Olga Ilina and Alexander Ilin are ones of the most famous collectors in Russia.
The first exhibit is the icon with the images of six Saints of the Catalonian painting school of the XVth century. Catalonia is situated in the north-east of Spain. The Catalonian painting school was the most progressive branch of the Spain culture of the XIV-XVth centuries. The peculiarities of the historical development of Catalonia, its local art traditions and the trade and culture relations with France, Italia and the Netherlands were the preconditions of the flowering of the Catalonian painting school. The sources of that school were Romanesque church paintings of the XI-XIIIth centuries. It was under the influence of the Siennese and Florentine painting schools. The masters of the Catalonian school made altars. Nowadays those altars are the remarkable masterpieces in the Ilins’ collection.
The covers made of various materials at different times are displayed at the exhibition. The most of the covers have marks with the name of master and the date.
The rare exhibit is the bronze ruble of the ÕVIII th century.
Cast copper objects are also very interesting. Copper casting art is the decorative art. In Russia copper was used for casting crosses, icons, amulets because they believed in the healthiness of copper. After the establishment of Christianity in Russia cast copper icons and crosses were very popular in churches. It is explained by simplicity of technology, cheapness of copper and a great demand. For casting they used bronze (alloy of copper and tin) and brass (alloy of copper and zinc).
Copper casting art appeared in Kiev in the XI-XIII th centuries. Velikiy Novgorod became the leading centre of copper casting art in the XIV-XV th centuries. They began to make cast copper objects in Moscow and in the Central Russia in the XVII th century. Cast copper icons and crosses were produced and purchased mainly by the Old Believers. But few objects of the XVII th century have come down to us. Perhaps it is explained by Peter the Great’s decree “On Prohibiting the Usage of Carved and Cast icons in Churches and Private Homes” as of 1722-1723.
Copper casting art formed the unique cultural layer concerned with the orthodox religious art. Art casting was always allied to the icon-painting, it has the same subjects and the same iconography.
