Andrei Rublev's icon "Trinity" is the pinnacle of Russian icon painting, and according to some experts, it has no equal in the entire world of fine arts. One way or another, its artistic value is undeniable. As for the content, then, perhaps, there is no icon more mysterious. We are talking about solving the simplest question at first glance: who is depicted on it? There are three hypotheses in the research literature on this. Let's consider the arguments "for" and "against", based on the probable assumptions about the worldview of Andrei Rublev, about the theological program that he could be guided by when creating this icon.
And then we propose our own fourth hypothesis.
HYPOTHESIS FIRST
The icon directly depicts three persons of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Her lack of persuasion is obvious. A student of Theophanes the Greek, brought up in the strict traditions of Byzantine theology, Andrei Rublev could not even think about the possibility of directly depicting the hypostases (persons) of the “triune God”. Departure on this issue was all the more unacceptable because heretics - antitrinitarians brought to the fore the teaching of the Holy Scriptures about the invisibility and ineffability of the deity. On this basis, they argued that there could be no icons depicting God at all.
HYPOTHESIS SECOND
The icon depicts Jesus Christ "according to divinity" accompanied by two angels.
This hypothesis corresponds to the most traditional interpretation of this iconographic plot in the 15th century. According to the Bible (Gen. Chapter 18), Abraham and Sarah, who lived in the oak forest of Mamre, were visited by three strangers. After a meal and announcing to them about the imminent birth of a son, two strangers went to the nearby cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were to be destroyed for their extreme depravity, and the third remained with Abraham. The church historian Eusebius of Caesarea (4th century) described the icon that was in his time near the legendary oak tree in Mamre. It depicted the meal of three strangers, served by Abraham and Sarah (hence the name of this plot was "Abraham's hospitality"). Explaining why the central figure of the wanderer is larger than the other two, Eusebius wrote:
“This is the Lord who appeared to us, our Savior himself ... The Son of God revealed to the forefather Abraham what He is, and gave him knowledge of the Father.”
One of the greatest teachers of the church, John Chrysostom (end of the 4th century), confirms this interpretation:
“In Abraham's booth, the angels and their Lord appeared together; but then the angels, as ministers, were sent to destroy those cities, and the Lord remained to talk with the righteous, as a friend talks with a friend, about what he intended to do.
Chrysostom explains Abraham’s address to them in the singular by this special privileged position of one of the wanderers:
“Lord! if I found favor in Your sight...» Gen.18:3.
The most common, especially in Christian East, the iconographic type of the "Trinity" corresponded to just such an interpretation. It is also implied in the Byzantine depiction which is the closest predecessor of the Rublev type "Trinity": in the double portrait of John Kantakouzenos, where he is presented both as the Emperor and as the monk he became after the loss of the throne. Together with Patriarch Philotheus (Kokkin) and theologian Gregory Palamas, he actively introduced the "hesychast" tradition in Byzantine society: the deification of the soul and body by the blessed energies of the Holy Trinity.
Here the middle figure is depicted with a cross-shaped halo, which serves as an indication of Jesus Christ, and the figure to the right of us is noticeably enlarged - an indication that it symbolizes God the Father, "right hand" (i.e., on the right hand) of which Christ sits.
Arguments in favor of Hypothesis 2:
A.
Andrei Rublev, by virtue of his implied theological "traditionalism", could not deviate from the generally accepted Byzantine canon.
b. The side angels are depicted as if ready to move (they are going to go punish Sodom and Gomorrah), while the middle angel, in contrast to them, is at rest (it remains to talk with Abraham).
C. The light stripe, the so-called "clave", on the chiton of the middle character is a sign of his special dignity, which distinguishes Jesus Christ from angels.
Objections to the arguments in favor of Hypothesis 2:
A.
Andrei Rublev, without going beyond the Byzantine tradition, managed to fill it with new semantic content.
The icon "Trinity" by Andrei Rublev differs sharply from the monuments that preceded it, - considers one of the modern researchers of Rublev's work G.I. Vzdornov.“It has a polemical content and, undoubtedly, was directed against heretical interpretations of the dogma.”
This statement is only partly true. It is known that Rublev in his theological "innovations" relied on the authority of Sergius of Radonezh - "mystery of the Holy Trinity", as he is called by the hagiographic chronicle. The image of the Trinity on the main stamp of the icon "Archangel Michael with deeds" 10-15 years earlier than Rublev's "Trinity", shows that the direction of the spiritual search had already been set. Rublev completes it, with brilliant perfection, realizing the plan that was born before him and is well known to him.
b. As M.V. Alpatov, the middle angel is not distinguished in the sense of lack of movement: his right knee is raised, that is, like the side angels, he is ready to stand up. The harmonious combination of rest and movement is typical for all three figures and for the composition of the icon as a whole.
V. Despite the blurring of the image, a green clave is also visible on the tunic of the right angel. True, on the left sleeve, and not on the right, like the average angel.
Additional objections to Hypothesis 2:
G. Abraham and Sarah are absent from the icon. By this, the icon painter makes it clear that the content of the icon is not tied to the biblical episode of "hospitality of Abraham."
d. If the middle angel depicted Jesus Christ, then, in accordance with the icon-painting tradition, his halo would be octagonal or cross-shaped. A simple round halo is characteristic of images of angels or saints.
e. The nimbus of the middle angel is noticeably smaller than the nimbus of the lateral angels, which clearly contradicts the assumption of its higher hierarchical position. Art critic A. A. Saltykov’s idea that the reduced size of the halo of the middle angel serves to create the impression of “depth” and, consequently, the significance of the figure of the middle angel, is not at all convincing. On the icon of Andrei Rublev, in accordance with the icon-painting tradition of the era, not direct, but reverse perspective is used, that is, distant objects are depicted larger than close ones. If an icon painter wanted to create an impression of “depth” for the average figure, he would make his halo larger! In addition, this would emphasize the superiority of Jesus Christ over the angels. On other icons of that time, the nimbus of the middle figure was depicted either of the same size or larger than the halos of the other two figures.
HYPOTHESIS THREE
The icon depicts three angels, understood as the “image and likeness” of the Holy Trinity.
This hypothesis is supported by most church theologians and some art critics. As A.A. Saltykov writes, for example:
“In this work, the artist depicted, of course, not the hypostases themselves, but angels, in the actions and attributes of which they (hypostases) are manifested.”
Arguments in favor of hypothesis 3:
A.
The main theological and polemical task of Rublev consisted in a visual depiction of the “equal honor” of the three persons of the Holy Trinity; this is possible only if all three figures on the icon are beings of the same nature, in this case, angelic.
In the early iconography of the Trinity, the idea of equality was expressed in the so-called "isocephalic" type of icons, which had spread in the West since the 4th century BC. and met in Rus' in the era of Rublev. In accordance with this task, the three figures had the same dimensions and were located side by side on the same level. In Rublev's idea of "equivalence" is expressed by the same size and spherically symmetrical arrangement of the figures.
b. The angelic nature of the figures on the icon is indicated by wings and round simple halos.
V. The "non-attachment" of the image to the biblical episode allows you to change the location of the figures, symbolizing the faces of the Holy Trinity. The middle angel can be understood as an image of God the Father: in this case, its central position corresponds to the theological doctrine of the Holy Trinity as a "cathedral of equal persons" and at the same time as a "monarchy of the Father." Such a point of view was held, for example, by such an authoritative art critic as N.A. Demina.
However, most researchers (V.N. Lazarev and others) believe that Rublev placed the image of the Father to the left of us, i.e. on the right hand of the central figure symbolizing the Son. The clincher: the commanding gesture of the hand of the left angel, expressing the idea of the "monarchy of the Father".
Archbishop Sergius (Golubtsov) proposed an original version of the identification of persons, who emphasized that, according to the Creed, the Son should sit at the “right hand” of the Father, that is, at the right hand of Him. If the image of the Son is in the center, then the angel symbolizing the Father should be located along left hand from Him, that is, to our right.
Objections to Hypothesis 3:
A.
At the time of Rublev (as well as before him) there was no stable church tradition, which singled out three angels, equal in their significance. In liturgical and biblical texts, in iconography and church legends, not three, but two higher archangels, Michael and Gabriel, are clearly distinguished. It is difficult to put any third angelic name in line with them. Considering the peculiar “concreteness” of the theological thinking of that era, it is difficult to imagine that Rublev, depicting three angels as an image of the Holy Trinity, did not ask himself the question - which angels can serve as Her symbol?
In this regard, a more fundamental question inevitably arose: can a cathedral of three angels of any rank carry in itself the fullness of the image of the Holy Trinity? It could, of course, not be about the fullness of the image in the sense of perfection (no "creature of God", neither man nor angels could claim this), but only in the sense of the internal structure, the very principle of trinity.
b. Wings in the iconography of the Rublev era cannot be regarded as an unambiguous indication of angelic nature. So, among the Byzantine and Russian icons of the XIV-XV centuries. you can often find the plot "John the Baptist - the angel of the desert", where the prophet John is depicted with wings.
On some icons (in particular, on the icon " Last Judgment"or" Apocalypse ") with wings are often depicted monks-reverends. Thus, wings in iconography are common symbol spirituality, they can belong to both angels and saints who have reached a special degree of spiritualization of their human nature.
V.
With any method of identifying faces, the reduced size of the halo of the middle angel still remains incomprehensible. If he were the image of the Son, or, moreover, the Father, such a “diminution” of him in comparison with the other two angels would be unjustified.
G.
The bowl with the head of a calf on the throne is, of course, a symbol of the Eucharist, that is, “communion of the body and blood” of Jesus Christ as a person. If Andrei Rublev wanted to depict angels, then it is not clear why he emphasizes the Eucharistic nature of the meal. Within the framework of church tradition, the idea of the communion of angels of the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ seems completely unacceptable, since the angels themselves do not have flesh and blood. Of course, in the biblical description of "Abraham's hospitality" it is indicated that the pilgrims ate and drank, but in this episode the angelic nature of the pilgrims is not explicitly emphasized in any way.
The text of the Bible says that “three men” came to Abraham, so Abraham has no doubt that these are three people for whom a meal should be prepared. In another episode, the inhabitants of Sodom do not recognize the angels in two wanderers and take them for ordinary people. It is only through prophetic insight that Abraham realizes that the Lord appeared to him, accompanied by two angels who took on a human form: some legends say that these were Michael and Gabriel. One of the possibilities for a theological understanding of this episode was that the angels temporarily "inhabited" some specific people who lived under Abraham.
Since all the above hypotheses meet with serious objections, we will allow ourselves to express one more and try to substantiate it.
HYPOTHESIS FOUR
The icon by Andrei Rublev depicts three people who are the image of the Holy Trinity.
Arguments in favor of Hypothesis 4:
A.
According to the texts Holy Scripture and the teaching of the Church, among all created beings, the fullness of the image of God belongs exclusively to man.
“And God said,” the Bible narrates, “Let us make man in Our image, and in Our likeness... And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him...”.
Gen. 1:26-27.
It says about angels:
"They are ministering spirits, sent to minister to those who have to inherit salvation." Heb. 1:14.
According to the teachings of the Church Fathers, God, wishing to unite with His creation, became a man, not an angel, precisely because only man bears in himself the fullness of the image of God and is the “crown of creation.”
It is quite reliable to assume that for Andrei Rublev, three people who find unity in spiritual love seemed to be the most perfect and complete image of the hypostatic unity of the Holy Trinity. One of the most important New Testament texts, the so-called “priestly prayer” of Jesus Christ during the “Last Supper”, where he first celebrates the Eucharist and communes the disciples (Jn. Chapters 13 - 17), should have convinced him of this. Addressing the Father with the words:
"You, Father, are in me, and I in you"
Jesus asks the Father about the disciples:
“Let them be one as We are one” Jn. 17:21-22.
Rublev's icon thus served as a visible expression of the New Testament definition of God:
"God is Love" 1 Jn. 4:8.
b. The biographer of Sergius of Radonezh, Epiphanius the Wise, reports that Sergius called
“by looking at the unity of the Holy Trinity, overcome the fear of the hated strife of this world.”
The unity of the Holy Trinity was for Sergius a symbol of gathering together all the people of the Russian land. The same Epiphanius points out that Andrei Rublev painted his illustrious icon "Trinity" "in praise of Sergius", by order of Abbot Nikon, the closest student of Sergius of Radonezh. It can be argued that in the circle St. Sergius a certain way of thinking arose, an original style of theologizing, and that Andrei Rublev was one of the spokesmen in the language of the icon of the theological program that had developed in this circle. The conviction that human love, human conciliar unity is the highest embodiment of the Holy Trinity, should have imparted special inspiration and effectiveness to the sermons of Sergius of Radonezh and his followers.
V.
The Eucharistic chalice, which forms the spiritual and compositional center of the icon, receives a natural explanation. Depicting a hypostatic, personal unity in love, Rublev complements this spiritual unity with a symbolic image of bodily unity achieved through communion. Thanks to the sacrament, says the apostle Paul,"We, who are many, are one body in Christ" Rom. 12:5.
G.
The icon of the Trinity of the end of the 14th century, the so-called “Zyryanskaya”, is known to be unique in its theological content, with a number of features characteristic of the Rublev icon: three figures at the table
have the same dimensions; in the center of the table is the Eucharistic chalice; the tree is located directly behind the back of the middle figure, and does not grow from the mountain, as usual. In addition, this icon has two remarkable features.
Firstly, each of the characters has a cross-shaped halo, and, secondly, there are inscriptions in the Zyryan language near them: the left one (from us) has “Son”, the central one has “Father”, and the right one has “Spirit”!
The similarity of halos indicates the identity of the nature of the three depicted faces. Since the cross-shaped nimbus traditionally denoted Jesus Christ as a man, we can conclude from this that the “Son” is the man Jesus, while the “father” and the “spirit” are two other people “of equal honor” to him! This is also indicated by the inscription "father", "son" and "spirit" instead of "God the Father" "Son of God" and "Holy Spirit".
This icon is not an artistic masterpiece, but its fundamental significance is determined by the fact that it was created in the region where Stefan of Perm, the famous “enlightener of the Zyryans”, the closest associate and friend of Sergius of Radonezh, was at that time bishop. The icon was found among Stefan's personal belongings and, of course, painted by his order, if not by himself: the inscription in Zyryansk served the purposes of his sermon. It can be stated with certain certainty that the author of the Zyryanskaya Trinity, like Andrei Rublev, was guided by the theological ideas of Sergius of Radonezh.
d. Working together with Daniil Cherny in 1408 in Vladimir on the painting of the Assumption Cathedral, Andrei Rublev had the opportunity to get acquainted with the fresco of the Vladimir Dmitrovsky Cathedral of the late 12th century: “Abraham, Isaac, Jacob in Paradise”. On this fresco, the forefather Abraham is depicted in the center, on the right hand is his son Isaac, on the left is the son of Isaac Jacob, who, according to the Bible, became the ancestor of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Daniel and Andrew, repeating this fresco, change the arrangement of the figures: on the right hand of Isaac - Jacob, so that each is on the right hand of his father. Since the Bible often uses the name "God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob", cited by the teachers of the church as evidence of the trinity of the deity, this image carried an important theological load. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob - three people who are the image of the Holy Trinity.
The central position of Abraham on the fresco of the Dmitrovsky Cathedral corresponded to the main idea of the theological Orthodox teaching about God the Father as the "source" of the Holy Trinity (the Father "begets" the Son, the Holy Spirit "emerges" from the Father). The location of the figures on the fresco of Daniil Cherny and Rublev emphasizes another theological statement: that the Son of God "sits at the right hand of the Father." Both of these provisions are expressed in the Nicene-Tsaregrad ("baptismal") creed, which the faithful repeat during each liturgy.
In these frescoes, Andrei Rublev dealt with the authoritative church tradition, according to which three people, connected by a deep personal and tribal unity, were considered as a living image of the Holy Trinity.
Development of Hypothesis 4:
If three people are depicted on the Rublev icon, then the question inevitably arises: are three holy people depicted here in general or three specific persons? In an attempt to answer this question, we enter into the realm of the most controversial, but at the same time the most interesting and important assumptions ...
Our assumption is that Andrei Rublev portrayed three faces that he should have considered the highest in the hierarchy of human incarnations. The very existence of such a hierarchy could not cause doubts in the theologian of that era.
“The glory of the sun is different,” writes the apostle Paul, “the glory of the moon is different, the glory of the stars is different; and star differs from star in glory. “Thus it is written,” continues Paul, “the first man Adam became a living soul, and the last Adam is a life-giving spirit... The first man from the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.” 1 Cor. 15:41-47.
This text could become a key one for Andrei Rublev.
So, "first man" - Forefather Adam, who, undoubtedly, among the entire human race, had the greatest reason to be considered as a hypostatic image of God the Father."Second Man", "God from Heaven" - this, of course, is Jesus Christ, who, according to the Christological dogma, being God, served as the prototype of himself as a person. Who then"third man" - "last Adam" ? Let's delay answering this question - let's consider the topic first"Adam-Jesus" in the context of the Rublev icon.
The parallel between the "old man" Adam and the "new man" Jesus is often found in the texts of the New Testament, in dogmatic and liturgical texts, in the works of the "fathers of the church" and church hymns.
In iconography, the man Jesus Christ is depicted next to Adam in a very important and widespread plot in the Middle Ages - in the icon of the "Resurrection of Christ", which is otherwise called "descent into hell." The first thing that Jesus Christ does when he breaks the “gates of hell” is that he brings out his forefather Adam (together with Eve and a number of the Old Testament righteous). In those days, it was widely believed that this “bringing out of hell” also meant the bodily resurrection, together with Christ, of a whole galaxy of the Old Testament righteous. Adam and Eve, although they sinned, were considered righteous because of their sincere repentance. This opinion was confirmed by the text from the Gospel of Matthew, which describes the events after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ:
“And the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.” Matt. 27:52-5.
According to medieval tradition, Mount Calvary, on which Jesus was crucified, was the burial place of Adam. This is reflected in a widespread iconographic plot: the head (skull) of Adam under the Calvary cross. According to church tradition, drops of Jesus' blood, having soaked into the ground, reached the bones of Adam and resurrected him. Like all his contemporaries, unconditionally believing this tradition, Andrei Rublev had to imagine Adam already redeemed from sin, resurrected bodily and dwelling in heaven at the throne of God.
So, Andrei Rublev had enough grounds in the church tradition to put Jesus and Adam next to each other (more precisely, to sit at the same meal). The parallel drawn in the New Testament between these two persons pointed to their human “equal honor”, to the equality of “scales” in the conciliar hierarchy of the human race. Of course, Jesus Christ "according to divinity" was thought to be infinitely superior not only to Adam, but also to himself as a man. Jesus and Adam are depicted on the icon in their resurrected, spiritualized bodies, which is emphasized by the presence of wings as a symbol of spiritualized nature. It is possible that, depicting the wings, Rublev also had in mind the text of the Gospel of Luke about the resurrected people:
"And they can no longer die, for they are equal to the angels..." Lk. 20:36.
The proposed interpretation allows us to give an unconstrained explanation of a number of symbols in the Rublev icon.
Additional arguments in favor of Hypothesis 4:
A.
The reduced halo above Adam's head serves as a reminder of original sin; this, as it were, “compensates” for the central and dominant position of Adam in relation to Jesus. Of course, here is shown the image of the relationship of God the Father to God the Son, and Jesus Himself, according to legend, showed filial piety even to his adoptive father Joseph, especially to the forefather Adam... And at the same time, for the Christian consciousness of Andrei Rublev, the need to somehow to "belittle" Adam before Jesus should have seemed obvious.
b. stone chambers above the head of Jesus symbolize the church and himself as a "steward" and head of the church. Some researchers see an anagram IH in the arrangement of the columns, i.e. Jesus of Nazareth - a name emphasizing that Jesus is depicted here as a man, and not as God.
V.
The tree above Adam's head, most likely, reflects the favorite plot of Russian icon painters of that era: "the tree of Jesse." Adam was always depicted at the base of the tree, and the Old Testament righteous were located on its branches. Sometimes the "tree of Jesse" was thought of as the genealogy of Jesus going back to Adam. It is also possible that this is also a symbol of the heavenly "tree of life",
also associated directly with Adam.
G.
An explanation of the color symbolism of the icon can be given. The reddish-brown color of Adam's tunic (underwear) symbolizes the "dust of the earth", from which, according to the Bible, God created Adam:
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen. 2:7.
The name Adam in patristic interpretations was often translated from Hebrew as "red earth", which could serve as the basis for choosing the color of Adam's tunic. Clave on the right sleeve of the chiton, which has the same color as the wings, possibly indicates the "breath of life", which spiritualized "the dust of the earth."
The blue color of Jesus' chiton symbolizes him human nature as the nature of the "new man". According to church teaching, Jesus the man is a maternal descendant ("son") of Adam; at the same time, being conceived “not from the seed of a man,” but from the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived as the founder of the “new humanity,” into which the sons of Adam enter through communion with the “body and blood” of Jesus Christ. The origin of Jesus from Adam is symbolized by the color of the sacrificial calf (this calf is Jesus Christ as the Sacrifice) in the Eucharistic chalice, coinciding with the color of Adam's tunic. The blue color of the himation (outer garment) of Adam indicates his belonging, through the sacrament, to the "new humanity" of Jesus Christ. The golden color of the himation of Jesus symbolizes his divine nature: according to the Chalcedonian dogma, Jesus Christ was understood not just as a man, but as God, who, while remaining God, also became a man. The most difficult thing remains for us: to give an interpretation to the third person depicted on Andrei Rublev's icon "Trinity". But this is the topic of the next article.
We advise you to read:
DEMINA N.A. "Trinity" by Andrei Rublev. M. 1963.
LAZAREV V.N. Andrei Rublev and his school. M. 1966.
Alpatov M.V. Andrei Rublev. M. 1972.
Liberius VORONOV (professor-archpriest). Andrey Rublev is great
artist Ancient Rus'. Theological Works No. 14. M. 1975. S. 77-95.
VETELEV A. (professor-archpriest). Theological content of the icon
"Holy Trinity" by Andrei Rublev. Journal of the Moscow Patriarchy 1972.
No. 8. S. 63-75; No. 10. pp. 62-65.
Archbishop SERGIY (Golubtsov). The embodiment of theological ideas in creativity
Reverend Andrei Rublev. Theological Works No. 22. M. 1983. S. 3-67.
VZDORNOV G.I. Newly discovered icon of the "Trinity" from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and
"Trinity" by Andrei Rublev. Old Russian art. artistic
culture of Moscow and adjacent principalities. XIV-XVI centuries M. 1970.
pp. 115-154.
Ilyin M.A. Art of Muscovite Rus' in the era of Theophan the Greek and Andrei
Rublev. Problems, hypotheses, research. M. 1976.
Saltykov A.A. Iconography of the "Trinity" by Andrei Rublev. Old Russian
art of the XIV-XV centuries. M. 1984. S. 77-85.
Andrey Chernov. WHAT IS TRUE? SECRET WRITING IN THE TRINITY OF ANDREY RUBLEV. http://chernov-trezin.narod.ru/TROICA.htm
A. Chernov, following N.A. Demina, accepts the same interpretation of the figures as in the Zyryanskaya Trinity, and analyzes in detail the monogram IH. Unfortunately, I only recently found out about this most valuable article, published back in 1989. LR 2011.
Some time ago I was in the Moscow Tretyakov Gallery.
The room I most desired to visit was hall ancient Russian icon painting.
And so, leaving behind the classics, the Wanderers and abstractionists, I ended up in the coveted department of the Tretyakov Gallery. With an interest that seemed suspicious to the grandmothers-guards, so that just in case they did not leave the alarm button, I examined the magnificent Byzantine and Old Russian icons.
Consciousness recorded with sadness: our parishioners do not understand and do not like the traditional canonical icon precisely because of the bad fakes "under the canonical icon" that often hang in our churches. It seems that everything is in place, but there is no life, internal energy, fire in such an icon ...
Whereas a real icon carries such a multitude of semantic layers, such theology, such religious poetry…
A real icon simply fascinates, makes you stop and mentally touch the Mystery that it radiates.
However, now we will not talk about icons at all.
I'm only interested in one icon, namely icon of the venerable Andrey Rublev "Trinity". This is one of the most beautiful icons created by man, and, according to a number of theologians and art historians, and in general the most beautiful icon of all known to us.
Stopping in front of her, I could not move for fifteen minutes. He left, then returned and still stood and absorbed the radiance, peace, wisdom emanating from her. The icon was simply amazing. The faces are at the same time calm, at the same time pensive and tragic... The poses in which both the idea of Divine power and hidden power are expressed, as well as peacefulness, absolute coordination of all plans and actions between the characters. And what color is the icon! The icon is written almost on a white (slightly yellowish) background. This is the color of the Divine radiance, the light of Tabor, the light of the Divine presence. Paints are superimposed in layers: another was superimposed on one, the next on top of it. Then more and more. With this technique, the master achieved the fact that from under one pictorial layer another shone through and the icon acquired volume, became as if alive. And note how few unnecessary details ... The icon is not overloaded by a milligram. I mean other icons of the Trinity of this type. On them is Abraham meeting travelers, and Sarah, and a bull, and something else. Not so with Rublev. The absolute minimum of characters and items. Asceticism, forcing all attention to focus on the figures that seem to soar on it in peace, strength, love and harmony. (By the way, the figures are inscribed in an invisible circle, which subconsciously introduces us into some special rhythm and mode of perception of the icon.) And pay attention to the table in front of which the Angels are sitting. It looks like a coffin, the coffin in which Christ was placed after death . However, this coffin is filled with light. Why? It shines with the Easter light of the Resurrection.
And ... however, let's stop.
This icon is truly a window into another world, from which something sparkled for us sinners. And, flashing, it did not go out, but by the hand of the ascetic and prayer book, St. Andrew turned out to be fixed and left to us.
Photography is allowed in the Tretyakov Gallery (without flash). This allowed me to take interesting pictures, which I have already shared with you. So today, besides a few other photographs of icons, I am pleased to present you the Rublev icon of the Trinity in high resolution. In such a resolution that you can, by increasing it, consider some details ...
Today I want to talk to you about this wonderful icon. Let's try to unravel its main secret, namely: we will try to determine, Who is Who on the icon. After all, if the three depicted Angels show us the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, then Andrew knew which of the Angels he meant by the Father, who by the Son, who by the Holy Spirit, right?
... Once, when I served in Kazan cathedral Petersburg, I witnessed an unusual dispute. There, by the altar, hangs a copy of Rublev's Trinity. And then one day a dispute broke out among the priests: which of the Angels depicted on the icon, according to the plan of Andrei Rublev, is the Father, who is the Son, and who is the Holy Spirit. We agreed that no one can say for sure. " Since Andrei Rublev did not inscribe who is who, by doing so he gave a hint: any Angel can be interpreted as any of the Persons of the Holy Trinity' said one priest. After a pause, they agreed with him. And what to do, there is no other answer ...
Is there really no answer? Or do we just not know it?
But before we reflect on this, I would like to ask you to carefully look at the icon and think about this: Which of the Persons depicted on this icon is the Father? Who is the Son? Who is the Holy Spirit?
Now let's talk about it.
When I stood in front of the icon and thought about it, I was amazed how the features of the Son were recognized by me first in one, then in another Angel. What's the matter? Surely we cannot have two or three Sons of God?
Icons depicting the plot of the appearance of the Three Angels (in fact, the Three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity) to Abraham are known before and after Andrei Rublev. But inscriptions over halos (that is, explanations of where the Father is, where the Son is, and where the Holy Spirit is) are extremely rare. These are isolated cases. No real master has such an inscription, because it is contrary to theology. As a revelation of the indescribable Trinity God, the appearance to Abraham can only be conveyed symbolically, in the form of three impersonal Angels.
At the Stoglav Moscow Cathedral of 1551, this was confirmed by the following words: At the Holy Trinity, they write crosshairs (in halos): others for the middle one, and others for all three. And in old icons and in Greek they sign “Holy Trinity”, and no one writes crosshairs. And some sign at the middle “IC XC Holy Trinity”. So, we command: painters paint icons from ancient samples, as Greek painters painted and as Andrei Rublev and others wrote, and sign “Holy Trinity”. And from your intention do nothing"(Russian translation)
Let me remind you that the crosshair is a “cross halo”. It is written only on the icons of Jesus Christ.
The cited document of the Council states that it is possible to draw a crossed halo either at the central Angel, or at all three. That is, it turns out that Jesus Christ, besides Himself, is both the Father and the Spirit.
But it is impossible to specify separately: Father or Spirit. The whole Mystery of the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity is revealed to us only by the Son - the Lord Jesus Christ.
All this is true, “... and yet in the Rublev icon, these Persons, symbolized by Angels, seem to strive for their personal manifestation: Their images are not devoid of a known, albeit “veiled”, specificity in the expression of hypostatic relationships and therefore can be “defined” if not as an unequivocal religious "God-transparent" given, which, of course, is impossible, then at least as a given, artistic and symbolic. Apophatically recognizing in general any convention of any image of the Most Holy Trinity, the human soul, so to speak, at the cataphatic level, nevertheless strives to at least touch - through the revelation of "artistic God-vision" - the Divine-Personal mystery of the Trinitarian God ... "( deac. G. Malkov)
This is true. So I, standing in the Tretyakov Gallery in front of the icon of the Trinity, tried to guess: Which of these Angels, according to the plan of St. Andrei Rublev, portrays the Father? Who is the Son? Who is the Holy Spirit?
Briefly, the options for attempts at such identification of Persons (with an indication of the supporters of certain options) can be presented as follows (specialists who own research on this issue, or authoritative theologians are listed):
1st option:to the left (from the viewer) - God the Son, in the center - God the Father, to the right - the Holy Spirit scientific activity, N.M. Tarabukin, P. Evdokimov, N.A. Demina, A. Vanzhe, G.I. Vzdornov, Prot. A. Vetelev);
2nd option: to the left (from the viewer) - God the Father, in the center - God the Son, to the right - the Holy Spirit (N. Malitsky, V.N. Lazarev, M.V. Alpatov, V.I. Antonova, monk-icon painter Grigory (Circle), L. A. Uspensky and V. N. Lossky, R. Mainka, K. Onash, G. von Hebler, archpriest L. Voronov, archpriest A. Saltykov, E.S. Smirnova);
3rd option: on the left - God the Father, in the center - the Holy Spirit, on the right - God the Son (archbishop Sergius (Golubtsov), L. Küppers, archpriest I. Tsvetkov);
4th option: on the left - the Holy Spirit, in the center - God the Father, on the right - God the Son (Archbishop Sergius (Golubtsov), L. Muller).
The last two interpretations (3rd and 4th variants) are extremely subjective and do not stand up to serious criticism: in fact, there are no generally accepted traditions behind them - neither theological nor iconographic.
In general, the question boils down to this (if you dare to ask it) - who is depicted St. Andrew (according to the plan of the icon painter) in the center of the icon: God the Father or God the Son?
By identifying Who is depicted in the center, we may get a clue to the question of Who is on the right and Who is on the left of the central figure.
The secret is that the ancient icon painters (and Andrei Rublev and others), indeed, depicting the Father or the Holy Spirit, portrayed Them through the prism of the image of the Son of God.
We remember the famous words: No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed"(John 1:18). Or another: to the request of the Apostle Philip to show him the Father, Jesus answered: He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say: show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?» (John 14:9-10).
That is why the Angel, depicting the Father, was drawn with the features of the Son, the Son reveals the Father to us ... Here you have the old Russian darkness and simplicity, as you sometimes hear ...
The Angel of Rublev's "Trinity" to the right of the viewer is undoubtedly the Holy Spirit. Most researchers of the icon agree with this.
“In the center (and symbolically this is quite justified) the image of the Father is revealed to us, but His image is artistically chastely “replaced” and represented by the “angel-like” image of the Son: therefore, the central Angel is depicted in the canonical robe of the Savior for icon painting - in a cherry tunic and blue himation .
But at the same time, this symbolically manifested Angel - as the Father Himself, implied by the image of the Son - blesses the sacrificial cup of the Son with the Holy Lamb (for The Son is "Bringer and Offered”- in accordance with the words of the secret prayer of the Cherubic Hymn at the Liturgy of the Faithful). Moreover, this Angel, as it were, is inquiringly and invitingly addressed to the Angel, located on his right shoulder, that is, to the actual image of the Son, the "altar-throne" Father. And here it would be quite appropriate to recall the words of the Psalmist: "Sit at the right (that is, on the right) of Me, until I make Your enemies Your footstool" (Ps. 109, 1), or, for example, a kind of variation on the same theme by the Apostle Paul - his words about the Son, Who “sat at the right hand of the throne” (Heb. 1:3).
The Son is "Bring and Offered". We need to clarify what these words mean. There were disputes in Byzantium: To which of the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity is the Eucharistic Sacrifice offered during the celebration of the Liturgy? Is it only to God the Father, or, for example, also to God the Son? The theologians answered thus: and to God the Son too. How so? Does He really sacrifice Himself to Himself? Yes. And this is precisely what the prayer read secretly by the priest during the singing of the Cherubic Hymn says: “Thou art the offerer and the one offered…” That is, You are both the One Who offers and the One to Whom this Sacrifice is offered.
This left angel, directly representing the Son, “before all the ages” who agrees in everything with the will of the Father (or rather, the entire Holy Trinity) about the need to sacrifice Himself for the fallen human race, restrainedly - quiveringly cautiously and humbly - also blesses the expiatory Eucharistic cup, thereby expressing His readiness to suffer "for the life of the world" ... " (deacon G. Malkov)
Just this reflection on the mystery of the icon of the Holy Trinity reveals a huge layer of Orthodox theology:
A. Christ voluntarily offers Himself as a Sacrifice for the salvation of mankind.
B. He brings Himself to the whole Trinity and to Himself as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.
IN. His Sacrifice is the fulfillment of the will of the Father. However, the Son Himself has power over His Life. As He said: I have the power to give it (life) and I have the power to take it again» (John 10:17-18). Thus His sacrifice is a voluntary act. In this sense, we can say that He, together with the Father, blesses Himself sacrificial death. ( On the icon, we just see that the Angel, sitting to the left of the viewer, and we determined that this is the Son, folded the fingers of his right hand in a blessing gesture.)
What left (to the viewer) Angel is the Son of God, can be understood by His clothes, which are, in fact, purple, the clothes of a martyr. This crimson glows with heavenly light, because He who suffered and died for us is also resurrected and transfigured.
G. The work of redemption, accomplished by the Son, is not just a private fact of history - it is the work of fulfilling God's Plan for the world, that the holy fathers, after St. Paul, was called the Dispensation of our salvation. The fact that the Son fulfilled the work of God's economy is hinted at by the house behind him.
There is much more that could be said, but we will end here. Look also at the beautiful icon of St. Andrei Rublev. Now you and I know which of the Angels on the icon depicts the Father, who - the Son and who - the Holy Spirit.
Priest Konstantin Parkhomenko
Target. Raising a sense of pride in the Fatherland.
Andrey Rublev "Trinity"
Education of spiritual and moral qualities.
Tasks. To consider the icon of Andrey Rublev from the point of view of the features of the composition and color scheme.
In 2015, Holy Trinity Day will be celebrated on May 31st. This is a great Christian holiday.
The icon "Trinity" was painted around 1411 by one of the holy disciples of St. Sergius of Radonezh Andrei Rublev (1370-1430) and is located in Moscow in the Tretyakov Gallery. The icon was painted at a time when Rus' was under the yoke of the Mongol-Tatars, and the Russian princes were constantly at war with each other. There was no agreement between them, which further weakened Rus'.
The icon painter managed to achieve the impression of agreement, peace, harmony. Let's answer the question: how did he do it?
Consider the features of the composition.
On the icon we see Three Angels sitting side by side. They leaned towards each other. The side figures are equidistant from the central figure.
This approach is calledsymmetry .
Already from this moment, amazing beauty begins, filling the icon with miraculous light.
The fact is that among the ancient peoples, including Christians,number three associated with the circle - a symbol of life.
We see the repeatability of the circle shape:
around the faces of the Angels (halo circles),
in a sacrificial bowl
in a circle on the table formed by the knees of the Angels.
Let's move on to the color scheme of the icon.
Let's start with the fact that the ancient peoples divided the entire universe into two worlds:
the world of God and the world of Man.
These 2 worlds oppose each other in the Christian religious art. Each of these worlds has its own objects, numbers, colors. Therefore, it was not by chance that they were chosen by monk Andreicolors on the icon.
In the clothes of all Angels is foundBlue colour . Blue meant divinity, faith, fidelity.
Chiton of the central angelbrown colors.
A brown chiton can only be worn by an Angel, which embodies the divine and earthly principles, because.brown - This is a mixture of blue (divine) and red (earthly color).
Red - the earthly human color meant fire, courage, honesty, beauty.
The central angel is Jesus Christ, the son of God and the earthly woman Mary.
He is God the Son and belongs to two worlds: Divine and human.
The chitons of the lateral angles are blue. They belong to the divine heavenly world.
Left Angel in a pink cloak. Pink - it is white and red.
White color - this is the sinlessness of life, purity, peace, truth, goodness.
Red is an earth color. This Angel is the creator of the earthly world.
He is God the Father.
Right Angel in a green cloak.
Green - the color of unfading youth in every person.
It's God - the Holy Spirit.
Behind the back of God the Father rises a building, another indication that it was by his will with pure, sinless thoughts that the WORLD was created.
Above God the Son we see an evergreen tree. The evergreen tree is a symbol eternal life given to humanity by Jesus Christ, who died for us all.
Above God the Holy Spirit, we see a mountain (a symbol of lofty thoughts), reaching into the heavenly heights, from where the Holy Spirit descends on us.
The crowns above the heads of the Angels shine with gold, their wings are also golden.Golden color among the ancient Christians, it is a symbol of the Eternal God.
The faces of the Angels are similar, because they are representatives of the one God. And yet they are different, because. express different features one God:
God the Father is the creator, the basis of everything,
God the Son is the embodiment of conscience, ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of Humanity,
God the Holy Spirit. Each person is alive by the strength of the spirit that is in him.
The icon depicts the moment when God the Son demonstrated his readiness to suffer for Humanity and blessed the cup with his blood, which will be shed in the future.
Conclusion.
With the help of symmetry, repeatability of the circle shape and color solution, the icon painter managed to achieve the impression of agreement, peace, harmony.
The images of three beautiful Angels with their whole appearance express enlightened kindness, peace, spirituality of thought. Together, the Angels embody the spiritual perfection that every person should strive for.
The plot of the famous icon by Andrei Rublev is based on the 18th chapter of the book of Genesis, which tells about the appearance of the elderly forefathers Abraham and Sarah, near their tent near the oak forest of Mamre, three luminous men. Abraham received extraordinary travelers, bowed and washed their feet, ordered them to slaughter the best calf and bake unleavened bread for refreshment, so that the hearts of travelers would be strengthened. Angels predicted to Abraham and Sarah the miraculous, contrary to nature, the birth of their son Isaac, from whom the Lord will make the people of Israel. An extraordinary event took place here, corresponding to the importance of what is happening - under the guise of Wandering Angels, the Trinity Deity itself appeared to Abraham.
This story has been purchased special meaning for the Christian Church after the adoption of the II Ecumenical Council(381) the dogma of the trinity of the Deity and became one of the most key in iconography. “The image of the Old Testament Trinity began to be regarded as a demonstration of the unity of the three Persons, the equivalence and consubstantiality and at the same time the difference in their hypostases. In the New Testament tradition, Abraham's meal is a prototype of the future atoning sacrifice and the Eucharistic meal. Therefore, the appearance of the three Angels to Abraham and the eating of the lamb by them ... is perceived in the context of the cosmic economy of the Lord and the eternal council of the Trinity about the destinies of the world and mankind.
It is impossible for a person to comprehend the mystery of the Holy Trinity. One can only imagine abstractly, by analogy with the familiar and understandable, or figuratively through the image. One equals three - so "mathematically" you can express this secret. The unity of thought, word and spirit that fills thought, word and action - this is how the properties inherent in the Holy Trinity are manifested in a person's personality. The most graphic and dogmatically correct Pre-Eternal Council of the Holy Trinity is expressed in Andrei Rublev's icon "Trinity", which will be discussed.
In it everything is transcendental and everything is spiritual. It is no coincidence that everyday details of the plot are omitted. Sarah and Abraham are taken out of the image, and a few details that fill the space of the icon compositionally make the image symbolically significant and unusually accurate. This allows you to focus on the most essential, defining the theological idea of the coming transformation of every creature and the universe on the basis of unity and harmony. The composition and depicted details on the icon have an applied, descriptive meaning and at the same time contain a deep spiritual meaning.
Composition
The compositional center of the icon is a bowl with the head of a sacrificial lamb, standing in the center of the table. In the light of the Gospel, it symbolizes the Eucharistic chalice with the New Testament Lamb - Christ. The table means an altar, i.e. Calvary, and at the same time the throne, i.e. tomb of the Lord. It is no coincidence that the cup is compositionally connected with the central Angel (Son), dressed in the clothes of Christ, blessing the cup and submissively accepting the will of the Father (left Angel). It is interesting that the spatial form around the figure of the central Angel, formed by the silhouettes of two other Angels on either side of it, is also read as a silhouette of a bowl, which once again indicates the special significance of the hypostasis of the central Angel - only Christ can be compositionally located inside the chalice-chalice. The gaze from the center, bypassing the silhouettes of the figures, smoothly slides in a circle, starting from the central Angel up, then down clockwise, then up again - stops at the left Angel. The Left Angel-Father blesses the sacrificial cup with his right hand, looking at the Angels facing him, and directs our gaze again to the center, to the cup. “The gesture of the right Angel (Holy Spirit) completes the symbolic conversation between the Father and the Son, affirming the high meaning of sacrificial love, and comforts the Son doomed to sacrifice.” The compositional circle, in which the image is naturally inscribed, symbolically emphasizes the cosmological significance of the plot. The circle symbolizes Eternity and the Universe, it is the initial form formed from the movement of a point around the geometric center. Around the compositional and semantic center of the icon - the sacrificial cup!
Symbolism of descriptive details
The elements of the staffing of the composition have an illustrative meaning of describing the place of the event: “And the Lord appeared to him (Abraham) at the oak forest of Mamre, when he was sitting at the entrance to the tent during the heat of the day” (i.e., next to the house in the shade of an oak tree growing nearby). Therefore, these elements are a tree, a house and a rock (as an indication of a deserted place).
Symbolically, these elements reveal their semantic content in the light of the purpose and purpose of the divine-human co-creation in the world created by God. The chambers are an image of the Lord's economy. The tree is the tree of eternal life, bestowed by the Holy Spirit through the sacrifice of the cross. It is no coincidence that it is located to the left of the right Angel - the Holy Spirit and behind the back of the central Angel-Son, born into the world and crucified in it on a tree. The rock is an image of spiritual ascent and Golgotha. It is also interesting that the staffs that the Angels hold in their hands will be left to Abraham and a tree will grow out of them (thanks to Lot, who watered them with water from the Jordan). This tree will be rejected during the construction of the First Temple, but it will be useful for making a cross on which our Lord Jesus Christ will be crucified.
Symbolism of color
The main meaning of the color scheme of the icon is the "Favor" luminosity, "...because the contemplated Deity was a picture of the heavenly mountain world, the icon painter, with the help of paints, sought to convey the sublime "heavenly" beauty that opened to the earthly gaze ... The symbolism of color in the icon is especially noticeable in the leading sound of blue-blue, called "Rublev's cabbage rolls". Blue, along with maroon, has always been the color of the Mother of God.
I would like to note that the absence of Abraham and Sarah in the icon means only, as mentioned above, their removal from the image, that is, their invisible presence in the plot remains hidden. Everyone standing in front of the icon stands in the place of the Old Testament forefathers and makes them visible to our sensual eyes! This makes one involuntarily think about what we bring to the Divinity that has appeared to us, do we correspond to the forefathers and to Him spiritually? Will this offering be cold indifference and enmity to God, or love and mercy, conquering “the fear of the hateful strife of this world”, in the end, are we able, following the forefather Abraham, to sacrifice at least a little for God, for our neighbor or for the visitor? us alien?
Prepared by V. Anshon
12 biblical symbols encrypted in "Trinity" by Andrey Rublev
Improvisation is a risky business: one can be accused of heresy. However, "Trinity" is a vivid example of a violation of church canons. Instead of the traditional multi-figured meal scene in Abraham's house, Andrei Rublev depicted a conversation between three angels about how to save the world. Now the icon is considered a masterpiece, and its author is canonized
1
BOWL. This is the center of the composition - a symbol of the suffering of Christ, to which he will go to atone for the sins of mankind (the blood of Jesus crucified on the cross will be collected in the cup). The contours of the figures of the side angels also form the outlines of the bowl.
2 calf head. The symbol of the sacrifice of God the Son.
3 GOD THE FATHER. According to the German art critic Ludolf Müller, “The Father, as “the beginning and cause of everything,” as the first among equals, wears the signs of power: in addition to the central position, this is the purple color of the clothes and the golden stripe over the right shoulder.” By tilting his head towards the left angel, the Holy Spirit, God the Father, as it were, asks the question that the prophet Isaiah heard in his revelation: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us [for an atoning sacrifice]?” At the same time, he brings two fingers to the cup, folded in a sign of blessing.
4 AZURE ROBES. A symbol of the unearthly essence of God the Father (as well as other persons of the Trinity).
5 SCEPTER. A symbol of power (everyone sitting at the table has it).
6 WOOD. In traditional iconography, it was the Oak of Mamre, under which Abraham rested. Rublev's oak turns into a tree of life, which God planted in Eden.
7 GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. In response to the question of God the Father, the Holy Spirit fixes his gaze and raises his right hand towards the angel sitting opposite, that is, towards God the Son. It is both a gesture of blessing and a gesture of command. As Metropolitan Hilarion wrote in his Confession of Faith (XI century), the Holy Spirit wants the Son to walk the path of suffering, and at the same time blesses this path.
8 SCARLET CLOTHES. This is an allusion to biblical story when the Holy Spirit in the form of flames descended on the apostles.
9 BUILDING symbolizes christian church called the house of the Holy Spirit.
10 GOD SON. His humbly lowered head and gaze directed at the sacrificial bowl testify to his readiness to fulfill the assigned mission. Right hand Christ is already lifted up to take the cup of suffering. “In the position of his legs,” says culturologist Vadim Lankin, “one can notice a hint of the dynamics of getting up: the cloak is gathered together, and its lower edge rises slightly, is selected, revealing a readiness to get up and go into the world.”
11 GREEN HIMATE(a cape over a chiton) - a symbol of the earthly world, where Christ will descend. The combination of azure and green in the clothes of God the Son symbolizes his dual nature: divine and human.
12 MOUNTAIN. This is a symbol of the redemption of the fallen world, a prototype of Golgotha, which Jesus is destined to ascend.
IN Old Testament There is a story about how the forefather Abraham received the Lord. In the midday heat, ninety-nine-year-old Abraham sat near his tent under the greenery of the Mamrian oak forest. Suddenly he saw three travelers, in whom he quickly recognized the Almighty and two angels. The owner invited the wanderers to rest and refresh themselves. The servants washed the guests' feet, and Abraham's wife Sarah baked bread. The owner of the house himself chose the best calf and ordered it to be slaughtered. At the meal, the Lord predicted to Abraham that in a year a son would be born to him, from whom the people of the Jews would go - "great and strong."
In Christianity, this story, called "Hospitality of Abraham", was interpreted somewhat differently: not only the Lord Yahweh (Judaism does not know a trinity deity) accompanied by two companions appeared to Abraham, but the entire Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit , - and not in the form of wanderers, but in the form of angels. Therefore, Christians also call the meal in the house of Abraham the "Old Testament Trinity."
This plot was very popular with medieval icon painters: three angels, the figures of Abraham and Sarah, a set table, a servant cutting a calf - in general, an illustration of the biblical text. At the beginning of the 15th century, Andrei Rublev also turned to the topic: he was asked to paint an image for the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery (at the moment the icon is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery). However, something quite special came out from under the brush.
Rublev abandoned the depiction of everyday details and focused on the figures of angels, personifying the three divine faces. The artist depicted them talking: the world is mired in evil, whom will we send to suffering in order to atone for human sins? This question is asked by the central angel (God the Father) to the left angel (Holy Spirit). “I will go,” answers the right angel, Christ. Thus, before our eyes, the scene of blessing for the atoning sacrifice for the sake of people unfolds. St. Petersburg art historian Vladimir Frolov is sure that this is how Rublev wanted to reveal the eternal law of the universe - the sacrifice of divine love. “The absence of additional details,” says the scholar, “has exposed the idea and does not allow us to be distracted by the plot of the biblical event.”
|
ARTIST
OK. 1360- Born in the Moscow principality or Novgorod the Great, probably in the family of an artisan. |
