The exhibition “Iconostasis of the Transfiguration Church of 1595” was opened in the Treasury Chamber of the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve on December 20. Twenty-three icons, carved pieces of the iconostasis and images from the other churches of the monastery are displayed in two halls.
The iconostasis of the Church of Transfiguration consisted of four tiers of icons that were placed on horizontal transoms: local, Deesis, festival and prophets’. All images, except for the festival tier, were painted before 1595. At present there are 43 icons in the iconostasis, 23 of them date back to the 16 century when the church was constructed.
The Church of Transfiguration has two internal piers. It was built on the model of the gate Church of St. John Climacus erected earlier. Inexperienced stonemasons of the monastery evidently constructed it. They had carried out only secondary construction work before and had gained professional experience under the direction of the Rostov architects erecting buildings in the monastery.
Restoration of the iconostasis of the Church of Transfiguration started in the 1960s. It was opened for visitors in 1985. At present the church is being restored again and it has been decided to present its icons in the Treasury Chamber.
Visitors will be able to see the new exhibition during the whole year of 2015.
