The exhibition “Icons painted by the masters of the Tsar’s court in the 17th century” from the collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums was opened in the House of the Father Superior on April 26. Mikhail Sharomazov, the director of the museum-reserve, said words of welcome to the audience. Elena Morshakova, the head of the science department of the Armory Chamber spoke in the name of the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “The Moscow Kremlin”. Elena Gagarina, the executive director of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, said:
“The State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “The Moscow Kremlin” possesses a unique collection of icons, among them there are many icons painted by the masters of the Tsar’s court in the 17th century. The most significant icons are exposed in this exhibition.
The school of the icon-painters of the Armory Chamber had a considerable impact on the development of the Russian art and culture in the 17th century. These masters created a new style combining the traditions of the Moscow art of the previous centuries and new methods of icon-painting and elements of the West-European art. The tsar’s icon-painters executed commissions of the Tsar’s court. The 17th century was the time of reconstruction and decoration of churches. The Assumption and Archangel’s Cathedral and the Church of Laying Our Lady’s Holy Robe were decorated under the guidance of the leading artists. The decoration of the churches of the Terem and Patriarch’s Palaces was repainted. New iconostases for most of the Kremlin churches were created by the icon-painters of the Tsar’s court. The exhibition makes possible to collect the icons painted by masters of the same circle at the same time, to give an idea of the icon-painting of the 17th century and to show the unique individual peculiarities of icon-painting of the leading masters of the Armory Chamber, Simon Ushakov, Fedor Zubov, Kirill Ulanov and others.
The scientific employees and restorers of the Moscow Kremlin Museums prepared this exhibition during several years. Some icons restored in the museum workshops last years are exposed for the first time. We hope that this exhibition will represent the collection of icons of the Moscow Kremlin Museums in an appropriate manner and will interest experts and amateurs of the Old Russian art”
Exhibition “Icons painted by the masters of the Tsar’s court in the 17th century” will be opened until September 2, 2012
