Russian Icon Book, a Project Showing the Beauty of Russian Iconography
Russian icon art is one of the historical and cultural treasures that emerged in the fold of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The power, symbolism, and importance of antique Russian icons cannot be overestimated because they have been shaping not only the principles of sacred art but also the perception of millions of Christians over centuries. Nowadays, the preservation and promotion of such unique works of religious art are of utmost importance. Among modern-day attempts to revive and convert historical memory into a documentary source of knowledge, one should pay close attention to the Russian Icon Book, a unique project designed to show the beauty of Russian iconography in all its glory.
Russian Icon Book, a project showing the beauty of Russian iconography
The book of rare Russian icons is the result of many years of patient research and joint work between Russian Icon Collection and the Moscow Museum of the Russian Icon. It is one of the most excellent examples of cooperation in the field. The Russian Icon Book features a comprehensive collection of rare antique icons dating back to the 18th-19th centuries. All the icons presented in the book were created in some of the most prominent iconographic centers of the Russian Empire. Among them are key villages of the Vladimir Province: Mstyora, Kholuy, and Palekh.
The icon collection was studied and described by two leading icon experts: Anna Ivannikova and Sergey Khodorkovskiy. Thanks to their titanic work, every icon in the book has a detailed description explaining the origin of a religious piece of art and its importance.
Overall, the Russian Icon Book consists of several groups of icons, each showcasing a range of antique pieces made in the same iconographic school. For example, the book includes a number of early Palekh icons, several Resurrection icons of the 18th century, the yearly Menaion icon complex, hagiographical icons, and many others. The scope of information is so broad, and the analysis is so well-written that everyone would want to read the book to understand a complex yet exciting world of religious icon art.
The core value of the Russian Icon Book is that it features a one-of-a-kind collection of the most diverse icons. It is truly thrilling how many images of saints and feasts are represented in a single book. If you want to start exploring this exotic world right now, you can find a digital copy of the book on our website. Also, consider sharing it with people interested in Russian icon art.