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St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions

KIROVSKYBRANCH

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Bydisciplinestoryarts

TOPIC: The work of Theophanes the Greek

Introduction

1. Biography of the creator

2. The work of Theophanes the Greek

2.1 Iconography

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

Theophanes the Greek is one of the few Byzantine icon painters whose name remains in history, perhaps due to the fact that, being in the prime of his creative powers, he left his homeland and worked in Rus' until his death, where they knew how to appreciate the individuality of the painter. This brilliant “Byzantine” or “Grechin” was destined to play a decisive role in the awakening of the Russian artistic genius.

Brought up on strict canons, he already in his youth surpassed them in many ways. His art turned out to be the last flower on the dry soil of Byzantine culture. If he had remained to work in Constantinople, he would have turned into one of the faceless Byzantine icon painters, whose work emanates coldness and boredom. But he didn't stay. The further he moved from the capital, the wider his horizons became, the more independent his convictions.

In Galata (a Genoese colony) he came into contact with Western culture. He saw her palazzo and churches, observed free Western morals, unusual for a Byzantine. The businesslike nature of the inhabitants of Galata was sharply different from the way of Byzantine society, which was in no hurry, lived in the old fashioned way, and was mired in theological disputes. He could have emigrated to Italy, as many of his talented fellow tribesmen did. But, apparently, it was not possible to part with the Orthodox faith. He directed his feet not to the west, but to the east.

Feofan the Greek came to Rus' as a mature, established master. Thanks to him, Russian painters had the opportunity to get acquainted with Byzantine art performed not by an ordinary master craftsman, but by a genius.

His creative mission began in the 1370s in Novgorod, where he painted the Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin Street (1378). Prince Dmitry Donskoy lured him to Moscow. Here Theophanes supervised the paintings of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Kremlin (1405). He painted a number of remarkable icons, among which (presumably) the famous Our Lady of the Don, which became the national shrine of Russia (Initially, the “Our Lady of the Don” was located in the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Kolomna, erected in memory of the victory of the Russian army on the Kulikovo Field. Ivan the Terrible prayed before her as he departed on a trip to Kazan).

The Russians were amazed by his deep intelligence and education, which earned him fame as a sage and philosopher. “A glorious sage, a very cunning philosopher... and among painters - the first painter,” Epiphanius wrote about him. It was also striking that while working, he never consulted the samples (“copybooks”). Feofan gave the Russians an example of extraordinary creative daring. He created at ease, freely, without looking at the originals. He wrote not in monastic solitude, but in public, as a brilliant improvisational artist. He gathered crowds of admirers around him, who looked with admiration at his cursive writing. At the same time, he entertained the audience with intricate stories about the wonders of Constantinople. This is how the new ideal of the artist was defined in the minds of the Russians - the isographer, the creator of new canons.

The purpose of the test is to examine the work of Theophanes the Greek

Tasks:

· Find out the biography of Theophanes the Greek

· Consider the work of Theophan the Greek

· Consider the iconography of Theophanes the Greek

1. Biography of Theophanes the Greek

Theophamnes the Greek (about 1340 - about 1410) was a great Russian and Byzantine icon painter, miniaturist and master of monumental fresco paintings.

Theophanes was born in Byzantium (hence the nickname Greek), before coming to Rus' he worked in Constantinople, Chalcedon (a suburb of Constantinople), Genoese Galata and Cafe (now Feodosia in Crimea) (the paintings have not survived). He probably arrived in Rus' together with Metropolitan Cyprian.

Theophanes the Greek settled in Novgorod in 1370. In 1378, he began work on the painting of the Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin Street. The most grandiose image in the temple is the chest-to-chest image of the Savior Almighty in the dome. In addition to the dome, Theophan painted the drum with the figures of the forefathers and prophets Elijah and John the Baptist. The paintings of the apse have also reached us - fragments of the order of the saints and the “Eucharist”, part of the figure of the Virgin Mary on the southern altar column, and “Baptism”, “Nativity of Christ”, “Candlemas”, “Christ’s Sermon to the Apostles” and “Descent into Hell” on the vaults and adjacent walls. The frescoes of the Trinity chapel are best preserved. This is an ornament, frontal figures of saints, a half-figure of the “Sign” with forthcoming angels, a throne with four saints approaching it and, in the upper part of the wall - Stylites, the Old Testament “Trinity”, medallions with John Climacus, Agathon, Acacius and the figure of Macarius of Egypt.

Theophanes the Greek left a significant contribution to Novgorod art, in particular, the masters who professed a similar worldview and partly adopted the master’s style were the masters who painted the churches of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on Volotovo Field and Theodore Stratilates on the Stream. The painting in these churches is reminiscent of the frescoes of the Church of the Savior on Ilyin in its free manner, the principle of constructing compositions and the choice of colors for painting. The memory of Theophanes the Greek remained in Novgorod icons - in the icon “Fatherland” (14th century) there are seraphim copied from the frescoes of the Church of the Savior on Ilyin, in the stamp “Trinity” from a four-part icon of the 15th century there are parallels with Theophanes’ “Trinity”, and also in several other works. Theophan’s influence is also visible in Novgorod book graphics, in the design of such manuscripts as “The Psalter of Ivan the Terrible” (last decade of the 14th century) and “Pogodinsky Prologue” (second half of the 14th century).

2. The work of Theophanes the Greek

Theophanes the Greek was one of the Byzantine masters. Before arriving in Novgorod, the artist painted over 40 stone churches. He worked in Constantinople, Chalcedon, Galata, Caffa. Possessing enormous artistic talent, Feofan painted figures with broad strokes. He applied rich white, bluish-gray and red highlights on top of the initial padding. Leakey painted over a dark brown pad, highlighting the shadow parts and darkening the illuminated parts. Modeling faces, Feofan finishes the letter by applying white highlights, sometimes in the shadowed parts of the face. Many researchers believe that Theophanes’s work is associated with the Palaiologan Renaissance, including the doctrine of hesychia.

Theophan the Greek's first works in Rus' were completed in Novgorod. These are frescoes of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration on Ilinaya Street, including a chest-to-chest image of the Savior Pantocrator in the central dome. The frescoes of the northwestern part of the temple are best preserved. The main thing in painting is the exaltation of ascetic feat, the expectation of the apocalypse. In Feofan’s coloring, dark tones acquired a special sonority; the artist modeled the form with bright strokes of whitening tones - spaces. The Greek later worked in Nizhny Novgorod, participating in the creation of iconostasis and frescoes in the Spassky Cathedral, which have not survived to this day. Theophanes the Greek was first mentioned in Moscow in 1395. The production of the double-sided icon “Our Lady of the Don” is associated with Theophan’s workshop, on the reverse side of which the “Assumption of the Virgin Mary” is depicted. The image of Mary is given in dark warm colors, the forms are carefully worked out. In the fresco “The Dormition of the Mother of God” Theophan reduced the number of characters, on a dark blue background - Christ dressed in a golden tunic, the Mother of God reclining on his deathbed. In the Transfiguration Cathedral of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, Feofan painted the Church of the Archangel Michael in 1399, and in 1405 - the Annunciation Cathedral together with Andrei Rublev. The iconostasis of the Annunciation is the oldest Russian iconostasis that has survived to this day.

2.1 Iconography of Theophanes the Greek

Icon painting appeared in Rus' in the 10th century, after in 988 Rus' adopted a new religion from Byzantium - Christianity. By this time, in Byzantium itself, icon painting had finally turned into a strictly legalized, recognized canonical system of images. Worship of the icon has become an integral part of Christian doctrine and worship. Thus, Rus' received the icon as one of the “foundations” of the new religion.

N: Symbolism of temples: 4 walls of the temple, united by one chapter - 4 cardinal directions under the authority of a single universal church; the altar in all churches was located in the east: according to the Bible, in the east was the heavenly land - Eden; According to the Gospel, the ascension of Christ took place in the east. And so on, so, in general, the system of paintings of the Christian church was a strictly thought-out whole.

The extreme expression of freethinking in Rus' in the 14th century. The Strigolnik heresy began in Novgorod and Pskov: they taught that religion is everyone’s internal affair and every person has the right to be a teacher of faith; they denied the church, spiritually, church rites and sacraments, they called on the people not to confess to the priests, but to repent of the sins of the “damp mother earth.” The art of Novgorod and Pskov in the 14th century as a whole clearly reflects the growing free-thinking. Artists strive for images that are more vibrant and dynamic than before. Interest in dramatic plots arises, interest in the inner world of a person awakens. The artistic quest of the 14th century masters explains why Novgorod could become the place of activity of one of the most rebellious artists of the Middle Ages - the Byzantine Theophanes the Greek.

Feofan came to Novgorod, obviously, in the 70s of the 14th century. Before that, he worked in Constantinople and cities nearby the capital, then moved to Kaffa, from where he was probably invited to Novgorod. In 1378, Theophanes performed his first work in Novgorod - he painted the Church of the Transfiguration with frescoes.

It is enough to compare Elder Melchizedek from this church with Jonah from the Skovorodsky Monastery to understand what a stunning impression Theophan’s art must have made on his Russian contemporaries. Feofan’s characters not only look different from each other, they live and express themselves in different ways. Each character of Feofan is an unforgettable human image. Through movements, posture, and gesture, the artist knows how to make the “inner man” visible. The gray-bearded Melchizedek, with a majestic movement worthy of a descendant of the Hellenes, holds the scroll with the prophecy. There is no Christian humility and piety in his posture.

Feofan thinks of the figure three-dimensionally, plastically. He clearly imagines how the body is located in space, therefore, despite the conventional background, his figures seem surrounded by space, living in it. Feofan attached great importance to the transfer of volume in painting. His method of modeling is effective, although at first glance it seems sketchy and even careless. Feofan paints the basic tone of the face and clothes with wide, free strokes. On top of the main tone in certain places - above the eyebrows, on the bridge of the nose, under the eyes - he applies light highlights and spaces with sharp, well-aimed strokes of the brush. With the help of highlights, the artist not only accurately conveys the volume, but also achieves the impression of convexity of the form, which was not achieved by the masters of earlier times. Feofan’s figures of saints, illuminated by flashes of light, acquire a special trepidation and mobility.

A miracle is always invisibly present in Theophan’s art. The cloak of Melchizedek covers the figure so quickly, as if it had energy or was electrified.

The icon is exceptionally monumental. The figures stand out in clear silhouette against a shining golden background, laconic, generalized decorative colors sound tense: the snow-white tunic of Christ, the velvety blue maforium of the Mother of God, the green robes of John. And although in the icons Feofana retains the picturesque manner of his paintings, the line becomes clearer, simpler, more restrained.

Feofan’s images contain enormous power of emotional impact; they contain tragic pathos. Acute drama is present in the master’s very picturesque language. Feofan's writing style is sharp, impetuous, and temperamental. He is first and foremost a painter and babbles figures with energetic, bold strokes, applying bright highlights, which gives the faces trepidation and emphasizes the intensity of expression. The color scheme, as a rule, is laconic and restrained, but the color is rich, weighty, and the brittle, sharp lines and complex rhythm of the compositional structure further enhance the overall expressiveness of the images. Theophan the Greek art icon painting

The paintings of Theophanes the Greek were created on the basis of knowledge of life and human psychology. They contain a deep philosophical meaning; the insightful mind and passionate, ebullient temperament of the author are clearly felt.

Almost no icons made by Theophanes have survived to this day. Apart from the icons from the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin, we do not know reliably any of his easel works. However, with a high degree of probability, the remarkable “Assumption”, written on the reverse side of the “Our Lady of the Don” icon, can be attributed to Theophanes.

The “Assumption” depicts what is usually depicted in icons of this subject. The apostles stand at Mary's funeral bed. The golden figure of Christ with a snow-white baby - the soul of the Mother of God in his hands - goes up. Christ is surrounded by a blue-dark mandola. On either side of it stand two tall buildings, vaguely reminiscent of the two-story towers with the mourners in the Pskov icon of the Dormition.

Theophan's apostles are not like strict Greek men. They huddled around the bed without any order. Not a shared enlightened grief, but each individual’s personal feeling - confusion, surprise, despair, sad reflection on death - can be read on their simple faces. Many people would not be able to look at dead Mary. One peeks slightly over his neighbor’s shoulder, ready to lower his head at any moment. The other, huddled in the far corner, watches what is happening with one eye. John the Theologian almost hid behind the high bed, looking out from behind it in despair and horror.

Above the bed of Mary, above the figures of the apostles and saints, rises Christ shining in gold with the soul of the Mother of God in his hands. The apostles do not see Christ; his mandola is already a sphere of the miraculous, inaccessible to human gaze. The apostles see only the dead body of Mary, and this sight fills them with horror of death. They, “earthly people,” are not given the opportunity to know the secret of Mary’s “eternal life.” The only one who knows this secret is Christ, for he belongs to two worlds at once: the divine and the human. Christ is full of determination and strength, the apostles are full of sorrow and inner turmoil. The sharp sound of the colors of the “Assumption” seems to reveal the extreme degree of mental tension in which the apostles find themselves. Not an abstract, dogmatic idea of ​​​​the bliss beyond the grave and not a pagan fear of earthly, physical destruction, but intense thinking about death, “smart feeling,” as such a state was called in the 18th century - this is the content of the wonderful icon of Theophanes.

In Theophanes’s “Assumption” there is a detail that seems to concentrate the drama of the scene taking place. This candle burning at the bed of the Mother of God. She was not in “The Tithe Dormition” or in “Paromena”. In “The Assumption of the Tithes” Mary’s red shoes are depicted on the stand by the bed, and in Paromensky” a precious vessel is depicted - naive and touching details that connect Mary with the earthly world. Placed in the very center, on the same axis with the figure of Christ and the cherub, the candle in the icon of Theophan seems to be full of special meaning. According to apocryphal legend, Mary lit it before she learned from an angel about her death. A candle is a symbol of the soul of the Mother of God, shining to the world. But for Feofan this is more than an abstract symbol. The flickering flame seems to make it possible to hear the echoing silence of mourning, to feel the coldness and immobility of Mary’s dead body. A dead body is like burnt, cooled wax, from which the fire has disappeared forever - the human soul. The candle burns out, which means that the time of earthly farewell to Mary is ending. In a few moments the shining Christ will disappear, his mandorla held together like a keystone by the fiery cherub. There are many works in world art that would so powerfully make one feel the movement, the transience of time, indifferent to what it is counting down, inexorably leading everything to the end.

The Deesis of the Annunciation Cathedral, regardless of who led its creation, is an important phenomenon in the history of ancient Russian art. This is the first Deesis that has come down to our time, in which the figures of saints are depicted not from the waist up, but to their full height. The real history of the so-called Russian high iconostasis begins with it.

The Deesis tier of the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral is a brilliant example of pictorial art. The color range is especially remarkable, which is achieved by combining deep, rich, rich colors. A sophisticated and inexhaustibly inventive colorist, the leading master of Deesis even dares to make tonal comparisons within the same color, painting, for example, the clothes of the Mother of God with dark blue and Her cap with a more open, lightened tone. The artist’s thick, dense colors are exquisitely restrained, slightly dull even in the light part of the spectrum. Then, for example, the unexpectedly bright strokes of red on the image of the book and the boots of the Mother of God are so effective. The manner of writing itself is unusually expressive - broad, free and unmistakably accurate.

Conclusion

It is known that in Rus' Theophanes the Greek took part in the painting of dozens of churches. Unfortunately, most of his works have been lost. Unfortunately, it is not known whether a number of first-class works attributed to him belong to him or his students. What is known for certain is that he painted the Church of the Transfiguration in Novgorod.

It is generally accepted to classify the work of Theophanes the Greek as a phenomenon of Russian culture. But in fact, he was a man of exclusively Byzantine culture, both as a thinker and as an artist. He was the last Byzantine missionary in Rus'. His works belonged to the past XIV century, crowning his achievements. They were tragic in nature, as they expressed the worldview of the decline of the Byzantine Empire and were imbued with apocalyptic forebodings of the imminent death of the Holy Orthodox Kingdom. They were full of prophecies of retribution to the Greek world, the pathos of stoicism.

Of course, such painting was in tune with the outgoing Golden Horde Rus'. But it absolutely did not correspond to the new moods, dreams of a bright future, of the emerging power of the Moscow kingdom. In Novgorod, Feofan's work aroused admiration and imitation. Victorious Moscow greeted him favorably, but with the brush of Andrei Rublev, he approved a different style of painting - “lightly joyful,” harmonic, lyrical-ethical.

Theophanes was the last gift of the Byzantine genius to the Russian. The “Russian Byzantine”, the expressively exalted Greek, the gloomy “Michelangelo of Russian painting” was replaced by “Raphael” - Andrei Rublev.

Bibliography

1. Alpatov M. V . Theophanes the Greek. Fine arts [Text] / M.V. Alpatov. M.: 1900. 54 p.

2. Cherny V.D. The art of medieval Rus' [Text] / V.D. Black. M.: “Humanitarian Publishing Center VLADOS”, 1997. 234 p.

3. Letter of Epiphanius the Wise to Kirill of Tverskoy [Text] / Monuments of literature of Ancient Rus' XVI - ser. XV century. M., 1981. 127 p.

4. Lazarev V.N. Theophanes the Greek [Text] / V.N. Lazarev. M., 1961. 543 p.

5. Muravyov A.V., Sakharov A.M. Essays on the history of Russian culture IX-XVII centuries. [Text] / A.V. Muravyova, A.M. Sakharov. M., 1984. 478 p.

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Apostle Paul. 1405

Little information about Theophanes is found in the Moscow and Novgorod chronicles, but of particular value is a letter written around 1415 by the Moscow spiritual writer and artist Epiphanius the Wise to the archimandrite of the Tver Athanasiev Monastery of the Savior, Kirill. Epiphany’s message is interesting because it provides a unique opportunity to get an idea of ​​the principles of the master’s work. In his message, he reports on the Four Gospels that he kept, illustrated by Theophan and decorated with an image of the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.

The description of the drawing is given in many details. “When he depicted or wrote all this, no one saw him ever look at the samples, as some of our icon painters do, who constantly peer in bewilderment, looking here and there, and do not so much paint with paints as look at the samples. He seemed to be painting a painting with his hands, and he constantly walks, talks with those who come and thinks about the lofty and wise with his mind, but with his sensual, intelligent eyes he sees kindness, no matter how much anyone talks with him, they could not help but marvel at his intelligence, his allegories. parables" and its cunning structure."

From the message it is known that Theophanes, “a Greek by birth, a skilled book isographer and an excellent painter among icon painters,” painted more than 40 stone churches in Constantinople, Chalcedon, Galata, Cafe (Feodosia), as well as on Russian soil.

In the Novgorod III Chronicle, Feofan’s first work is mentioned in 1378. It talks about his painting of the Novgorod Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin Street - the only work of the master that has survived to this day, has documentary evidence and remains the main source for judging his art to this day.

The frescoes of the church have been preserved in fragments, so the system of its painting can only be partially restored. The dome of the temple depicts a half-figure of Christ Pantocrator, surrounded by archangels and seraphim. In the drum there are images of the forefathers, including Adam, Abel, Noah, Seth, Melchizedek, Enoch, the prophets Elijah, John the Baptist. On the choir in the northwestern corner chamber (Trinity Chapel) the images are better preserved. The chapel is painted with images of saints, compositions “Our Lady of the Sign with the Archangel Gabriel”, “Adoration of the Sacrifice”, “Trinity”. Feofan's style is brightly individual, characterized by expressive temperament, freedom and variety in the choice of techniques. The form is emphatically picturesque, devoid of detail, and is constructed using rich and free strokes. The muted overall tone of the painting contrasts with the bright white highlights, like flashes of lightning illuminating the stern, spiritualized faces of the saints. The contours are outlined with powerful, dynamic lines. The folds of clothing lack detailed modeling, lying wide and rigid, at sharp angles.

The master’s palette is spare and restrained, dominated by orange-brown and silver-blue, corresponding to the intense spiritual state of the images. "Theophanes's painting is a philosophical concept in color, moreover, the concept is quite harsh, far from everyday optimism. Its essence is the idea of ​​man's global sinfulness before God, as a result of which he found himself almost hopelessly removed from him and can only await the arrival of his an uncompromising and ruthless judge, whose image looks with extreme severity at sinful humanity from under the dome of the Novgorod temple,” writes researcher of Russian medieval art V.V. Bychkov.

Theophanes the Greek creates a world full of drama and tension of the spirit. Its saints are stern, detached from everything around them, deep in the contemplation of silence - the only path to salvation. Artists in Novgorod tried to follow Feofan’s style when they painted the Church of Fyodor Stratelates on the Stream, but in general the master’s individuality turned out to be exclusive to Rus', a country far from the spiritual experience of Byzantium and looking for its own path.

After 1378, Feofan apparently worked in Nizhny Novgorod, but his paintings from this period have not reached us.

From about 1390, he was in Moscow and briefly in Kolomna, where he could paint the Assumption Cathedral, which was later completely rebuilt. Here, in the cathedral, the later famous shrine was kept - the icon “Our Lady of the Don” (on its back - “Assumption”), which was later transferred to the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (now in the State Tretyakov Gallery). Some researchers associate its performance with the work of Theophanes the Greek.

The master completed several paintings in the Moscow Kremlin: in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary with the chapel of St. Lazarus (1395), where Theophan worked together with Simeon the Black, in the Arkhangelsk (1399) and Annunciation (1405) cathedrals. He painted the latter together with Andrei Rublev and Prokhor from Gorodets. In the Kremlin, Feofan took part in the paintings of the treasury of Prince Vladimir Andreevich and the tower of Vasily I. None of these works have survived. It is possible that Theophanes the Greek participated in the creation of icons of the Deesis rank, currently located in the Annunciation Cathedral. However, as proven by recent research, this iconostasis is not the original one dating back to 1405, and the Deesis rite could have been moved here only after the devastating fire in the Kremlin that occurred in 1547.

In any case, the icons “Savior in Power”, “Our Lady”, “John the Baptist”, “Apostle Peter”, “Apostle Paul”, “Basily the Great”, “John Chrysostom” reveal such features of style and such high technical skill that allow assume here the work of a great master.

Theophan the Greek's style of icon painting (if we agree that the icons of the Deesis rank of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin were painted by Theophan) differs significantly from the fresco style. This can be explained by the specifics of icon painting. The images of the Deesis rank are impressive and monumental. Almost two-meter figures, filled with inner significance and self-absorption, form a single composition, subordinated to one plan - to embody the thanksgiving prayer of the saints to the Savior, the creator and ruler of the heavenly powers, and their intercession for the human race on the day of the Last Judgment. This idea determined the iconographic solution for the entire group as a whole, and for each image separately. The iconography of the rank has its origins in the altar paintings of Byzantine churches and is closely connected with the texts of the main prayers of the liturgy. A similar program of the Deesis rite with “The Savior is in Power” subsequently became widespread in Russian iconostases, but here it appears for the first time.

Unlike fresco painting, the images of icons are not so expressive in appearance. Their drama and sorrow seemed to go deep, revealing themselves in the soft glow of their faces and the muted colors of their clothes. Each face is clearly individual in type and expression of emotional state, almost portrait-like. The contours of the figures are calmer; the classical tradition, going back to antiquity, is more clearly visible in their design. The icons are painted masterfully, using complex and varied technical techniques that only an outstanding master can do. Among the icons supposedly associated with the name of Theophanes are “John the Baptist Angel of the Desert,” “Transfiguration” and “Four Parts” (all in the Tretyakov Gallery).

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Apostle Peter. 1405

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Archangel Gabriel. 1405

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Our Lady. 1405

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Our Lady. Icon of the Deesis tier of the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

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Basil the Great. 1405

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Don Icon of the Mother of God. 1390s

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John Chrysostom. 1405

Byzantine painter who worked in Rus'. Feofan painted the Church of the Savior on Ilyin (Novgorod, 1378), the Arkhangelsk (1399) and Annunciation Cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin (1405, together with Andrei Rublev and Prokhor from Gorodets). Theophan is credited with the icons of the Deesis rite of the Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin - “The Savior”, “The Mother of God”, “John the Baptist” (with the participation and under the leadership of Theophan the Greek, other icons of this and the festive rites were also executed). He created a workshop in Moscow, which is credited with the icons of “Our Lady of the Don” with the “Assumption” on the reverse (1380 or 1392), “Four-Part”, “Transfiguration” from Pereslavl-Zalessky. The work of Theophanes the Greek left a clear mark on the painting of Novgorod and Moscow and found many followers.

Biography

Theophanes the Greek was probably born in the 30s of the 14th century and died between 1405 and 1415. The great painter of the Russian Middle Ages was from Byzantium, which is why he received the nickname “Greek”. The artist arrived in Rus' no later than 1378. For the first time his name appears in the Novgorod Chronicle: apparently, it was the Novgorodians who invited an artist already known in Greece to paint the newly built church on the Trade Side. The third Novgorod chronicle, dated 6886 (1378), writes: “That same summer, the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, on Ilyin Street, was signed by the order of the noble and God-loving boyar Vasily Danilovich, from Ilyin Street, and was signed by the master Grechenin Feofan, under the Grand Duke Dimitri Ivanovich and under Archbishop Alexy the Great of Novgorod and Pskov." The chronicler speaks here about the frescoes of the Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin Street, partially preserved to this day. Their clearing began in 1910, but ended only in 1944. Now this church is one of the most famous historical monuments of Novgorod, the main source for studying the creative manner of the great master.

But, perhaps, the main source for studying the life and work of Theophan the Greek is a letter from a writer and monk, a contemporary of the brilliant Byzantine, compiler of the lives of Epiphanius the Wise, written by him to Cyril, abbot of the Tver Spaso-Afanasyevsky Monastery. This message, compiled around 1415, contains important details of the biography of the visiting Greek and, in addition, gives a living description of the master, made by a person who personally knew the artist and was able to notice unusual, individual traits of his character.

From this message alone it is known that Theophanes the Greek painted more than forty stone churches in Constantinople, Chalcedon, Galata, Kafe (now Feodosia), Veliky and Nizhny Novgorod, and Moscow. Epiphanius the Wise describes some of his works, including the “strangely modeled” (wonderful) paintings of the princely chambers, on the walls of which the artist depicted Moscow, which amazed his contemporaries. Epiphanius the Wise also notes the extraordinary freedom of behavior of the artist during creativity - that while working, he never looked at samples, constantly walked and talked, and his mind was not distracted from his painting. At the same time, Epiphanius the Wise sneers at the constraint and uncertainty of “our netizens” of icon painters, who are unable to tear themselves away from the models. Describing the personality and work of Theophan, Epiphanius calls him “a glorious sage, a very cunning philosopher, a skillful book isographer and an elegant painter among icon painters.”

Between 1378 and 1390, Theophanes, according to Epiphanius, participated in restoration work in Nizhny Novgorod after the raid of the Tatars, who burned the city and monasteries. His paintings have not survived. Around 1390 the master arrived in Moscow. According to Moscow chronicles, Theophanes the Greek participated in the decoration of Kremlin churches (1395, 1399 and 1405). In 1395, he painted the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in the Moscow Kremlin (the building was later dismantled in connection with the construction of the Archangel Cathedral on this site, 1505-1508). In 1405, Theophanes painted the Annunciation Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin together with Prokhor from Gorodets and the “monk” Andrei Rublev. According to tradition, Theophanes the Greek is also credited with the design of the famous manuscripts of the turn of the 14th-15th centuries - the Khitrovo Gospel and the Gospel of Fyodor Koshka, although the question of their authorship has not been finally resolved.

Unfortunately, neither the chronicles nor Epiphanius the Wise mention the date of Theophanes’ death, which remained unknown. Apparently, he died at a very old age somewhere between 1405 and 1415.

The Art of Theophanes the Greek

Although Theophanes’s style of writing is extremely individual, it is still possible to find direct sources for it in the monuments of the Constantinople school. These are, first of all, the frescoes of the Kakhrie Jami refectory, which appeared in the second decade of the 14th century. Here the heads of individual saints (especially David of Thessalonica) seem to have come out from under Theophan’s brush. They are written in an energetic, free style of painting, based on the extensive use of bold strokes and so-called marks with which faces are modeled. These highlights and marks are especially actively used in finishing the forehead, cheekbones, and ridge of the nose. This technique in itself is not new; it is very common in the painting of the 14th century, mainly in its first half. What brings the paintings of Kahrie Jami and the frescoes of Feofan closer together is the remarkable accuracy in the distribution of highlights, which always fall into the right place, thanks to which the form acquires strength and constructiveness. In the monuments of the provincial circle (as, for example, in the paintings of the cave temple of Theoskepastos in Trebizond) we will never find such precision in modeling. Only after becoming acquainted with such provincial works do you finally become convinced of the metropolitan training of Theophanes, who perfectly mastered all the subtleties of Constantinople craftsmanship.

The basic principles of Feofanov’s art also point to the Constantinople school - intense psychologism of images, extraordinary sharpness of individual characteristics, dynamic freedom and picturesqueness of compositional structures, exquisite “tonal coloring”, overcoming the motley largeness of the eastern palette, and finally, an extraordinary decorative flair, going back to the best traditions of Tsaregrad painting. With all these facets of his art, Feofan appears to us as a metropolitan artist living by the aesthetic ideals of Constantinople society.

Byzantine painter and iconographer who worked in Russian cities in the last quarter of the 14th - early 15th centuries. The works created by Theophanes the Greek are considered among the best examples of ancient Russian painting.

The beginning of the way. Byzantine creativity.

Feofan the Greek is considered one of the most famous Russian painters. He was born in Byzantium around 1340. Despite the fact that Theophanes the Greek can hardly be called a native Russian due to his origin, written tradition often classifies him as a Russian artist - largely because he created a significant part of his life not in his homeland, but in Rus'.

Unfortunately, information about the childhood and youth of Theophanes the Greek is fragmentary and paints a very incomplete picture. The exact dates of birth and death of the painter are unknown, so researchers, as a rule, consider these years to be very approximate. An outstanding master of the medieval era, Theophanes arrived in Rus' around 1390, when he was about fifty years old. Before that, he worked fruitfully in Byzantium. Although his works numbered in the dozens, none of them (dating to the Byzantine period) have survived.

Biographical data about the life of Theophanes is mainly contained in the Novgorod and Moscow chronicles. However, of great importance is a letter dated approximately 1415, written by the Moscow hagiographer Epiphanius the Wise to Archimandrite Kirill of the Savior Athanasiev Monastery. In this letter, Epiphanius provides a detailed descriptive description of the principles on which almost all the works of Theophanes the Greek are built. According to Epiphanius, he even kept the Four Gospels, personally illustrated by Theophan. Moreover, the same letter confirms the Greek origin of Theophanes. Epiphanius speaks highly of the master’s abilities, saying that “he is an excellent painter among icon painters.” If you believe the letter, then by that time Theophanes had already painted more than 40 stone churches - both in Rus' and in Byzantium - in Constantinople, Chalcedon, etc.

Theophanes the Greek and Rus'

One of the Novgorod chronicles dates Feofan's first work to 1378. It was the Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin Street. Now it stands not only as an outstanding monument of art of the 14th century, but also as the only work of the master that has survived to this day. The Church is the main source for judging both his work and the role that Theophanes the Greek played for his contemporary era.

Taking into account the past centuries, the church is well preserved, although its frescoes have reached us only in fragmentary form. In his traditional manner, Theophanes the Greek used religious themes when painting the church, decorating the dome with the figure of Christ surrounded by archangels, and placing the figures of the forefathers (Adam, Noah, Abel, etc.) on the drum. Analyzing the surviving painting, we can say that Feofan worked in an individual manner: his painting is expressive and free. As a creator, Feofan was not afraid to experiment and used a variety of techniques, including a muted overall tone of painting and bright bleach highlights. The master's palette is dominated by brown and silver-blue paints. Thanks to Theophanes the Greek, the Church of the Transfiguration is still considered one of the most outstanding monuments of art of the 14th century.

Unfortunately, detailed information about the early work of Theophanes the Greek (that is, about the period of activity before his arrival in Rus') has not been preserved. In this regard, researchers dare to talk about only one documented work of Feofan. The rest is attributed to him in connection with a number of different factors, among which are the commonality of spiritual and aesthetic ideas, the style of painting, and the style of the era. It is not known for certain whether these works actually belong to Theophanes the Greek or were painted by someone else - probably a painter with a similar style of execution.

The time-famous Byzantine set foot on Russian soil around 1390. By that time, as tradition says, Theophanes was deeply imbued with the ancient teachings of Hesychaism. This was a renovation movement in Orthodoxy, the essence of which was the veneration of the Divine light. This light was revealed to believers only through the practice of regular meditation - deep internal concentration. The fascination with Hesychaism directly influenced the work of Theophanes the Greek. The idea of ​​​​the possibility of gaining God's kingdom on earth through regular meditative practices captured Feofan and was visually embodied in the expressive-spiritualistic manner of his painting.

The work of Theophanes the Greek was practically unknown to the general public until the beginning of the 20th century - and this despite the fact that from the meager chronicle information it is quite obvious that he was revered by his contemporaries. Modern researchers often equate the names of Theophanes the Greek and Andrei Rublev. Rublev, being a younger contemporary of Theophanes (the age difference between them was about thirty years), is also considered an outstanding icon painter for his era. In the work of these two masters there is a clearly constructed religious picture, embodied in matter - painting of icons, churches, temples. Both creators, to some extent, pose a mystery to researchers, since very little reliable biographical information about their lives has been preserved. For icon painting of the 14th century, Andrei Rublev and Theophanes the Greek were key figures who combined, on the one hand, the talent of monumentalists, and on the other, the talent of icon painters. It is the impossibility of tracking their lives from birth to death that allows modern ordinary people to concentrate on the work of both masters.

Among the works attributed to Theophanes the Greek and authentically completed by him, but which have not survived to this day, it is necessary to mention the Assumption Cathedral in Kolomna (it was later rebuilt). Most likely, Feofan painted it upon his arrival on Russian soil, i.e. around 1390. The Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin subsequently contained an icon, whose authorship many experts are accustomed to associate with the name of Theophanes - “Our Lady of the Don”, which was originally located in the Assumption Cathedral in Kolomna.

Stylistic style of Theophanes the Greek

The Greek's manner of painting icons and frescoes is ambiguous. The frescoes performed by the Greek are rather gloomy - the saints are depicted as stern, as if detached from those watching them, immersed in themselves. After all, this is precisely the meaning of existence - to find salvation by seeing oneself. As for Greek iconography, the images embodied in it are impressive and monumental. The entire composition is aimed at subordinating one goal - to offer a prayer of gratitude to the Almighty. When painting, the creator paid attention to each face, trying to convey its smallest features. If Theophanes' frescoes create a rather depressing atmosphere, then his iconography is directed towards calm and tranquility. This ability to express an idea using completely different techniques (not only stylistic, but also technical) certainly makes Feofan the Greek a true master of his craft and a creator of amazing talent.