no doubt that he was familiar with the teachings of St. Gregory Palamas about the light of Tabor - translations of his works had already appeared in Rus' at that time. The icon “The Transfiguration of the Lord” (1400) from the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral by Andrei Rublev is literally permeated with this light, which plays with white reflections in the folds of clothes, on the faces of the apostles, on the hills, and the white chiton of Christ pours this light on the whole world.

It is no coincidence that the Monk Joseph Volotsky later said that from the contemplation of the icons of Andrei Rublev, the “mind and thought” are raised to the “immaterial and divine light” (“the erection of the sensory eye”).

By the beginning of the 15th century, Andrei Rublev was so successful in his art that he moved to the front row Russian artists*. Therefore, when the construction of the Annunciation Church was completed on the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin, the young icon painter was invited to paint it together with two other famous masters - Theophan the Greek and Elder Prokhor from Gorodets (1405).

*By the beginning of the 15th century. include miniatures from the Gospel, which previously belonged to the boyar Khitrovo. Some historians of Russian art believe that these wonderful miniatures (especially the symbol of the Evangelist Matthew - the Angel) could only be created by a first-class master, which, no doubt, Andrei Rublev already was then.

Angel from the Gospel of Khitrovo .

The "painting" of the church then meant not only fresco painting on the walls, but also the creation of all the icons of the iconostasis. The Russian Orthodox iconostasis acquired its finished form by the 15th century, representing an impressive picturesque wall with five rows of icons that separated the altar - a symbol of the heavenly world - from the temple space reserved for worshipers. The icons of the iconostasis expressed the idea of ​​the intercession of heavenly forces for the human race at the Last Judgment. Three icons above the Royal Doors - the Mother of God, the Savior and John the Baptist - are called "Deesis" (or Deisis), which means "prayer", which is why the whole row of these icons was called the "Deesis row".

Iconostasis of the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Kremlin

The icons of the deesis row in the Annunciation Cathedral were painted by the eldest and most revered of the three masters - Theophan the Greek. Holiday icons were painted by Prokhor from Gorodets and Andrei Rublev, who also showed great skill and their own individual style. Contemporaries noted the dissimilarity between the habits of the Greek and Russian painters: “And when Feofan Grechin wrote, his eyes sparkled in all directions, and he conducted many conversations, so that Moscow people were very surprised. The Monk Andrew, in perfect silence of mind and lips and unceasing heartfelt prayer, worked, according to the tradition of his spiritual fathers.

Rublev's brushes in the iconostasis of the Church of the Annunciation, in addition to the Transfiguration, include six more icons: the Annunciation, the Nativity of Christ, the Presentation, the Baptism, the Resurrection of Lazarus, the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem. But the murals of the temple have not been preserved, since it was rebuilt on the old foundation in 1489.

Annunciation. Icon from the festive tier of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Approximately from that time, Saint Andrew had a friend and associate named Daniel, nicknamed Black. He was an outstanding icon painter, like Andrei, but years older. The friendship of Daniel and Andrei, which lasted for at least twenty years, until their death, left a bright mark in the history of the Church and church art, being an example of a spiritual and creative union. One glance at their creations is enough to understand how strong the interpenetration and mutual enrichment of their talents was. Until now, art historians have been arguing about the authorship of many icons, whether they belong to the brush of Daniel or Andrei.

Andrei Rublev, Daniil Cherny and workshop. The middle part of the deesis tier: the archangel Michael, the Mother of God, the Savior in Power, John the Baptist, the archangel Gabriel.

Rev. Joseph Volotsky notes that both masters worked every day, raising “the mind and thought to the immaterial and Divine light, and sensual eyes to the images of the Savior and the Most Pure Mother.” Icons brought them such joy that even on holidays, for example, on Easter, when work was not accepted, Andrei and Daniel contemplated the holy icons and prayed before them.

In 1408, the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily Dmitrievich invited the already famous icon painter Andrei and his friend Daniil Cherny to repaint the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. Built back in the 12th century, this temple was badly damaged during the Batu invasion of 1237-1238, when its iconostasis and frescoes were destroyed in a fire, and by the beginning of the 15th century it had fallen into complete disrepair.

The Grand Duke attached great importance to this work. Despite the fact that Moscow had already become the main seat of the head of the Russian Church, the metropolitan see was still formally in Vladimir, and the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral continued to be the main cathedral church of all Rus'. Therefore, the murals in it had to artistically affirm the dignity of the Russian Church and its Primate. In addition, the arrival of a new metropolitan from Constantinople was expected: it was Theognost (since 1409), who replaced the deceased Cyprian in the Russian cathedra.

Rev. Andrey Rublev and Daniil Cherny came to Vladimir. On May 25 they started to work. The iconostasis and frescoes made by them have partially survived to this day. Andrei's brushes belong to "The Savior in Power", "The Mother of God", "John the Evangelist" and "Andrew the Apostle", which are now stored in the Tretyakov Gallery. These are huge, three-meter high, images of the figures of saints in full growth on a golden background, majestic and colorful.

Savior in the Force

For the first time in Russia, a high multi-tiered iconostasis was created, where a deesis row, a festive row and a row of prophets were located above the icons of the local row and the royal gates. Of the 25 icons of the festive series, the Annunciation, the Descent into Hell, the Ascension, the Presentation and Baptism have been preserved. From the prophetic - the icons of Zephaniah and Zechariah.

Meeting of the Lord. Icon from the festive tier of the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir.
About 1408.

The iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir has become one of the most grandiose works in the history of church art in ancient Rus'.

In the days when Andrei Rublev and Daniil were painting the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, the horde of Khan Edigey approached Moscow, devastated the surroundings and burned the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. And in 1410, Vladimir was subjected to a surprise attack by the Tatars.

Around the same time, Prince Yuri Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod, son of Dmitry Donskoy, invited Andrei Rublev to paint the newly built Assumption Cathedral in Zvenigorod.

Decorating his temple, the prince wanted to see in it the icons of a master who was close in spirit to his spiritual father, St. Sergius of Radonezh.

Spas Almighty

Only three icons of the Deesis tier from the Zvenigorod Assumption Cathedral, which are now stored in the Tretyakov Gallery, have come down to us: "The Savior", "The Archangel Michael" and "The Apostle Paul". The central icon of the Deesis tier "Savior the Almighty", despite the large loss of the paint layer, can be considered the pinnacle in the depiction of Jesus Christ in all Russian icon painting. In the face of the Savior, St. Andrew wonderfully combined strength and softness, greatness and humanity. Medium-sized, typically Russian facial features are full of love and peace. The combination of noble simplicity and splendor is a feature of the mature master Andrei Rublev.

Apostle Pavel (from the Zvenigorod rank)

The subsequent years of the life of the icon painter were associated with the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Andrei moved there at the invitation of hegumen Nikon of Radonezh, who was very lamented that the newly erected white-stone Trinity Cathedral was not decorated with paintings, and wanted to see an icon painted during his lifetime "in praise of Sergius of Radonezh."

Hegumen Nikon talks with Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny.
Fragment of a 16th century miniature .

Then the icon “Trinity” came out from under the brush of St. Andrew, which became the pinnacle of all Russian iconography. While working on it, the monk appealed to the great teacher Sergius of Radonezh, so that by prayers and standing before the Lord he would help him glorify the Name of the Most Holy Trinity before angels and people. The contemplation of the image of the Trinity, according to his plan, was to give rise to great peace and love in the soul: “yes, by looking at this image, the hated strife of this world is defeated.”

The biblical story about the appearance of three angels to the forefather Abraham under the brush of Andrei Rublev became the image of the Trinity, expressing the main dogma of Christianity: the unity of God in Three Persons. The artist, excluding everyday details from the plot of the icon, placed three angels on the icon on a large scale, and gave all the remaining details a symbolic depth: the house of Abraham became the abode of the Heavenly Father, the mountain - a symbol of the height of the Holy Spirit, and the oak of Mamre - the tree on which Christ will be crucified. In the center of the table there is a bowl with the head of a calf as a symbol of the Sacrifice offered by the Savior for the sins of people, and the contours of the figures of the left and right angels form a large bowl - the image of the Eucharist.

Spaso-Andronikov Monastery. Now the Andrei Rublev Museum of Old Russian Art.

Andrei and Daniel spent the last years of their lives in the Andronikov Monastery, working on the painting of the newly built Cathedral of the Savior. Unfortunately, these works of masters have not been preserved (with the exception of two ornamental fragments). In one manuscript of the 16th century there is a miniature depicting the monk while working on the image of the Savior on the wall of the Spassky Cathedral of the Andronikov Monastery.

Andrei Rublev paints an outdoor fresco over the entrance to the Spassky Cathedral of the Andronikov Monastery.
From a 17th century miniature.

The life of St. Nikon of Radonezh says that Andrei Rublev lived to be gray. However, the exact time of his death is unknown. The most probable date is considered to be 1428, when a plague epidemic raged in Moscow. The monastic tradition, written down by Joseph Volotsky, says: “First, Andrei reposed, then his companion Daniel fell ill, and at the hour of death he saw Andrei in great glory and joyfully calling him to eternal and infinite bliss.”

Rublev on his deathbed. From a 16th century miniature.

Both icon painters were buried in the Andronikov Monastery near the Spassky Cathedral. Their memory over the next three centuries was surrounded by deep reverence. At the monastery service, St. Andrew was commemorated on July 4, the day of St. Andrew of Crete*, in honor of which he was probably tonsured. On miniature manuscripts of the 16th century, Andrei was already depicted with a halo.

* Andrew of Crete, (c. 660 - c. 740) - saint, archbishop of the city of Gortyna in Crete, ascetic and church hymnographer.

In 1551, on the initiative of Sovereign Ivan IV Vasilievich and Metropolitan Macarius, a council was convened in Moscow, called Stoglavy - in its decisions (100 chapters) the rules of the church life of the country were written down. The cathedral resolutions recognized the Monk Andrei Rublev as equal to the most famous Greek icon painters who formed the church canon, and ordered "painters to paint icons from ancient images, as Greek painters painted and as Andrei Rublev wrote."

These prescriptions of the cathedral led to the fact that Rublev's creations were copied in large numbers by the next generations of icon painters. And even now it is hardly possible to find a temple in Russia where there would not be a list from his Trinity.

At the end of the 16th century, the Stroganov icon-painting original was compiled, in which Andrei Rublev is called a reverend, and it is said about his work: “he painted many holy icons, all miraculous.”

The 18th-19th centuries became a time of neglect for many Orthodox traditions. The canonical iconography was replaced by "living likeness", and then by academic painting. Ancient icons, including Rublyov's, darkened under a layer of old drying oil; they were written on top with new images (updated), and often destroyed due to dilapidation. It got to the point that the grave of the monk in the Spassky Monastery was forgotten and razed to the ground. The very name of the "notorious (most glorious) painter" was remembered only by lovers of ancient Russian art - collectors of icons "of Rublev's letter", that is, painted according to his samples.

This is what Rublev's Trinity looked like until the end of 1904.
The heavy golden riza left only the faces and hands of the angels open.

At the beginning of the 20th century, ancient icons began to be restored - to clean off later records and restore their original appearance. Andrei Rublev's icon "Trinity" was one of the first to be cleared, in 1905. When the icon painter V.P. Guryanov, who arrived at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra at the invitation of the abbot of the monastery, removed three layers of later recordings from the surface of the icon, everyone was amazed to see bright, truly heavenly colors instead of a “dark” image. The significance of this event in Russia cannot be overestimated. It was the discovery of an ancient icon, the revival of interest in ancient Russian culture.

Before clearing, Rublev's icon was refurbished at least five times (the last time in the middle of the 19th century).
This is how she appeared to the eyes of Guryanov after the salary was removed. .

Photo of "Trinity" after the completion of clearing Guryanov.

Photo of "Trinity" after the renewal of Guryanov.

However, the renovation of the icon by Guryanov caused criticism from specialists. In 1915, the researcher Sychev said that the restoration of Guryanov's monument actually hid from us. AT The second, final stage of clearing was carried out in 1918-1919.

Icon in the process of clearing 1918-1919.
On the clothes of the angel on the right, a light stripe of the removed Guryanovsky record is visible.

Since the 1920s, many books have been published (by M. Alpatov, I. Grabar, and others) dedicated to the life and work of the artist. Numerous exhibitions with icons of the master traveled not only to many cities in Russia, but also to foreign countries. The art of Andrei Rublev began a triumphal procession around the world.

After the Great Patriotic War, in connection with the restoration of the Andronikov Monastery, an initiative group headed by Academician I. Grabar turned to the government with a request to create a Museum of Old Russian Painting on the territory of the monastery. Soon, I. V. Stalin signed an order to create a historical and architectural museum-reserve named after Andrei Rublev. The secular repository of ancient church art opened in 1960, which UNESCO declared the year of the Russian icon painter Andrei Rublev.

In 1988, the Council of the Russian Orthodox Church canonized Andrei Rublev to the saints in the rank of reverend.

With the advent of the third millennium, churches in honor of St. Andrew began to be built in Russia (for example, in Moscow on Ramenki Street). And the “Trinity” written by him is currently one of the most recognizable artistic symbols of Russia.

In Russia and abroad, this name is well known - Andrei Rublev. Icons and frescoes, created by the master about six centuries ago, are a real gem of Russian art and still excite the aesthetic feelings of people.

First information

Where and when Andrei Rublev was born is unknown. There are suggestions that this happened around 1360-70, in the Moscow principality, or in Veliky Novgorod. Information about when the master began to paint the faces of the Saints is contained in medieval historical documents. From the "Trinity Chronicle" found in Moscow, it is known that, being a monk (monk), Rublev painted together with Feofan the Greek and Prokhor Gorodetsky the house church of Prince Vladimir Dmitrievich, son of Dmitry Donskoy.

Iconostasis of Vladimir Cathedral

A few years later, according to the same "Trinity Chronicle", in collaboration with the famous icon painter Daniil Cherny, it was Andrei Rublev who restored the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral after the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars. The icons that made up a single ensemble with frescoes have survived to this day. True, in the magnificent era of Catherine the Second, the dilapidated iconostasis turned out to be out of step with the current fashion, and it was transferred from the cathedral to the village of Vasilyevskoye (now in the Ivanovo region). In the 20th century, these part of them entered the collection of the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, the other part was placed in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

Deesis

The central part of the Vladimir iconostasis, which is made up of icons painted by Andrei Rublev, is occupied by the Deesis (“prayer” in Greek). His main idea is God's judgment, which in the Orthodox environment is called Terrible. More precisely, this is the idea of ​​the ardent intercession of the saints before Christ for the entire human race. The image is imbued with a high spirit of love and mercy, nobility and moral beauty. In the center on the throne - Jesus with an open Gospel in his hands. The figure is inscribed in a scarlet rhombus, this color symbolizes royalty and at the same time sacrifice. The rhombus is placed in a green-blue oval, personifying the union of the human with the Divine. This composition is in a red square, each corner of which is reminiscent of the four Evangelists - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Soft shades are harmoniously combined with slender clarity of lines.

Features in the image of the faces of Saints

What new did Andrey Rublev bring to the image of the Savior? Icons depicting the Lord existed in Byzantine culture, but the amazing combination of majestic solemnity with extraordinary meekness and tenderness makes the master's creations unsurpassed and unique. In the image of Rublevsky Christ, the ideas of Russian people about justice are clearly visible. The faces of the saints praying before Jesus are full of fervent hope for a judgment - just and right. The image of the Mother of God is filled with prayer and sorrow, and in the image of the Forerunner one can read inexplicable grief for the entire erring human race. The apostles and Gregory the Great, Andrew the First-Called selflessly pray to the Savior, and Michael is depicted here as worshiping angels, their images are full of heavenly solemn beauty, speaking of the delightful world of heaven.

"Spas" Andrei Rublev

Among the iconographic images of the master, there are several masterpieces, which are said to be the icon of the Savior.

Andrei Rublev was occupied with the image of Jesus Christ, and indeed such works as “The Almighty Savior”, “The Savior Not Made by Hands”, “The Savior of the Golden Hair”, “The Savior in Power” were created by the great painter. Emphasizing the extraordinary gentleness of the Lord, Rublev guessed the main component of the Russian national ideal. It is no coincidence that the color range shines with a gentle warm light. This went against the Byzantine tradition, in which the face of the Savior was painted with contrasting strokes, contrasting the green and brown colors of the background with the strongly highlighted lines of facial features.

If we compare the face of Christ, created by a Byzantine master who was, according to some evidence, Rublev's teacher, with the images painted by a student, we will see a clear difference in manner. Rublev lays the colors smoothly, preferring soft transitions of light into shadow to contrast. The lower layers of paint transparently shine through the upper layers, as if a quiet, joyful light is streaming from the inside of the icon. That is why its iconography can be safely called luminiferous.

"Trinity"

Or as it is called, the icon "Holy Trinity" by Andrei Rublev is one of the greatest creations of the Russian Renaissance. It is based on the famous biblical story about how the righteous Abraham was visited in the guise of three angels.

The creation of the icon "Trinity" by Andrei Rublev goes back to the history of the painting of the Trinity Cathedral. It was placed to the right of the bottom row of the iconostasis, as it was supposed to.

The Mystery of the Holy Trinity

The composition of the icon is constructed in such a way that the figures of angels form a symbolic circle - a sign of eternity. They sit around a table with a bowl in which lies the head of a sacrificial calf - a symbol of redemption. The central and left angels bless the bowl.

Behind the angels we see Abraham's house, the oak under which he received his Guests, and the peak of Mount Moriah, which Abraham ascended to sacrifice his son Isaac. There later, in the time of Solomon, the first temple was erected.

It is traditionally believed that the figure of the middle angel depicts Jesus Christ, his right hand with folded fingers symbolizes unconditional submission to the will of the Father. The angel on the left is the figure of the Father blessing the cup that the Son is to drink to atone for the sins of all mankind. The right angel depicts the Holy Spirit, overshadowing the consent of the Father and the Son and comforting Him Who will soon sacrifice himself. This is how Andrei Rublev saw the Holy Trinity. In general, his icons are always full of high symbolic sound, but in this one it is especially penetrating.

There are, however, researchers who interpret the compositional distribution of the faces of the Holy Trinity in a different way. They say that God the Father sits in the middle, behind whom the Tree of Life is depicted - a symbol of source and completion. We read about this tree on the first pages of the Bible (it grows in and on its last pages when we see it in New Jerusalem. The Left Angel is located against the background of a building that can denote the Housebuilding of Christ - His Ecumenical Church. We see the Right Angel against the backdrop of a mountain : it was on the mountain that the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles after the Ascension of Christ.

Color plays a special role in the space of the icon. Noble gold shines in it, delicate ocher, greens, azure blue and soft pink shades shimmer. Sliding color transitions are in harmony with the smooth tilts of the head, the movements of the hands of the calmly sitting Angels. In the faces of the three hypostases of the Divine, unearthly sadness lurks and at the same time - peace.

Finally

The icons of Andrey Rublev are mysterious and ambiguous. Photos that contain images of the Deity give us an incomprehensible feeling of confidence that the meaning of the Universe and every human life is in loving and reliable hands.

Brief Life of St. Andrei Rublev

St. An-drey was born around 1360. noah wisdom, as evidenced by his creativity. Zhi-in-pis-no-mu mastery studied in Byzantium and Bol-gary. St. An-drey for some time worked together with Fe-o-fa-n the Greek and, possibly, was his teacher. All life is pre-good-but-th connection with two mo-on-stay-ry-mi: Tro-and-tse-Ser-gi-e-how Lav-roy and Spa-so -An-d-ro-ni-ko-vym mos-kov-skim mo-on-stay-rem. Ino-che-sky in a haircut of a saint took in the Spa-so-An-d-ro-no-ko-howl ob-te-li. Live in you-so-spiritual environment, in the at-mo-sphere of holiness, monk An-drey studied as an is-to-ri-che- ski-mi-pri-me-ra-mi of holiness, and a living sample of those surrounding him in motion. For about 20 years, until my own death, he, together with his co-post-no-one Da-ni-i-scrap Black, led the life of iko-no-pis-tsa-po - no move.

Already after the death of St. An-dreya Da-ni-il, having not separated from him in his heart and after his departure, dying, received a message about the glorification of one’s own spirit brother in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Ki-sti of St. Andrey Ruble-va pri-na-le-lives a well-known miraculous-to-creative image of the Holy Trinity, which -that-ry is still-la-et-sya unsurpassed-den-ym example in iko-no-pi-sa-nii. St. An-drey ras-pi-sy-val Bla-go-ve-shchensky cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin, icon-no-stas and the Assumption cathedral itself in the city Vla-di-mi-re (1408). Rev. An-drey Rublev on-pi-sal of the Vla-di-mir-ico-well of Bo-go-ma-te-ri for the Uspen-sko-so-bo-ra in the city of Vla-di-mi-re; na-pi-sal iko-no-stas and ras-pi-sal of the walls of the Assumption-so-bo-ra in Zve-ni-go-ro-de (late XIV - na-cha-lo XV centuries); de-and-sus-ny rank in iko-no-sta-se co-bo-ra Nativity-de-stva Pre-holy Bo-go-ro-di-tsy Sav-vo-Sto-ro-zhev- sko-go mo-na-sta-rya; ras-pi-sal of the wall and you-pol-nil iko-no-stas Tro-its-ko-go so-bo-ra Tro-i-tse-Ser-gi-e-howl Lav-ra, etc.

Complete Life of St. Andrei Rublev

Sources, co-general-ing about St. Andrey Ruble-ve, very few-number-of-lens. This is the Life of the pre-good-no-go Ni-ko-on a short and pro-strange edition; “From-ve-shcha-nie-bo-for-zor-nym” of the saint; “The Tale of the Holy Icon-no-Pis-tsah” of the end of the 16th - at the beginning of the 17th centuries; le-to-pis-nye allusions; a record of the mo-gi-le of St. Andrew on-cha-la of the 19th century; allusions in me-sya-tse-words.

Saints about St. Andrew in a number of sources present themselves in the main new brief inserts ki general ha-rak-te-ra or from-del-nye allusions. There is no saintly life, although there is a recognition of his holiness according to these sources of representation it is quite obvious.

An important add-on-half-not-to-a-number-of-number-sve-de-ni-pits about St. Andrew is-la-yut-sya his pro-from de-nia - icon-us and ros-pi-si. According to the-voice-but from-the-west-no-mu in-a-hundred-new-le-tion of the Sed-my-th All-len-th So-bo-ra, the Right-to-glorious Church according to -chi-ta-et is an image of “along-side-with Krest and Evan-ge-li-em.” In this way, the creation of the icon is yav-la-et-sya in the movement of bless-go-honour, before-la-ga-yu-schim blah-go-dat- help from above. The feat of bliss-go-che-stia can re-re-ras-thate into holiness. From here, a special rank in the right-in-glorious hierarchy of holiness - the rank of holy icons-no-scribes, led by the holy apo-sto- crowbar and evan-he-lis-thom Lu-koy, on-pi-sav-shim, according to pre-yes, an image of God's Ma-te-ri. In the Russian Church, to the rank of saints, iko-no-scribes, with-numbers-le-na, St. Ali-piy Pe-cher-sky, pre-excellent Di-o -no-this Glu-shits-cue. Ve-li-tea-shim Russian icon-no-scribe was also St. Andrey Rublev.

His main pro-from-ve-de-niya: iko-no-stas and ros-pi-si -le (1405); ros-pi-si and iko-no-stas of the Assumption-so-bo-ra in Vla-di-mi-re (1408); icon-on Bo-go-mother Vla-di-mir-sky for the Assumption-so-bo-ra in the city of Vla-di-mi-re; ros-pi-si and iko-no-stas of the Uspen-sko-go-bo-ra in Zve-ni-go-ro-de (end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th centuries); De-and-sus-ny rank from the co-bo-ra of the Nativity of Bo-go-ro-di-tsy in Sav-vi-no-Sto-ro-zhev-sky mo-na-sty-re ( on-cha-lo of the 15th century); ros-pi-si and iko-no-stas Tro-its-ko-go so-bo-ra in Tro-i-tse-Ser-gi-e-vom mo-on-sta-re (20s. XV century); icon-on the Holy Trinity from the same co-bo-ra; ros-pi-si Spas-so-so-bo-ra XV century). Most of them are you-half-not-but joint-places-but with other-gi-mi mas-te-ra-mi, one-to-one on all these pro-from-ve-de-ni -yah, co-created in the spirit of christ-sti-an-th-brother-th-unity and movement-no-thing, lies undoubted to begin the holiness, we first of all connect with the holy An-dre-em, in accordance with what we know but about him and his spo-movement-ni-kah.

The best-know-me-ni-tym of his pro-of-we-de-ni-em is-la-is-sya icon-on the Pre-Holy Trinity, one-but-soul- no-mu recognition of specialists, created by him himself. There is no doubt that St. An-dre-em created-but much more holy icons and rose-pi-this than you- she-re-number-le-but, but-on-to evidence about his other pro-of-ve-de-no-yah did not save-ra-no-moose.

The is-ri-che-sky information about the reverend Andrey Ruble-ve is extremely scarce. About pro-is-hozh-de-nii it is unknown. Some light on this question can shed on whether he has nicknames (Rublev), someone kept him in the mo- at the top. In-vi-di-mo-mu, Rublev is a ro-do-voe pro-name, that is, a fa-mi-lia. It has a ha-rak-ter-noe for Russian fa-mi-liy windows. In the XIV-XV centuries, that is, in the era-hu of the pre-do-no-go Andrey, as well as sign-chi-tel-but later, fa-mi-lii no-si- is it just before-a-hundred-vi-those of you-higher strata of society that for-becomes-la-et pre-la-gat his pro-is-ho-de-tion from about-ra-zo-van-ny circles.

In addition to that, it comes from the me-cha-yut of his unusual-but-vein-wisdom, as evidenced by his creative stvo.

The year of birth-de-niya pre-dob-no-go Andrey of unknown walls. It is assumed that he was born around 1360. This year is a conditional yes-that, ofi-qi-al-but with-nya-toy in modern is-to-ri-che-sky on-at-ke. If we consider that he was still comparable-no-tel-but mo-lo-smoke to a person, when his name was mentioned for the first time in the forest -that-pi-si, yes, this one can be from-dvi-well-ta to the 70-80s. XIV century; in the summer-pi-noy for-pi-si, he mentioned-mi-na-et-sya in the next (third) place, and, next-to-va-tel-but, was the youngest of the masters. Teaching na-chi-na-li from childhood and prof-sio-na-liz-ma to-sti-ha-li ra-but. Is-key-chi-tel-but you-with-some quality of your-re-ny pre-be-good-no-go Andrey and deep-bo-something about-nick-but-ve- the spiritual meaning of the image, which is especially-ben-but for him ha-rak-ter-but, makes you-la-et you-move the question of where he could learn the pre-excellent An-drey living-in-writing-no-mu mastery.

At the present time, it has become possible to consider that St. An-drey could, in the early period of his life, study ra -bo-tat in Vy-zan-tia and Bol-g-riya. In the s-mom de-le, many Russian-s-se-scha-whether the Bal-kan-sky countries, Athos, Kon-stan-ti-no-pol, the Holy Land and not -ko stayed there for a longer or shorter time. So, Afa-on-this you are a social cue, a student of pre-dob-no-go Ser-gius, and, no doubt, personally from the well-known pre-dob -no-mu Andrey, spent almost 20 years in Kon-stan-ti-no-po-le, working together with a group of other mo-na-hov over pe-re-vo-da-mi and pe-re-pi-sy-va-ni-em your-re-of the fathers of the Church. In Kon-stan-ti-no-po-le there were also icons of Russian saints, in particular, there would have been icons on saints Boris and Gle -ba. There, too, pi-sa-whether the icons are special-ci-al-but for-ka-zam of the Russian Church: so, already mentioned Afa-on-this you-social -ki in 1392 brought to Rus' the well-known “You-social rank” - a series of de-and-sus-ny icons, on-pi-san-nyh special al-but for the os-but-van-no-go im Ser-pu-hov-sko-go you-social-to-mo-on-stay-rya. All experts agree that St. An-drey should have known these icons. From the West, but that iko-but-scribes sometimes co-pro-leader-yes-whether in words, from-right-la-e-my to Tsa-r-grad.

In the aftermath of St. Andrew, there is an image of the Greek sea court (in the fresco “Earth-la and mo-re from-give-yut the dead". Vla-di-mir-sky Assumption Cathedral. 1408): mach-you, yards, kor-pus ko-slave, flag on cor-me - everything is on-pi-sa-but with such a living knowledge of the construction of the ko-slave, some kind of work, but before-putting in su-ho -put-noy Ru-si. It is possible to imagine one of two things: either Saint An-drey saw himself such a co-slave, that is, he was on the sea, or -re-nyal these sve-de-niya from its-e-th-on-becoming-no-ka - hu-doge-no-ka gre-che-th-pro-is-hozh-de-niya. According to one of the hy-po-theses, St. An-drey is a student of the know-me-no-thing Fe-o-fa-na Gre-ka. This gi-po-te-for os-no-va-na on the fact that in pi-si 1405 their name was mentioned-mi-na-yut-sya joint-place-but, moreover Fe-o-fan comes first. The fact that Fe-o-fan had a definite and, perhaps, a considerable impact on St. Andrew, can be considered -opinion-nym, at least in the si-lu of the fact that they have worked together for some time, and more-lo-doy An-drey , ko-nech-but, pay attention-ma-tel-but on-observe-gave how the well-known Greek works. However, there are no indications of their closer cooperation. On the contrary, the fact that in the pi-si of 1405, between them, one more master was mentioned - the elder Pro-choir from the City, who does not have from-no-she-niya to Fe-o-fa-nu, rather go-vo-rit about the absence of close contacts between Fe-o-fa-nom and the connection -tym An-dre-em. At the same time, it is not doubtful that St. An-drey was in all weapons of the culture of his time. The moving way of life and the character itself Fe-o-fa-na also speak rather against the possibility of sys-te- ma-ti-che-sky for-nya-ty. Such a way-ra-zo-va-nie, giving the possibility of pro-nick-but-ve-niya into the spiritual depths of phenomena, rather all it could be obtained in a co-respective environment, first of all in Byzantium. So-kim ob-ra-zom, with-ve-den-naya gi-po-te-for about the Greek ob-ra-zo-va-ni pre-do-do-no-go Andrey not whether-she-on the basis-but-va-niya.

Saint An-drey lived in the era of major historical events. He was a witness and, perhaps, a participant in these events, often very difficult for Rus.

In 1380, there was a blood-in-pro-lit-naya battle on Ku-li-ko-vom field, in-lo-live-shay on-cha-lo osvo-god-de -niyu Ru-si from the ta-tar-sko-th yoke. Two years later, Moscow would be ra-zo-re-na and co-burnt-on Tokh-ta-my-shem. It’s quite possible that these events will influence-I-whether on the choice of my-on-she-go-way, made-lan-but-holy An-dre-em.

In 1395, Rus' was subjected to a new invasion - this time it was attacked by half of Ta-mer-la-na. Despite the readiness of the ve-li-ko-go-prince Va-si-liya Di-mit-ri-e-vi-cha to give from the enemy-gu, chances-owls on-be -doo would be very little in view of the co-los-sal-no-go-number-of-len-no-go superiority of the troops against-no-ka. Remained-va-las one-na-na-dezh-yes-for-the-steps-no-thing of God-mother Ma-te-ri. To Moscow from Vla-di-mi-ra would-la bring-for a miracle-to-creative icon-on-God-her Ma-te-ri. The whole nation, led by mi-ro-po-li-that Ki-pri-a-nom, went out to meet the holy icon-well, to the place where, subsequently, in pa -myat of this event was the os-no-van Sre-ten-sky mo-on-stay.

The Church called everyone to prayer, in a stu and in a way. A miracle happened: the Mother of God appeared to Ta-mer-la-nu (Te-mir-Ak-sa-ku) in a dream and thunder-but for-pre-ti-la to him go to Moscow. When you reach El-ts, Ta-mer-lan turned back to zero and disappeared just as out-of-the-way as he appeared. Soon after this, St. An-drei na-pi-sal co-piyu with the ob-ra-for-God-her Ma-te-ri Vla-di-mir-sky for the good -word-ve-niyu mit-ro-po-li-ta Ki-pri-a-na.

A place for a-stri-zhe-of St. Andrey to-a-hundred-ver-but-unknown. But his whole life is connected with two mo-on-sta-ry-mi - Tro-and-tse-Ser-gi-e-vym and Spa-so-An-d-ro-no-ko -vym in Moscow. Pre-given, rising to the end of the 16th century, sees in St. Andrew the spirit of the No-to-on Ra-to-nezh-sko-go. However, modern researches-follow-up-va-niya show that he took a haircut sooner than anything in Spa-so-An- d-ro-no-ko-vom mo-us-you-re. These two versions are not pro-ti-in-re-chat in essence to each other, since both mo-on-stacks were closely connected between themselves; it is obvious that St. An-drey was in the hearing of the reverend Ni-ko-on, when he worked in Tro-its -com-on-stay-re, and vo-mi-na-tion about this, of course, was saved. Since the monk An-drey is a hundred-yan-but you-pol-nyat for-ka-zy mit-ro-po-li-ta and ve-li-ko-prince, of course it’s good for him to go, so to speak, “under the hand”, that is, in one of the Moscow mos-us-you-rey, and the names but in Spa-so-An-d-ro-no-ko-vom. It is possible, however, that the earlier, unknown to us, from the connection of St. Andrew with ob- te-lyu Pre-on-dob-no-go Ser-giya. According to the spirit of St. An-drey, he is a la-et-sya, an imaginary scholar of St. Ser-gius.

But even being in the Spa-so-An-d-ro-ni-ko-vom mo-on-sta-re, the monk An-drey lived in the spiritual environment of students Pre-good-no-go Ser-giy, he closely communicated with someone during his trips connected with you -half-not-no-eat for-ca-call. In addition to pre-be-good-no-go Ni-ko-na, he, in-di-mo-mu, knew Saint Sav-va Sto-ro-zhev-go, by - how-ku on the rub-be-same XIV-XV centuries. ra-bo-tal in Zve-ni-go-ro-de and a little later in the very Sav-vi-no-Sto-ro-zhev-sky mo-na-sta-re. He should have known and ple-myan-no-ka pre-do-b-no-go Ser-giy of the saint-te-la Fe-o-do-ra, ar-hi-episco-pa Rostov-sko-go, for some time Igu-menst-in-vav-she-go in Si-mo-no-vom mo-on-sta-re, in co-neighborhood with An-d-ro-ni-ko-vym mo-on-stay-rem. Another igu-men of this mo-on-stay-rya and co-be-sed-nick pre-do-no-go Ser-gius, St. Ky-rill, left in 1392 on Be-lo-lake-ro, but as a person, he, no doubt, was from the walls of the foreign Andrey. Finally, the venerable An-d-ro-nick, os-but- va-tel and the first igu-men mo-na-sta-rya. Connections with Tro-i-tse-Ser-gi-e-ym mo-on-stay-rem would be a hundred-yan-na and different-but-about-raz-us. From Tro-its-ko-go mo-na-sta-rya to Spa-so-An-d-ro-ni-kov re-re-ho-di-whether some mo-na-hi. Among them was Yer-mo-la-Eph-rem, who gave funds for the construction of the stone-man-no-th temple, and the future yog-men, with -that-rym monk An-drey also on-ho-dil-sya in close vza-and-mo-from-no-she-no-yah. Saint An-drey knew, without a doubt, and, immediately -initial information about An-d-ro-ni-ko-vom mo-on-sta-re and left-viv-she-go-de-de-tion about Fe-o-fan Gre -ke. About the monk Andrey Epi-fa-niy didn’t write anything, which is quite natural, since it’s about the past, ho -cha and recently, and not about modern-men-no-kah.

Live in your spiritual environment, in the at-mo-sphere of holiness, monk An-drey studied as an is-ri-che- ski-mi-pri-me-ra-mi of holiness, and a living sample of those surrounding him in motion. He deeply delved into the teachings of the Church and into the lives of the saints, whom he portrayed, followed them, which called whether-lo his ta-lan-tu to achieve hu-do-same-stvenno-no-go and spiritual-no-go perfection.

In addition to Epi-fa-nia Pre-wise-ro-go, the monk An-drey ho-ro-sho knew other you-so-o-ra-zo-van-nyh people of his e-th time, with someone-ry-mi closely communicated. Among them, in the first place, one should call the saint-ty-la Ki-pri-a-na, mit-ro-po-li-ta Mos-kov-sko-go. Ino-ku Andrey was close to the spiritual world of the holy world Ki-pri-a-na, someone went through the school of Athos -six-stva. Communication with him was up to a hundred exact but cramped, because in him there was for-in-te-re-co-van not only pre-add- ny An-drey, but also the hier-ti-tel Ki-pri-an, attached to in-tel-lek-tu-al-noy at-mo-sphere of V-zantii and you- de-lyav-shey, in this way, the most-bo-more spiritual and ob-ra-zo-van-ny Russians in Moscow. Through this community, the spiritual gene-not-a-logia of the pre-good-no-go Andrey rises to both heads of Athos is-i-khaz-ma, since mi-ro-po-lit Ki-pri-an was a teacher of St. Pat-ri-ar-ha Philo-fairy -ti-te-la, and kindred-no-one (as pre-la-ga-yut) holy-ti-te-la Ev-fi-miya, pat-ri-ar-ha Tyr-nov -sko-go, study-no-ho-ty-te-la Fe-o-do-this Tyr-nov-go-go, study-no-ho-ho. The ascension of the “mind and thought” to the “ne-ve-s-stvenno-no-mu and Divine-no-th-th light” from the contemplation of the saints icons (“elevation of the senses of the eye”) - this co-ver-shen-but is-their-ast-ha-rak-te-ri-sti-ka would-la it’s not the case, but yes, by the holy Joseph Vo-lots-kim to pre-be-good-no-mu Andrey and his co-post-no-ku Da-ni-i-lu. To her, ve-ro-yat-no, there are not very many analogies in Russian hagio-graphy.

Undoubtedly, the monk An-drey ho-ro-sho also knew the holy mit-ro-po-li-ta Photius, for-me-niv-she-go died-she-go-me -ro-po-li-ta Ki-pri-a-na in 1409. This follows with all the obviousness of at least from the fact that An-drey and Da- ni-il to the arrival of Fo-tiya ras-pi-sy-va-li in 1408 -re. Fotiy also belongs to the number of you-with-co-ob-ra-zo-van-nyh, spiritual and de-I-tel-ny hierarchs, a number of messages are given to him, some monk An-drey, no doubt, knew.

“All the best in the pre-wisdom of greenery”, according to you-ra-zhe-niyu pre-be-good-no-go-Jose-fa, monk An-drey ho-ro -sho knew your-re-niya of many holy fathers and teachers of the Church. He, without a doubt, would have known your re-re-niya of the saint, trans-re-ve-den-nye into the Slavic language in the XIV century. Athos mo-na-hom Is-a-i-her in the ru-che-nii of the highest church authorities in connection with the is-their-ast-ski-mi ra-mi. Would he be close to your re-niya of the holy Gri-go-riya Si-na-i-ta, accessible to Russian chi-ta-te-lu. Into the circle of reading the enlightened-no-go-lo-ve-ka and, no doubt, St. Andrew enters-di-li “God-word ”, “She-stod-nev” by John-on-Ek-zar-ha, “Pa-leya tol-ko-vaya” and other your-re-re-niya pra-glorious pi-sa-te- lei and fathers of the Church.

In 1408, as a co-common-scha-et le-to-piss, reverend An-drey and Da-ni-il ras-pi-sy-va-yut Uspensky so-boron in Vla-di-mi-re. Under this year, let's-pi-si decree-zy-va-yut: -kaya and so-bor-naya church Pre-chi-flock Vo-lo-di-mir-sky in-ve-le-ni-em-whether-to-prince-zya, but ma-ste- ry Da-ni-lo-icon-nik yes An-drey Rub-lev.

In a short-mouthed le-to-pis-nom co-general-nii about-ra-scha-et attention-ma-nie that instruct-for-da-ta na-cha-la grew-pi -si. This is an exceptional case. Obviously, ros-pi-si came-yes-va-moose a huge sign-of-thing, that explaining-no-no-expects-yes-no-yes-yes-yes from Kon-stan-ti-no-po-la but-in-go mit-ro-po-li-ta, after the death of Ki-pri-a-na in 1406 became Fo -ty (in 1409).

Vla-di-world continued to count as a city-ro-house-re-zi-den-qi-it mit-ro-po-li-ta, and the city’s so-bor with -from-responsible-but was-lyal-sya-ca-fed-ral-ny so-bo-rum. In this way, mit-ro-po-li-chie-bor-wife should have been about-la-give ros-pi-xia-mi, wait-us-mi you-with-who-go- slate Kon-stan-ti-no-Polish Church, and show no less than the dignity of the Russian Church. Iko-no-scribes, in such a way, carry out their own kind of “before-st-vi-tels-th mission”, moreover for-yes-cha they would be very difficult, if you take into account the exceptionally-key-chi-tel-but you-so-thre-bo-va-tion of the Greek Church of that time-to-church-no-mu art, tre-bo-va-niya, first of all, spirit-hov-no-go s-de-tel-stva is-ti -us in art, and from here and its quality. Besides, expect-yes-my mit-ro-po-lit himself was, without a doubt, a good connoisseur and tse-ni-tel of the churches -no-go art, which follows from his con-stan-ti-no-pol-sko-go re-pi-ta-niya.

You-so-miss-this would-la-do-ve-re-on Da-ni-and-lu Cher-no-mu and pre-do-well-no-mu Andrey, someone upo -mi-na-et-sya second-eye, as more-younger. Iko-no-scribes are worthy-but you-half-no-whether it is-lo-wife-noe on them-listening.

In 1408, the monk An-drey for the first time mentioned, together with his shim you-with-kuyu spiritual life. Since this year, we have known about the close spiritual connection between two icons-no-scribes-in-movement-no-kov, continuing until sa-mine their deaths, about 20 years. Red-but-re-chi-vye, ho-tya and brief testimonies about the spirit of Christ's love, uniting them, for- zy-va-et you-so-tea-shy sample of this love, in a similar way to what we meet in the story about the ancients sub-vizh-ni-kah hri-sti-an-sko-go Vo-hundred-ka. Foretelling about the close spiritual ties of St. nii of the XV century and it was-lo on-pi-sa-but holy Joseph Vo-lots-kim from the words of the former Igu-me-on Tro-i-tse-Ser-gi-e -va mo-na-sta-rya Spi-ri-do-na. Let's bring a wide-ro-ko from a well-known text: “In-ve-yes-she to us, and behold, he is the king Spi-ri-don ... miracles they pre-slo- wu-schii iko-no-scribes Da-ni-il and his apprentice An-drey ... either-ku good-ro-de-tel imu-sche, and that-li-ko pot- schen-tion about fasting and about monastic life, it’s the same for them Divine blessings-go-yes-ti spo-do-beat-sya and that whether in Divine love, succeed, as if never from earthly exercises, but always mind and thought -ty to the ignorant-and-divine-and-divine-th-light, the sensual-eye always rises-in-di-ti to the hedgehog from the real-nyh -loving, on-pi-san-nym in the form of Vla-da-ki Christ-hundred and Pre-pure His Ma-te-re and all the saints, it is also on the most feast The light of the Resurrection of the resurrection, on the se-da-li-shchah of the se-dya-shcha, and in front of the battle I have all-honest and divine icons us, and on those, steadily, but in vain, Divine joys and light-lo-sti is full-nya-hu (sya); and not only on that day it’s so-so-rya-hu, but also on other days, when life is not at-le-zha-hu. This is the ra-di Vla-dy-ka Christ of those pro-glory and at the end of the hour of death: first of all, pre-sta-vi-sya An-drey, then but once-bo-le-sya and his companion Da-ni-il, and in a ko-nech-nom from-dh-no-ve-nii, see-de his post-no-ka Andrey in a lot of glory and with the joy of p-zy-va-yu-shcha it is eternal and demonic bliss.

Pri-ve-den-noe brief saying of St. Joseph to-no-sit before us is surprisingly-vi-tel-but a bright image of two in motion-no- kov-hu-doge-ni-kov, true-tin-nyh foreign-kov and as-ke-tov. They “succeeded” in Divine love, somehow heaven opened to them and attracted them to itself. Stya-zha-ni-em ve-li-divine b-go-yes-ti re-be-good Joseph explains their complete departure from everything th earth-no-th-no-thing, “as if never about earthly exercises.” You already go-in-ri-elk about their real-lin-but is-their-ast-experience. St. Joseph briefly from-la-gal their experience from-no-she-niya to iko-no-pee-si, someone-ry yav-la-et-sya under-ling-but spirit-hov -ny experience, teaching us the right-vil-no-mu perception of about-ra-for. The contemplation of icons for them is a celebration of no one, using the heart of “Divine joy and light -lo-stu", insofar as the mind rises "from the material shafts", that is, from ma-te-ri-al-no-go, rough-len- but-go, im-mo-mo-go sub-ra-zha-niya neve-sche-stvenno-no-mu, is-to-cha-yu-sche-mu the life of the world Per-in-ob-ra -zu. From-here-yes and the special meaning of the icon-us as evidence of the truth, from-here-yes and especially about-nick-but-ven-noe from- but-she-nie to each-to-mu move-the same-tion of the ki-sti.

“Se-go-ra-di”, that is, for the sake of so-so-so-so-and-so-spiritually-for-life “Vla-da-ko Christ of those about - glory and at the end of the hour of death. Already after the death of St. Andrey, his “co-post-nickname” Da-ni-il, who did not differ with him in his heart and after death, die-paradise, it-be-cha-et from-kro-ve-nie about the glorification of his-e-spirit-hov-no-go-brother in the Tsar- in the presence of Heaven-nome: “see-de ... Andrey in many glory and with the joy of calling him into eternity it and the devil -noe bliss. This is a particularly ben-but important testimonial of the birth in the same way in a slightly different edition, in the “Life of St. Ni-ko -on Ra-to-nezh-sko-go, "with-becoming-len-nom Pa-ho-mi-em Lo-go-fe-tom:" Whenever ho-tya-she Da-ni-il te- forest-no-go-so-yu-for from-re-shi-ti-sya, Abie sees An-drea loves him, in ra-to-sti prize-zy-va- Yu-shcha him. He, as if you see him, is la-she ze-lo, ra-do-sti is-full-ni-sya; bra-ti-yam pre-sto-I-schim in-ve-yes with them with-post-no-one of your coming and abie pre-yes-si spirit ... ".

In this way, we have two indications of the death glory of St. Andrew. The youngest in earthly life, he indicates the elder in the spiritual world and, as it were, takes the soul of the great-ved- but-go Da-ni-i-la at her breakup with the body. Spa-so-An-d-ro-ni-kov mo-on-stir became the place of the eternal mention of both of them in motion.

On the pro-ty-zhe-nii of the XIV-XVII centuries. pa-myat both of their iko-no-scribes, first of all, St. . In the middle of the XVI century. The hundred-headed Council elevated him to an all-general sample, before-pi-sav pi-sat the image of the Holy Trinity, like a pi-sal An- drey Rublev and "pre-word-woo-ing Greek zhi-vo-pis-tsy." In such a way, St. An-drey is put on the same level with those “pre-slo-wo-schi-mi”, ho-cha in a-da-la -great pain-shin-stve without-vest-ny-mi vi-zan-tiy-ski-mi hu-doge-ni-ka-mi, someone you-ra-bo-ta-whether right -glorious ka-non iko-no-pi-si. You can also think that the ideal way of iko-no-pis-tsa, on-black-tan-ny in the 43rd chapter of Sto-gla-va and shi-ro -ko ras-pro-country-niv-shi-sya through icon-but-pis-nye under-lin-no-ki, in a considerable degree-pe-no breath-new-len pre-yes-no-eat about St. Andrey, ho-ro-sho from the well-known fathers of So-bo-ra.

Testimony of the spiritual recognition of the holiness of pre-good-by-no-go Andrey on-ho-dim in the Strog-ga-nov-sky icon but-pis-nom under-lin-ni-ke (end of the 16th century). This sub-lin-nick was composed, in a vi-di-mo-mu, in the environment of court-yard icon-no-scribes and used shi-ro-kim influence-I-ni-eat and av-to-ri-te-tom. Pod-lin-nick co-generates: “Pre-additional An-drey Ra-do-nezh-sky, iko-no-pi-sets, pro-call-n-em Rublev, many -giya saints icons on-pi-sal, all miraculously creative, and before that live in listening to the pre-good from-tsa Ni-ko-on Ra-to-nezh-sko-th. He is, in a way, with himself, an image on-pi-sa-ti of the Holy Trinity, in praise of his father, holy mu Ser-gii wonder-to-creator-tsu ... ". Here, St. An-drey has a pre-better-like (as, somewhat lower, and Da-ni-il), all his icons recognize- Xia especially blah-go-dat-us-mi; indicative of his belonging to the spiritual tradition of saints Ser-gius and Ni-ko-on. The name of St. Andrew (together with Da-ni-i-lom) is also found in ancient me-s-tse-words.

We remember a hundred of them in-gre-be-niya until the end of the 17th century. According to the voice, but more later, it’s not-toch-no-ku, “their saints are in-gre-be-na and in-chi-va-yut in that An-d- ro-ni-e-ve mo-na-sta-re under the old-swarm ko-lo-kol-her, some-paradise in the recent time-me-no ra-zo-re-na, and me - one hundred compared with the earth, as if walking on it to all and unclean people, and thereby pre-yes-de-sya for-bve-nia (pa-meat ) about those of their holy relics.

Old ko-lo-kol-nya on-ho-di-lass, as before-on-la-ga-yut, to se-ve-ro-for-pa-du from west-west hundred-ro -ny of the Spas-so-bo-ra. To clarify-not-niya its place-on-hoj-de-niya is necessary-ho-di-we ar-he-olo-gi-che-sky research.

On the mi-ni-a-tyu-rakh ru-ko-pi-this of the 16th century. St. An-drey is depicted with him-bom (Oster-man-nov-sky le-to-pi-sets; The face of the life of the holy Ser- end of the 16th century From the Bol-sho-go collection of the Tro-i-tse-Ser-gi-e-voi Lav-ra).

At-in-di-mye sources-no-ki udo-ve-rya-yut that in the XV-XVII centuries. no one with-me-val-sya in the holiness of Andrey Rublev-va, as well as in you-so-great-ved-no-sti Da-ni-i-la.

According to the voice-but-tra-di-tion, in Tro-and-tse-Ser-gi-e-vom mo-on-sta-re pa-myat pre-dob-no-go Andrey co-ver -sha-las on July 4, on the day of the pa-my-ty of the saint.

XVIII-XIX centuries would it be time for me to forget many right-of-glorious traditions and, in particular, ka-no-no-thing-ico-no-pi- sa-niya, that’s why this pe-ri-od was not b-go-pri-i-ten for chi-ta-niya pa-my-ti saints iko-no-pis- tsev. The fame of St. Andrey began to return only from the beginning of the 20th century, when he woke up in-te-res to tra-di-qi-yam right-in-glory-no-go iko-no-pi-sa-niya. On the pro-ty-the-same-nii of this centenary, she grew up through-you-tea-but. According to Yav-no-th Pro-mys-lu of God, namely in the 20th century, the "Holy Trinity" of pre-good-but-no-th Andrey, as well as and his other pro-of-ve-de-niya with-about-re-whether the meaning of the evidence of the is-ti-na of the right-of-glory-via before the the father of the whole world.

Pre-extra An-drey ka-no-ni-zi-ro-van on the basis of the sacredness of life, on the basis of its two-way -ga iko-no-pi-sa-niya, in some-rum he, in-dob-but evan-ge-li-stu, s-de-tel-stvo-val and continues now to proclaim to people the true truth about God, in the glorious Trinity, and also on the basis of the stva about his holiness of the pre-good-but-go-Jose-fa Vo-lots-ko-go.

Prayers

Troparion to the Monk Andronicus, Savva, Alexander of Moscow, Daniil Cherny and Andrei Rublev, tone 2

You have brought the fruits of virtues on earth, / reverend fathers, / now you are fragrant in the heavenly devils, like the flowers bloom, / and face to face see the Most Holy Trinity, / / ​​You boldly pray / / save our souls.

Translation: Having brought fruits on earth, reverend fathers, in the heavenly chambers you now smell fragrant like flowers of paradise, and face to face you contemplate the Most Holy Trinity, pray to Her for the salvation of our souls.

Troparion to St. Andrei Rublev, icon painter, tone 3

Covered with rays of divine light, / Reverend Andrew, / Thou knew Christ the Wisdom and Power of God, / and with the icon of the Holy Trinity Thou preached to the whole world / Unity in the Holy Trinity. / pray to enlighten our souls.

Translation: We illuminate the rays of divine light, Andrei, you have known Christ - God's Wisdom and Power and the icon of the Holy Trinity preached to the whole world the One in Three Hypostases of God; we, with surprise and joy, cry out to you: “Having to the Most Holy Trinity, pray for the enlightenment of our souls!”

Kontakion to the Monk Andronicus, Savva, Alexander of Moscow, Daniil Cherny and Andrei Rublev, tone 3

We pray to you, our reverend fathers, / resting in body on earth, / standing in the spirit of God on the Throne: / pray for the city of Moscow / / and for all who honor your honorable memory.

Translation: We pray to you, our reverend fathers, resting in body on earth, but coming in spirit, pray for the city of Moscow and for all those who honor your precious memory.

Kontakion to the Monk Andrei Rublev, icon painter, tone 8

Aspiring from youth to Divine beauty, / you were a wonderful icon painter in the lands of Russia, / and, having become jealous of your God-bearing teacher, / you were adorned with the radiance of virtues, reverend Andrew, / / ​​the same and our praise and joy appear to the Church.

Translation: Aspiring from youth to Divine beauty, you became a wonderful icon painter in the Russian lands and, jealous of your teachers, adorned yourself with radiance, Reverend Andrew, and therefore appeared to our Church with praise and joy.

Magnification of the Monk Andrei Rublev, icon painter

We bless you, our reverend Father Andrew, who bestowed upon us the image of the Most Holy Trinity, and enlightened us all with those rays of the Trinitarian Divinity.

Prayer to the Monk Andrei Rublev, icon painter

Oh, wonderful icon-painter of the reverend Father Andrew! Hear the prayers of us, sinners, with faith, hope and love, crying out to you, and be our intercessor before the Holy Trinity. Thou who works with grace in the temples of God, help us to build temples to the glory of God. Having comprehended the secrets of true beauty, illumine us with the knowledge of the incorruptible beauty of worship. Heal souls by looking at your icons, grant us healing of your relics. Having served the unity of the faithful, proceed with us with one heart and with one voice to praise the one who soothes the strife of this world in the Trinity of the glorious God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer to the Monk Andrei Rublev, icon painter

Oh, holy head, reverend father, blessed Abbot Andrew! Do not forget your wretched ones to the end, but always remember us in holy and auspicious prayers to God: remember your flock, even if you saved yourself, and do not forget to visit your children, pray for us, holy father, for your children, for your children To the Heavenly King: do not be silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise us, who honor you with faith and love: remember us unworthy at the Throne of the Almighty, and do not stop praying for us to Christ God, for grace has been given to you to pray for us. We do not think that thee is a dead being: if thou hast departed from us in body, but even after death thou art still alive; And moreover, and the relics of your cancer before our eyes are always visible, but your holy soul with angelic hosts, with incorporeal faces, with heavenly powers, standing at the throne of the Almighty, worthy of having fun, we pray to you: pray for us to the Almighty God, for the benefit of our souls, and ask us time for repentance, let us go from earth to heaven unhindered, from bitter ordeals, demons of air princes, and from eternal torment let us be delivered, and the Tsar of Heaven with all the righteous, who from time immemorial have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ: all glory, honor and worship is due to Him, with His Father Without Beginning, and with His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Third Prayer to the Monk Andrei Rublev, icon painter

Oh, reverend Father Andrew, greatly blessed with the most luminous gift of seeing the prototypes of Divine beauty! Oh, marvelous fruit of the Russian Church, the good branch of the planted tree by Sergius the Great! In a terrible time, the Lord made you your witness and our land of prayer made you great. Who will confess your countless labors and deeds, who surpass the earthly mind and only those who are only known to the Lord, like the grace of the writing of miraculous icons you have acquired! You have filled the whole world with the fragrance of your holy icons, especially with the image of the Most Holy Trinity, and with the view of nan every sin and hated strife of this world is conquered. Oh, reverend and wonderful father, look from on high, where you abide in the Divine light, and hear the prayers of us sinners, and, as if you have boldness to the Most Holy Trinity, with St. to unite the dispersed and to bring everyone into the understanding of the truth, turn away Your righteous anger from us and fulfill the gifts of the Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, mercy, faith, meekness, temperance, earthly fear , in the future, he will be blessed with you and with all the saints to glorify the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Kondak 1

The acquisition of true theology, Reverend Andrew, knowing the All-Holy Trinity in Unity, you drew images of the saint, glorified by miracles, enlightening the world. Have boldness to the Most Holy Trinity, pray to enlighten our souls, let us call you:

Ikos 1

Thou hast yearned for an angelic life from thy youth, reverend: you have flown to the holy monastery of the great Sergius, and in obedience to the abbot of the Russian land, until the Lord has called you to the heavenly abode, painting holy images, and now grant grace to all who fall to them. At the same time, we gratefully cry out to you:

Rejoice, beloved of angelic purity;

Rejoice, serving in the angelic image;

Rejoice, clothed in the garment of obedience;

Rejoice, namesake of courage, named Andrew in monasticism.

Rejoice, hiding the worldly name for the sake of humility;

Rejoice, revealing images of humility on icons.

Rejoice, chanter of the Beginningless Trinity in Unity;

Rejoice, servant of the Trisvetlago of God.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 2

Seeing the sorrow and ruin of the Russian land from the wicked, glorious Andrey, you left hope for the princes and placing it on the One Lover of Man, teach us to cry out to God with faith: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

The divinely illumined mind, Andrey of all praise, having acquired, in an exhausted invasion of foreign lands, you grieved for the sake of the fatherland, impoverished by faith, and became a servant of the Savior. For this reason, we lovingly exclaim to you:

Rejoice, having folded the sorrows of the Russian land into your heart;

Rejoice, serving as a vessel of God.

Rejoice, thou hast escaped the multitude of foreigners;

Rejoice, thou hast kept the heart from the captivity of passions.

Rejoice, in the monastery of the Holy Trinity you grew in spirit;

Rejoice, thou who sang the Trinity Deity.

Rejoice, now you abide in the love of Christ;

Rejoice, you strengthen us in faith, hope and love.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 3

By the power of the Almighty, grace flowed to the erection of the monastery of the Icon of Spasov Not Made by Hands, by the will of the Lord you, reverend, went to this holy place and sang an angelic song to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having a heart obedient to God and to Abba Sergius, you went to the monastery on the Yauza River to St. Andronicus, Andrew the God-wise, for St. Sergius knew the coming glorification of the name of God in the city of Moscow. But we, marveling at God's providence, sing to you like this:

Rejoice, by the grace of God brought to the city of Moscow;

Rejoice, determined to holy icon painting.

Rejoice, Thou hast found the skillful painter Daniel the Companion;

Rejoice, you raised the gift of imagery.

Rejoice, bringer of the Gospels in colors;

Rejoice, portrayer of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

Rejoice, for your icons have shown evidence of the Orthodox faith;

Rejoice, for through thee the images that appeared to you enlightened the universe.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 4

We are crushed by the storm of the sea of ​​\u200b\u200blife, by the contemplation of the mountain world on your icons, Andrey is wonderful, we find a quiet haven. And we are illumined with wondrous light, we sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing, the creator of marvelous icons, the dedication of the holidays to the One God, these days you did not write images, but you contemplated the holy icons. The same typist is as follows:

Rejoice, in the days of the Lord and the Theotokos by contemplation of icons to the archetypes ascending;

Rejoice, asking the Lord for the feat of icon painting with tearful prayers.

Rejoice, as if you were likened to the First Creator of icons, who created the old Adam;

Rejoice, for you have embodied the Redeemer of Adam's fall in faces.

Rejoice, having opened windows to the Kingdom of God by icon-making;

Rejoice, having turned yourself into an icon of God.

Rejoice, for you raise your mind to an invisible light;

Rejoice, raise us up from the world below to the world above.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 5

Worthy of praise to the Mother of God and Mother of Light, with care you wrote the images of Her, praising the One from the Trinity God of the Word of the Born, and singing: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Seeing the invasion of the formidable enemy, Saint Andrew, prayed with the Church and all the people for the gift of deliverance from the hordes of enemies. The joy of salvation by the Sovereign Helper of the city from the adversary was captured in the icon of the All-Merciful Intercessor. We, seeing your love for the Most Pure, tenderly sing:

Rejoice, having great love for the All-Singing Mother;

Rejoice, in sorrow and sorrow prayerfully stand before Her.

Rejoice, calling for the defense of the Fatherland for the sake of the Most Holy Intercessor;

Rejoice, majestic Ever-Virgin after the expulsion of the comparable bastards.

Rejoice, exalt you who carry the King of Glory into your hand;

Rejoice, for you imprint with your hand the image of the Ever-Reigning One.

Rejoice, meeting with God in your heart;

Rejoice, giving the image of the Mother of God to the Sretensky Monastery.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 6

You were a faithful preacher of the Kingdom of the Promised, and with your good life and the grace of God you found him. Help us, Father, reach heavenly bliss to us who dare to cry out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

The divinely inspired gift shone in the cathedral of the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, when you prophetically created you, Andrey the God-chosen, with Feofan Grechin and Elder Prokhor from Gorodok. Marveling at your vision, we sing:

Rejoice, generous prayer and fasting;

Rejoice, Andrew of light.

Rejoice, like a disciple of Christ's Tabor light sanctified;

Rejoice, faithful servant of the Lord of Heaven.

Rejoice, companion of angels;

Rejoice, preacher of an angelic life.

Rejoice, with Theophan and Prokhor, you grant us a mirror of heavenly bliss;

Rejoice, you show the way to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 7

Although the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Vladimir was to be renovated, the Grand Duke called with his companion Daniel. But you, the blessed pair, raising the mind to the Immaterial and Divine Light, lift up the prayer: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

New and wonderful images were written by Yesta, Daniel and Andrey, to calm the suffering. The Vladimir Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos was decorated with a procession to Paradise of the righteous with the holy apostles Peter and Paul at the head, and the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ inscribed the scene. We, marveling at your proclamation, Father Andrew, say:

Rejoice, renovator of the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos;

Rejoice, O marvelous praiser who does not leave us in His Assumption.

Rejoice, you have inscribed the mournful and bright procession of the righteous to paradise;

Rejoice, thou hast painted the angels that emit fire.

Rejoice, glorifier of the Second Coming of the Lord Most High;

Rejoice, enlightener of spaces and times.

Rejoice, bringing great joy to the city of Vladimir;

Rejoice, stay in Moscow at the end of your labors.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 8

Be a wanderer on the earth, Andre the light-teacher, for the sake of figurative description for the sake of many times we call. But even when walking, you kept your mind and heart in standing before God, constantly singing to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

Having embellished the other, elder Andrey, sent your steps to Zvenigrad, where in the Cathedral of the Assumption, with the blessing of St. For this sake we call:

Rejoice, at the call of God you direct your steps on the path;

Rejoice, forcing the mind and heart to stand before God.

Rejoice, wondrous adornment of the Dormition Cathedral;

Rejoice, perfect beauty in the image of the Savior to the manifestation.

Rejoice, zealous zealot of Holy Scripture;

Rejoice, faithful painter of the Teachings of Christ.

Rejoice, stagnation of Holy Rus';

Rejoice, city of our intercession.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 9

The whole monastery suffered ruin from the wicked prince, but you, holy Andrew, knowing about the anticipation of the brethren of the monastery of the Most Holy Trinity by Abba Sergius in a thin dream, proclaimed: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

Vetii broadcasting how they can tell the sorrow and narrowness of the Russian land from the invasion of the prince of the Tatars, burning and plundering the city. But you, Reverend Andrew, were called to depict images in a stone church in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, which we will erect in place of the burned wooden church. We pray to you: strengthen our hearts with faith, burnt with passions, and imprint in them the image of the Most Holy Trinity. Be merciful to us who sing:

Rejoice, having become a witness of the salvation of the brethren by Abba Sergius;

Rejoice, having painted the icon of the Lord Jesus Christ the Savior.

Rejoice, teach more and do not lose heart after the ruin of the church;

Rejoice, help you build the strongest temple.

Rejoice, you renew the images in the monastery;

Rejoice, thou teachest to raise up the image of God in hearts.

Rejoice, adorner of the temple in the name of the Holy Trinity;

Rejoice, transfigurator of the Trisiyan Deity to your temple.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 10

At least save the Russian land from the strife of this world and remembering the zealots of the Holy and Life-Giving Trinity, our reverend father Sergius, became like Father Andrei Abraham the hospitable, in the form of a trio, a wanderer at the oak of Mamre, perceiving the One Lord, and painted the icon of the Most Holy Trinity, praying unceasingly: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

Be an invincible wall to all Orthodox Christians, Andrey, glorified, boldly praying to the Most Holy Trinity for us, who sing to you:

Rejoice, you were honored to write the appearance of the Trinitarian God at the oak of Mamre;

Rejoice, helping souls to grow into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Rejoice, miraculous fruit of the Russian Church;

Rejoice, icon painter of the mysterious dogma of the Trinity.

Rejoice, diligent novice of St. Nikon;

Rejoice, worthy praise of St. Sergius of Radonezh the miracle worker.

Rejoice, for by you the Unity in the Trinity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is glorified;

Rejoice, by looking at miraculous icons your strife of the world is conquered.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 11

Angelic singing pleasing you, when you returned to Andronikov’s monastery, you prepared to settle in heavenly abodes, crying out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

By a manifestation of light in glory to Daniel the companion, lying on his deathbed, he called you to follow yourself, and met you with love from this world who had departed. For the sake of placing you, reverend Andrew, in the Kingdom of the Most Holy Trinity we sing:

Rejoice, completing earthly wanderings;

Rejoice, beloved friend from the earthly world and in the heavenly world.

Rejoice, witness to the truth of Orthodoxy to the whole world;

Rejoice, and now truly glorify God in the Trinity.

Rejoice, multiplication of the talent of the entrusted;

Rejoice, achievement of the Kingdom of the Holy Trinity.

Rejoice, and after the repose you do not leave us;

Rejoice, you bring joy to Orthodox Christians.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 12

The grace of the temple in your name, icon painter Andrew, pours out around and calls everyone, turning away from the perishable, turn their minds, hearts and deeds to God, glorifying Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing the building of your temple in Ramenki, we bless you, our father Andrey, as a prayerful intercessor for us of the Most Holy Trinity, and proclaim to you like this:

Rejoice, taking us like a lost sheep into a ramen;

Rejoice, having glorified the place of the temple of your Ramenka, you have chosen.

Rejoice, building the community of the faithful of the Most Holy Trinity;

Rejoice, calling with your holy life to holiness.

Rejoice, you teach with boldness to the knowledge of the truth;

Rejoice, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Rejoice, one of the army of Christ;

Rejoice, our good shepherd.

Rejoice, venerable Father Andrew, icon painter.

Kondak 13

O marvelous icon painter, reverend and God-bearing Father Andrew! Accept with love this small praise brought to you and pray to the Most Holy Trinity: may it strengthen the Orthodox faith, may it save us from strife and make it worthy with your chosen ones to sing the glory of God in the Trinity of God: Alleluia.

This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos: the life of the angels: and the 1st kontakion: the acquisition of true theology:

Purity, wisdom and spirituality, incomprehensible for a modern person, shine through in all his few works that have survived to this day. His angels, Jesus, the Mother of God heal our souls, crippled by the diseases of our time, make us forget at least for a moment about the general state duping of mankind, and plunge into the world of eternal peace, goodness and love. In the work of Rublev, the dreams of the Russian people about ideal human beauty were most clearly expressed. The era of Rublev was the era of the revival of faith in man, in his moral strength, in his ability to sacrifice himself in the name of high Christian ideals.

The legendary name of Andrei Rublev, who worked in the 15th century, was preserved in the people's memory, and works of different times were often associated with him when they wanted to emphasize their outstanding historical or artistic significance. Thanks to restorations, the release of monuments from the later layers, it was possible to recognize the true painting of the master. In parallel with the restoration discoveries, information from historical sources was accumulated, which began to be used for systematic searches for the works of Andrei Rublev. Thus, the true discovery of Rublev's painting took place in the twentieth century.

It is not known exactly when Andrei Rublev was born, what class he belonged to, who was his teacher in painting. Most researchers conditionally consider 1360 as the date of birth of the artist. The earliest information about the artist comes from the Moscow Trinity Chronicle. Among the events of 1405, it is reported that “the same spring, more often than not, the stone church signed the holy annunciation to the prince of the great court, and the masters byahu Theophanes the iconic Greek, and Prokhor the old man from Gorodets, and the black Andrei Rublev.” The mention of the name of the master last, according to the then tradition, meant that he was the youngest in the artel. But at the same time, participation in the honorary order to decorate the house church of Vasily Dmitrievich, the eldest son of Dmitry Donskoy, along with Theophan the Greek, then famous in Rus', characterizes Andrei Rublev as already quite a recognized, authoritative master.

The following message of the Trinity Chronicle refers to the year 1408: on May 25, “they began to sign the great stone church of the Holy Mother of God in Vladimir by order of the Great Prince and the masters Danilo the Iconist and Andrei Rublev.” Daniil mentioned here is Andrei's "friend", better known under the name of Daniil Cherny, a comrade in subsequent works. Vladimir Assumption Cathedral, mentioned in the annals, the oldest monument of the pre-Mongolian era, erected in the second half of the 12th century under princes Andrei Bogolyubsky and Vsevolod the Big Nest, was the metropolitan's cathedral. The temple, devastated and scorched by the Horde conquerors, needed to be restored. The Moscow prince Vasily Dmitrievich, a representative of the branch of the Vladimir princes, descendants of the Monomakhs, undertook the renewal of the Assumption Cathedral at the beginning of the 15th century as a kind of natural and necessary act associated with the revival of the spiritual and cultural tradition of Rus' of the era of national independence after the victory on the Kulikovo field.

From the works of Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny in the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, the icons of the iconostasis have survived to this day, forming a single ensemble with frescoes, partially preserved on the walls of the temple.

In 1768-1775, the dilapidated iconostasis of 1408, due to inconsistency with the tastes of the Catherine's era, was taken out of the cathedral and sold to the village of Vasilyevskoye near Shuya (now the Ivanovo region). Information about the later fate of the iconostasis prompted the Central State Restoration Workshops to organize a special expedition, which in 1919-1922 removed the preserved monuments. After restoration, these icons entered the collections of the State Tretyakov Gallery and the State Russian Museum. The iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral included icons of the deesis, festive and prophetic rows. In accordance with the size of the cathedral, its iconostasis is one of the largest that has come down to us. Thus, the Deesis icons (eleven of them in the gallery collection) have a height of 3.14 m. which belonged to Andrey Rublev.

The Vladimir Deesis is a stylistically integral ensemble of a single epic solemn rhythm, perfectly correlated with the scale of the interior and the compositional structure of the fresco images. The coloristic solution of the deesis is harmonically clear. Calm, uncomplicated and pure colors are in perfect agreement with the general sublimely enlightened intonation. The ideological idea of ​​the composition of the deesis (in Greek, “deesis” means “prayer”) is connected with the theme of the Last Judgment and reflects the idea of ​​the intercession and prayer of the saints for the human race before the Savior. The program of the "Last Judgment" in the frescoes of the Assumption Cathedral is solved with special penetration. The vast space of the temple is filled with images of sublime beauty and nobility. In the icon deesis, which correlates with the images of the fresco ensemble, the individual characteristics of the Savior and the saints presented in prayer before him are, as it were, strengthened and sharpened.

The central icon of the deesis "The Savior in Power" depicts Jesus Christ with the revealed text of the Gospel, sitting on a throne. The red rhombus framing Christ, the bluish-green oval and the red quadrangle symbolize his glory and "powers", heavenly (in the oval) and earthly (symbols of the four evangelists at the corners of the rhombus). The icon of the Savior, like most of the icons of the iconostasis, was repeatedly updated, painted and strengthened. The restoration opening of the monument revealed the author's surface with areas of inserts on the new ground and a thorough wear of the original painting with the loss of delicate transparent upper layers (glazes). But thanks to the technological solidity of the monument, the multi-layered painting of the face, beautifully filled with melt, the modern viewer, even in this state of the icon, is able to comprehend the depth and sublime nobility of the image, appreciate the pure, soft-sounding tones of the icon, its solemn, classically clear rhythm. The majesty of the appearance of the Savior, combined with spiritual softness, make it possible to see here the national Russian ideal, fundamentally different from the Greek one, the presence of which is so noticeable in the monuments of the pre-Ruble era. In the expressive face of the Savior, the viewer can easily notice Slavic ethnic features. In his image, people's ideas about justice, trampled in real life, were embodied. The saints praying before the Savior, represented on other icons, are filled with selfless faith in a fair trial. Surprisingly accurate soulful characteristics were found for each character, which at the same time do not violate the intonational unity of the entire ensemble. The ability to unite large multi-figure groups with a single emotional sound is one of the features of Andrey Rublev's compositional gift. In the image of the Mother of God, a capacious, monumental, flowing silhouette is emphasized, broken by an accentuated gesture of outstretched hands in prayer. The whole image is imbued with a meek and sad prayer, intercession "for the human race." In the image of John the Baptist, attention is focused on the theme of majestic sorrow, “spiritual lamentation,” according to an old expression. John calls for repentance, which is stated in a large inscription in a charter on an unfolded scroll in his hand. John the Theologian and Andrew the First-Called, Gregory the Great and John Chrysostom turn to the Savior with epic concentration and trust. In the image of Gregory the Great, wise by the experience of a long life, majesty was combined with meek calmness, thoughtfulness. In several layers, in a warm tone, the face is smoothly written, traversed by the elegant graphics of the upper picture. The scarlet stripes of the lining of the sakkos, the pale green omophorion with the finest tints, the green edge of the Gospel, the lid of which is intricately ornamented, are marked by a special beauty of a pure, exquisitely composed tone.

The true adornment of the coloring of the deesis series are sections of red cinnabar arranged in certain places and with a certain calculation, different in area and configuration. These are the geometric frames of the figure of the Savior on the throne in the center, the wide cloaks of the archangels and narrow expressive inclusions on the icons of Saints Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom.

The presence in the deesis composition among the praying saints of two figures of the archangels, Michael and Gabriel, goes back to a long tradition of depicting “heavenly powers” ​​worshiping him on the sides of the central image of Jesus Christ (the Savior). In the painting of Andrei Rublev, the images of angels are given special importance. In the fresco ensemble of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, numerous faces of angels present an exceptional beauty and variety of a spectacle that draws a person into the world of sublime feelings and moods. The angels on the icons of the deesis organically complement the images of angels trumpeting into heaven and earth, twisting the vault of heaven, standing behind the apostles in the Last Judgment, worshiping the Mother of God, solemnly sitting on the throne.

The festive row located above the deesis, illustrating the gospel events, has not been completely preserved. In total, five icons have come down to us: "Annunciation", "Descent into Hell", "Ascension" (in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery), "Presentation" and "Nativity" (in the collection of the State Russian Museum). Most researchers tend to consider these monuments as the works of the workshop of Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny. Three festive icons from the gallery's collection were made by different masters, but they are united by the unity of scale, compositional-rhythmic and coloristic principles, and the impeccability of the drawing. According to ancient tradition, the leading masters were the authors of a drawing or graphic drawing, they were called bannermen. Probably such denominators of the Vladimir "holidays" were "friends" Andrey Rublev and Daniil Cherny. A lot was laid down in the preliminary drawing, so that the subsequent work with paints, no matter how individual it was, retained the main properties of the image, destined by the leading master. That is why the Vladimir "holidays" do not fall out of a single ensemble of the iconostasis. Perhaps responsible images or details were painted by the main masters. The icon "Ascension" stands out for its most perfect execution, and many researchers attribute it to Andrei Rublev himself. The image of Christ ascending into the heavenly world in the circle of glory, accompanied by gracefully soaring angels, deployed on a relatively small space of the icon surface, captures the greatness of the moment. The figures of two angels standing among the apostles in white robes, as if pierced by light, point with their raised hands to the evidence of the miracle taking place. On the tops of the mountainous landscape, which serves as a backdrop to what is happening, fragments of trees with lush crowns, as if illuminated by a mystical light and shimmering blue-white-red highlights on fruits or flowers, have been preserved. The image of these trees is correlated with the idea of ​​a "life-giving tree", one of the ancient symbols of Christ and the Resurrection. Nature, responding to an event presented as a cosmic event, is depicted by the artist with an understanding of the most ancient symbolic identifications, rooted in deep pre-Christian antiquity.

Against the background of the bright clothes of the angels, the figure of the Mother of God stands out in the center of the group. Hand gestures emphasize her condition: the left hand with an open palm, as it were, comes into contact with the divine energy that fills the space, the right hand in the gesture of conversation is turned towards the Apostle Peter, who sedately extended his hand in a similar position. On either side of the Mother of God, the apostles, filled with sublime joy, contemplate the miracle of the Ascension. It should be noted the typological similarity of the faces of the icon with similar images in frescoes and deesis. In the ensemble of 1408, most of the characters acquired those characteristic features, according to which, in the future, they will determine the Rublev type.

The icon "Ascension", like no other of the multi-figure holiday icons, has a special rhythmic organization of the composition. Here, Andrei Rublev's characteristic sense of harmony, plastic balance manifested itself. The color of the icon is diverse due to the nuance of each tone. The picturesque planes of the main tones are enlivened by the richness of the upper modeling pattern and glazes.

The next work by Andrey Rublev is the so-called "Zvenigorod rank", one of the most beautiful icon ensembles of Rublev's painting. The rank consists of three belt icons: the Savior, the Archangel Michael and the Apostle Paul. They come from Zvenigorod near Moscow, in the past the center of a specific principality. Three large-sized icons were probably once part of a seven-figure deesis. In accordance with the established tradition, the Mother of God and John the Baptist were located on the sides of the Savior, on the right the icon of the Archangel Michael corresponded to the icon of the Archangel Gabriel, and paired with the icon of the Apostle Paul, the icon of the Apostle Peter should have been on the left. The surviving icons were discovered by the restorer G.O. Chirikov in 1918 in a woodshed near the Assumption Cathedral on Gorodok during an examination by the expedition of the Central State Restoration Workshops of this ancient princely temple of Yuri Zvenigorodsky, the second son of Dmitry Donskoy. Since the nature of the location of the icons on the altar barrier is not entirely clear, the rank could be included in the iconostasis of both the princely Assumption Cathedral and the neighboring Nativity Cathedral of the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, whose patron was the Zvenigorod prince.

With regard to this group of monuments, the authorship of Andrei Rublev, unfortunately, is not verified by any of the written sources that have come down to us, contemporary painting. After the restoration of the tier, I.E. Grabar, who first published it, based on the data of stylistic analysis, attributed the icons as works by Andrei Rublev. This attribution, not disputed by any of the researchers of the artist's work, is confirmed at the same time by historical facts. The alleged customer of the rank, Yuri Zvenigorodsky, is known for his connections with the Trinity-Sergius Monastery; he was the godson of St. Sergius of Radonezh and erected a stone Trinity Cathedral over his coffin (1422). It is natural to assume that Andrei Rublev, who worked in the Trinity Monastery, could fulfill the order of a major investor, who was also the godson of the founder of the monastery.

Later information has been preserved that is associated with the Zvenigorod rank. According to the inventory of 1697-1698, seven icons of the deesis were hung on the walls of the Assumption Cathedral in Gorodok. It is difficult to say why the deesis at that time was located not on the altar barrier. Maybe the icons were transferred from the Savvino-Storozhevsky monastery, maybe they were transferred from the altar barrier of the Assumption Cathedral.

The "Zvenigorod" rank combined high pictorial merits with a depth of figurative content. The soft soulful intonations, the “quiet” light of its coloring surprisingly echo the poetic mood of the landscape of the Zvenigorod environs, the most beautiful places near Moscow, personifying the image of the Motherland for us. In the Zvenigorod rank, Andrei Rublev appears as an established master who reached the heights on the path, an important stage of which was painting in 1408 in the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. Using the possibilities of a half-length image, as if bringing enlarged faces closer to the viewer, the artist counts on long-term contemplation, attentive peering, and interview.

The central icon of the deesis "Savior" is marked by special significance, infinite, inexhaustible depth of its content. With this mature work, Rublev affirms the iconographic type of Christ, which is fundamentally different from the Byzantine one, the previous version of which was similar images in the ensemble of 1408 (the fresco of the Savior the Judge from the Last Judgment and the iconic Savior in the Powers discussed above). The Zvenigorod "Spas" seems to lose a certain abstraction of the images of the deity and appears humanized, inspiring confidence and hope, bearing a good beginning. The master endows Christ with Russian traits and outwardly, and makes them feel in the inner warehouse, in a special tonality of the state: clarity, benevolence, active participation. Despite the fragmentarily preserved face and half of the figure, the impression of the image is so complete and complete that it suggests the fundamental, increased importance in the art of Andrei Rublev of the expressiveness of the face and eyes. In this, the master follows the precepts of pre-Mongolian art, which left excellent examples of the psychological expressiveness of faces: “Our Lady of Vladimir”, “Ustyug Annunciation”, Novgorod “Savior Not Made by Hands”, “Angel with Golden Hair”, “Savior with Golden Hair”. Endowing the Savior with a Slavic appearance, the master paints the face in exceptionally soft light tones.

The expressiveness of the Byzantine faces of that time was achieved by contrasting the brown-green lining tone (in Greek "sankir") with a light, strongly whitened layer of subsequent modeling (ochre). In Byzantine faces, the whitening strokes - “engines” laid on top of the modeling layers, were sharply distinguished, which were sometimes fan-shaped, sometimes in pairs or combined into groups. Cinnabar stains also sound contrastingly and artistically catchy in Greek faces: on the lips, as a “blush”, along the shape of the nose, along the contour of the eye sockets and in the inner corner of the eyes (teardrop). This is how the faces of Feofanovsky's deesis from the Annunciation Cathedral in the Kremlin, including the face of the icon of the Savior, are written.

Rublyovskaya face painting is different. The Russian icon painter prefers a soft chiaroscuro style, the so-called melt, that is, smoothly, “fluidly,” as the icon painters said, and the tones laid in several layers, taking into account the translucence of the brighter lining through the transparent and light upper ones. The most protruding places were covered with light modeling ocher several times, so that these areas of multi-layer writing give the impression of radiating light, luminiferous. To enliven the painting of the face, a thin layer of cinnabar was laid in certain places between the final layers of ocher (called by icon painters “in a rouge”). The features of the face were outlined in a confident, calligraphically clear upper brown pattern. Modeling of the form was completed with very delicately placed whitening “engines”. They were not painted as actively in the faces of the Rublev circle and were not as numerous as those of Theophan and the Greek masters. Thin, graceful, slightly curved, they were not opposed to the tone on top of which they were laid, but served as an organic completion of the light molding of the form, becoming part of this smooth highlighting, as if its culmination.

Turning to the image of the Archangel Michael, it should be noted his proximity to the circle of angelic images in the wall painting of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. The elegance and flexibility of the contour, the proportionality of movement and rest, the subtly conveyed pensive, contemplative state - all this makes the image especially related to the angels on the slopes of the large vault of the cathedral. Among the frescoes there is an angel, which can be considered as preceding the Zvenigorod one. It is located on the southern slope of the large vault, in the second row, where it rises above the seated Apostle Simon. But the fresco angel is perceived in the circle of his numerous brothers, the entire fresco angelic host or cathedral. His figurative characteristics are, as it were, dissolved in the environment of those like him. Archangel Michael of Zvenigorod is an icon from the deesis. Like, probably, the now-lost icon of the Archangel Gabriel, which is paired with it, it embodied the quintessence of the “angelic theme”, since through these two images in the deesis the “heavenly powers” ​​coming to Christ are perceived, praying for the human race.

The Zvenigorod archangel was born in the imagination of the artist of the highest thoughts and embodied the dream of harmony and perfection that lives in his soul in spite of all the hardships and tragic circumstances of that life. In the image of the archangel, distant echoes of Hellenic images and ideas about the sublime beauty of the heavenly inhabitants, correlated with a purely Russian ideal, marked by sincerity, thoughtfulness, and contemplation, seem to have merged.

The picturesque solution of the icon is distinguished by its exceptional beauty. The pinkish tones prevailing in the personal melt are slightly enhanced by a pink splash along the nose line. Delicate, slightly plump lips, written in more intense pink, seem to concentrate this leading tone. Golden blond hair in soft curls framing the face gives the range a warmer tone, which is consistent with the golden assist of the angel wings, written in bright ocher, and with the gold of the background. The turquoise-blue bandage in the hair, as if penetrated by light, is woven into this golden scale like a blotch of noble enamel. It has a tonally echo of blue, a more muted shade in paportkas (wings) and in small sections of a tunic with a gold patterned mantle. But the prevailing in the dolichny (a term in iconography, meaning all painting, except for the face, that is, painted before the face) is again pink. This is the tone of an angelic himation draped over the shoulders and draped in exquisite folds. Filling most of the painterly surface, the pink tone is expertly modeled with whitened creases accentuated by an overhead pattern of thickened coral pink tone. The coloristic solution of this icon, which combines golden yellow, pink and blue tones, ennobled with gold of the background, ornament and assisted shading of angel wings, as if ideally corresponds to the image of the archangel, the heavenly celestial.

The third character of the rank, the Apostle Paul, appears in the master's interpretation as completely different from what he was usually depicted in the circle of Byzantine art of that time. Instead of the energy and decisiveness of the Byzantine image, the master revealed the features of philosophical depth, epic contemplation. The clothes of the apostle, with their color, the rhythm of folds, the subtlety of tonal transitions, enhance the impression of sublime beauty, peace, enlightened harmony and clarity.

The Tretyakov Gallery also holds Andrei Rublev's most famous work, the famous Trinity. Created in the prime of his creative powers, the icon is the pinnacle of the artist's art. At the time of Andrei Rublev, the theme of the Trinity, embodying the idea of ​​a triune deity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), was perceived as a symbol of the reflection of universal existence, the highest truth, a symbol of spiritual unity, peace, harmony, mutual love and humility, readiness to sacrifice oneself for the common good. Sergius of Radonezh founded a monastery near Moscow with the main temple in the name of the Trinity, firmly believing that "looking at the Holy Trinity conquered the fear of the hated strife of this world."

The Monk Sergius of Radonezh, under the influence of whose ideas the worldview of Andrei Rublev was formed, was a holy ascetic and an outstanding personality in the history of mankind. He stood up for overcoming civil strife, actively participated in political life Moscow, contributed to its rise, reconciled the warring princes, contributed to the unification of Russian lands around Moscow. A special merit of Sergius of Radonezh was his participation in the preparation of the Battle of Kulikovo, when he helped Dmitry Donskoy with his advice and spiritual experience, strengthened his confidence in the correctness of the chosen path and, finally, blessed the Russian army before the Battle of Kulikovo. The personality of Sergius of Radonezh had special authority for his contemporaries, a generation of people from the era of the Battle of Kulikovo was brought up on his ideas, and Andrei Rublev, as the spiritual heir to these ideas, embodied them in his work.

In the twenties of the 15th century, an artel of craftsmen, headed by Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny, decorated the Trinity Cathedral in the monastery of St. Sergius, erected over his coffin, with icons and frescoes. The iconostasis included, as a highly venerated temple image, the icon of the Trinity, traditionally placed in the lower (local) row on the right side of the Royal Doors. There is evidence from one of the sources of the 17th century that the abbot of the monastery Nikon instructed Andrei Rublev "to write the image of the Holy Trinity in praise of his father, St. Sergius."

The plot of the "Trinity" is based on the biblical story about the appearance of a deity to the righteous Abraham in the form of three beautiful young angels. Abraham and his wife Sarah treated the strangers under the shade of the oak of Mamre, and Abraham was given to understand that the deity in three persons was embodied in the angels. Since ancient times, there have been several versions of the image of the Trinity, sometimes with details of the feast and episodes of the slaughter of the calf and the baking of bread (in the gallery's collection, these are icons of the Trinity of the XIV century from Rostov Veliky and the XV century from Pskov).

In the Rublev icon, attention is focused on three angels and their condition. They are depicted seated around the throne, in the center of which is placed the Eucharistic chalice with the head of a sacrificial calf, symbolizing the New Testament lamb, that is, Christ. The meaning of this image is sacrificial love. The left angel, meaning God the Father, blesses the cup with his right hand. The middle angel (Son), depicted in the gospel robes of Jesus Christ, lowered to the throne with his right hand with a symbolic signet, expresses obedience to the will of God the Father and readiness to sacrifice himself in the name of love for people. The gesture of the right angel (Holy Spirit) completes the symbolic conversation between the Father and the Son, affirming the lofty meaning of sacrificial love, and consoles the doomed to sacrifice. Thus, the image of the Old Testament Trinity (that is, with details of the plot from the Old Testament) turns into an image of the Eucharist (Good Sacrifice), symbolically reproducing the meaning of the Gospel Last Supper and the sacrament established on it (communion with bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ). The researchers emphasize the symbolic cosmological significance of the compositional circle, in which the image fits succinctly and naturally. In the circle they see a reflection of the idea of ​​the Universe, the world, unity, embracing the multiplicity, the cosmos. When comprehending the content of the Trinity, it is important to understand its versatility. The symbolism and ambiguity of the images of the "Trinity" date back to ancient times. For most peoples, such concepts (and images) as a tree, a bowl, a meal, a house (temple), a mountain, a circle, had a symbolic meaning. The depth of Andrey Rublev's awareness of ancient symbolic images and their interpretations, the ability to combine their meaning with the content of Christian dogma suggest a high level of education, characteristic of the then enlightened society and, in particular, of the artist's likely environment.

The symbolism of the "Trinity" is correlated with its pictorial and stylistic properties. Among them, color is the most important. Since the contemplated deity was a picture of the heavenly mountain world, the artist, with the help of paints, sought to convey the sublime "heavenly" beauty that was revealed to the earthly gaze. The painting of Andrei Rublev, especially of the Zvenigorod rank, is distinguished by a special purity of color, the nobility of tonal transitions, the ability to give color a luminosity of radiance. Light is emitted not only by golden backgrounds, ornamental cuts and assists, but also by the gentle melting of bright faces, pure shades of ocher, peacefully clear blue, pink and green tones of angels' clothes. The symbolism of the color in the icon is especially noticeable in the leading sound of the blue-blue, called Rublev's cabbage rolls. Comprehending the beauty and depth of content, correlating the meaning of the "Trinity" with the ideas of Sergius of Radonezh about contemplation, moral improvement, peace, harmony, we seem to come into contact with the inner world of Andrei Rublev, his thoughts, embodied in this work.

The icon was in the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity Monastery, which later became a Lavra, until the twenties of our century. During this time, the icon has undergone a number of renovations and copybooks. In 1904-1905, on the initiative of I.S. Ostroukhov, a member of the Moscow Archaeological Society, a well-known artist, icon collector and trustee of the Tretyakov Gallery, the first thorough clearing of the Trinity from later records was undertaken. The work was supervised by the famous icon painter and restorer V.P. Guryanov. The main notes were removed, but the inscriptions were left on the inserts of the new gesso, and in accordance with the methods of the restoration of that time, additions were made in the places of loss that did not distort the author's painting.

In 1918-1919 and in 1926 the best masters of the Central State Restoration Workshops carried out the final cleaning of the monument. In 1929, the Trinity, as a priceless masterpiece of ancient Russian painting, was transferred to the Tretyakov Gallery. There is still, as it were, a second circle of monuments created in the traditions of Andrei Rublev's painting, probably by his students and followers.

To the Trinity iconostasis, for which Andrey Rublev wrote the "Trinity", rises over the gate canopy with the image of the Eucharist. The compositional and iconographic scheme of the vestibule closely repeats the solution of the two icons of the Trinity iconostasis (“Communion with bread” and “Communion with wine”), and it is possible that it was written specifically for the Royal Doors of the Trinity Cathedral. The monument originates from the Annunciation Church located near the Trinity Monastery (Lavra) in the village of Annunciation, or Knyazhy, an ancient patrimony of the extinct family of the Radonezh princes. The village was donated as a contribution to the monastery by Prince Andrei Vladimirovich of Radonezh. The subtly conveyed thoughtful and contemplative state of the characters in the Eucharist is close to the character and spirit of Rublev's works.

The Rublyov monuments kept in the Tretyakov Gallery were created at the time of the highest flowering of Moscow art in the 15th century. Having joined in the XIV century due to historical conditions to the Byzantine (Constantinople) art of the so-called Paleolog style (that is, the period of the reign of the Palaiologos dynasty in Byzantium), a style that had an impact on the culture of most countries of the Eastern Christian world, Moscow masters, having mastered its individual elements and techniques, managed to overcome the Byzantine heritage. Rejecting the asceticism and severity of Byzantine images, their abstractness, Andrei Rublev, however, sensed their ancient, Hellenic basis and translated it into his art. Andrei Rublev managed to fill traditional images with new content, correlating it with the main ideas of the time: the unification of Russian lands into a single state and universal peace and harmony.

Academician D.S. Likhachev noted that “the national ideals of the Russian people are most fully expressed in the works of their two geniuses - Andrei Rublev and Alexander Pushkin. It was in their work that the dreams of the Russian people about the best person, about ideal human beauty, most clearly affected. The era of Rublev was the era of the revival of faith in man, in his moral strength, in his ability to sacrifice himself in the name of lofty ideals.

Chronology of the life and work of Andrei Rublev

Around 1360 - Andrei Rublev was born, probably in central Russia. According to other sources, he was born in 1365.

Late 1390s - Creation of miniatures for the book "The Gospel of Khitrovo".

Until 1405 - He took monasticism with the name Andrei in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. According to other sources - in the Andronikov Monastery.

1405 - Worked together with Theophan the Greek and Prokhor, "the elder from Gorodets", on the decoration with icons and frescoes of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the home church of the Moscow princes. "Transformation".

1408 - Together with Daniil Cherny, he worked on the painting and iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. "The Mother of God", "John the Theologian", "The Apostle Andrew", "The Savior is in strength".

Between 1408-1422 - Creation of the Belt Zvenigorod rank. "Savior", "Archangel Michael", "Apostle Paul".

Around 1411 (according to other sources 1427) - Icon "Trinity".

Between 1422-1427 - Together with Daniil Cherny, he supervised the painting and creation of the iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. The temple image of the Trinity is written.

All subsequent ancient Russian painting has experienced and continues to experience the enormous impact of Rublev's work. In 1551, at the Stoglavy Cathedral, Rublev's iconography was proclaimed the perfect role model.

The second birth of Rublev took place already in the 20th century, when numerous restorations of his works were carried out, studies of the master's life and clarification of his biography. Gradually, the name of Rublev becomes a legend, a kind of symbol of the lost Holy Rus' and all ancient Russian art. The brightest expression of this legend was Andrei Tarkovsky's film "Andrei Rublev", filmed in 1971, which expressively emphasized the amazing contrast of an extremely cruel historical era and the peacefully harmonious images of the reverend painter.

Andrei Rublev is revered as one of the great Russian saints.

Andrey Rublev is the first Russian artist who was canonized as an Orthodox saint. He created his own icon-painting school and departed from the Byzantine artistic canons. In addition to icons, Rublev created wall paintings in churches and was engaged in book illustration: his miniatures adorn the ancient Gospel of Khitrovo. However, the most famous work of Rublev was the icon "Trinity", which is now recognized as a masterpiece all over the world.

Ilya Glazunov. The youth of Andrei Rublev (detail). 1985. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Ilya Glazunov. Sergius of Radonezh and Andrei Rublev (detail). From the series "Kulikovo Field". 1992. Ilya Glazunov Gallery, Moscow

Ilya Glazunov. Portrait of Andrei Rublev (detail). 2007. Ilya Glazunov Gallery, Moscow

Historians suggest that Andrei Rublev was born around 1360 in central Russia - perhaps in Veliky Novgorod or in the lands of the Moscow principality. At baptism, he was given a different name - Andrei was named later, during monastic tonsure. The opinions of historians about the origin of the icon painter are contradictory. On the one hand, "reklo" - a nickname, a prototype of a modern surname - was worn at that time only by noble and educated people. On the other hand, the nickname Rublev comes from the word "rubel" - this is how the device for leather dressing was called in the old days. Only a person from a family of artisans could get "reklo" from the name of the instrument.

There is also no reliable information about the childhood and youth of Andrei Rublev. He probably began to study painting while still a boy: at that time, they tried to send children to study as early as possible. Around 1405, the icon painter took the veil as a monk. This happened in Moscow, in the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery, the abbot of which was then abbot Andronik.

The first mention of Andrei Rublev in historical documents dates back to 1405. In the "Trinity Chronicle" among the events of this year there is information about the painting of the house church of Moscow Prince Vasily I, the eldest son of Dmitry Donskoy. “And the masters byakhu Feofan the iconic Greek, and Prokhor the elder from Gorodets, and the monk Andrey Rublev”, - the chronicler reported. According to the traditions of that time, the youngest of the artel was mentioned last in the list of masters. However, the very fact that Rublev was entrusted with such an honorable order and his name was given in the annals suggests that by this time he was already considered an experienced master. Otherwise, his works would have remained anonymous, as happened with the works of most ancient Russian artists.

Rublev belongs to those happy chosen ones, so rare in the era of the Middle Ages, especially the Russian Middle Ages, whose name was already pronounced with reverence by contemporaries, and the nearest descendants surrounded by a legend ...

Mikhail Alpatov, art critic

Art critic Boris Dudochkin, based on the text of the chronicle, suggested that Rublev worked in Moscow or its environs for quite a long time, even before he took the tonsure.

In May 1408, according to the same "Trinity Chronicle", Andrey Rublev and Daniil Cherny started painting the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral, built in the 12th century under the princes Andrei Bogolyubsky and Vsevolod the Big Nest. By the beginning of the 15th century, the temple was badly damaged by the Horde invasion, and by decree of the Moscow prince Vasily I, its restoration began.

From the works of Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny in the Assumption Cathedral, fragments of wall frescoes and part of the iconostasis, one of the largest in Russia, have been preserved. The painting of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir is the only surviving work by Andrei Rublev, the year of creation of which is precisely known.

The icons of the Deesis series, which depict Christ, reach a height of 3.4 meters. Rublev relied on Byzantine artistic traditions and the Moscow icon-painting school of Theophan the Greek, however, he deviated from them in many respects and interpreted the images of Christ, the Mother of God and the saints in his own way. Of the frescoes, a fragment depicting the Last Judgment is especially interesting: Rublev did not paint a gloomy scene of the punishment of sinners, but a celebration of justice and eternal life, which, according to Christian ideas, awaits the righteous.

Now preserved icons and fragments of frescoes are stored in the restored Assumption Cathedral, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Saved. Icon from the Zvenigorod Deesis Tier (fragment), previously attributed to Andrei Rublev. 1410s. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Andrei Rublev. The Last Judgment: The Procession of the Righteous to Paradise (detail). 1408. Assumption Cathedral, Vladimir

Apostle Paul. Icon from the Zvenigorod Deesis Tier (fragment), previously attributed to Andrei Rublev. XV century. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

From the beginning of the 20th century, Andrei Rublev was credited with the Zvenigorod rank - a collection of icons created by order of the Zvenigorod prince Yuri. Historians suggest that initially there were seven of them, and they were intended for the princely Assumption Cathedral or the Nativity Church of the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery. Only three large icons have survived - half-length images of the Savior, the Apostle Paul and the Archangel Michael. There is no historical evidence confirming the authorship of Rublev or establishing the date of creation of the images. In 1926, art critic Igor Grabar conducted a stylistic analysis of the icons of the Zvenigorod rank and attributed them as the work of Andrei Rublev. Many art historians of that time supported him. But in 2017, employees of the Tretyakov Gallery and the State Research Institute of Restoration conducted another study and found that these icons were painted by another master.

In addition to creating frescoes and icons, Andrei Rublev was also engaged in illustrating church books. He created several drawings for the Gospel of Khitrovo: he was named after the owner, the boyar Bogdan Khitrovo. The manuscript of the end of the XIV century was decorated with images of Christ, the Virgin Mary and the apostles, but also with painted headpieces, initials in the form of animals. Rublev painted for her miniatures of the apostles-evangelists - Luke, Mark, John and Matthew. On separate sheets, he also depicted the symbols of the evangelists: a bull, a lion, an eagle and an angel. Prior to that, in the Russian Gospels, these symbols were not placed on separate pages: they were woven into the ornament surrounding the text, or made part of other illustrations. Until the beginning of the twentieth century, the Gospel of Khitrovo, placed in a rich salary, was kept in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, then it was transferred to the Russian State Library.

Andrei Rublev. Ascension of Christ (detail). 1408. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Andrei Rublev. Last Judgment: Throne prepared. The Mother of God, John the Baptist, Adam, Eve, angels, the apostles Peter and Paul (detail). 1408. Assumption Cathedral, Vladimir

Andrei Rublev. Prophet Zephaniah (fragment). 1408. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

Early examples of Rublyovskaya icon painting correspond to the general rules that the masters of that time adhered to. On the Orthodox images of the XIV-XV centuries, it was customary to depict stern and ascetic faces with characteristic Byzantine features: large eyes, high forehead, straight nose and thin lips. Masters used mainly reserved, dark colors: dark red, brown, ocher yellow.

The icon painter and restorer of the early twentieth century Vasily Guryanov described Rublev's early works as follows: “... the faces are written in thin layers, following an extreme sequence in the transition from illuminated to unlit places, they look definitely greenish in the shadows and are modeled with brown (“dark”) ocher without marks, i.e. without blows on the brightest places to indicate glare with white paint; in accordance with the faces, the figures are also poorly modeled, and the contour is indicated only by a thin inventory.

In later works, Andrei Rublev departed from the canons of icon painting. He often used light, light colors - golden yellow, light blue, pink. The faces on his icons acquired Slavic features - a soft rounded oval face, blond hair and eyes, a wide forehead. The facial expressions have also changed: Rublyov's angels and saints have become joyful, inspired, some faces have barely noticeable smiles. "Andrey Rublev revived the ancient principles of composition, rhythm, proportions, harmony, relying mainly on his artistic intuition",- wrote art historian Mikhail Alpatov.

The icon painter often used the technique of glazing - on top of the main layer of paint he applied another, translucent one, on which he painted fine details. This technique made it possible to create smooth lines and smooth color transitions.

Icon "Trinity"

Andrei Rublev. Trinity (detail). 1420s. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Andrey Rublev set about creating his most famous work, the Trinity icon, in 1411 or 1425–1427. Such a vague dating is due to the fact that it is not known for which particular temple the image was intended: the early wooden cathedral of the Trinity Monastery or the stone one built in its place. In the first case, the icon could simply be transferred to a new temple, in the second, the icon painter worked on it simultaneously with all the other images of the iconostasis.

As the basis of the "Trinity" (the second name of the image is "Hospitality of Abraham"), Rublev took the Old Testament story about the forefather Abraham, to whom three angels appeared under the guise of wanderers. Abraham and his wife Sarah greeted them with reverence, washed their feet according to the ancient custom, slaughtered the calf for them and invited them to the table. The angels predicted to elderly childless spouses that they would have a son, and Abraham himself would become the ancestor of a whole nation.

Andrei Rublev abandoned many of the details that were customary to depict according to the canon: Sarah is absent from the icon, there are no scenes of washing the guests' feet and slaughtering a calf, and the angels do not have a meal, but talk. The figures of angels form a semblance of a circle, the gaze does not stop at one of them, perceives all three as a whole: this is how the icon painter embodied the Christian idea of ​​the trinity of God.

For "Trinity" the author chose bright, pure colors - more saturated than in earlier works. He painted the background in golden yellow, the clothes of the angels in pink, green and bright blue. Blue paint - lapis lazuli - was rare and expensive at that time. The shade used by the icon painter was later called "Rublev's cabbage roll".

Before the revolution of 1917, the Trinity icon was kept in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. From the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 20th century, it was placed in a golden frame, from under which only the faces and hands of angels were visible. In 1904, the icon painter Vasily Guryanov took up its restoration: he removed the darkened drying oil and late layers of paint, which were used to renew the original image, and then wrote it down again. Subsequently, the Gurianov layer was also removed, leaving only the work of Andrei Rublev himself. Now "Trinity" is stored in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Between 1422 and 1427, Andrei Rublev, together with Daniil Cherny, led an artel of icon painters who painted the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Then Rublev settled in the Moscow Spaso-Andronikov Monastery and took up painting the Spassky Cathedral. In January 1430, the icon painter died. He was buried on the territory of the monastery.

In 1947, scientists Igor Grabar, Pyotr Baranovsky, Pavel Maksimov and Nikolai Voronin founded the Andrei Rublev Museum in the Andronikov Monastery. In 1985, it was renamed the Andrey Rublev Central Museum of Old Russian Culture and Art. At the entrance there is a monument to the icon painter by sculptor Oleg Komov. In 1988, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized Rublev as a saint.