The exhibition of Old Russian Painting at the State Tretyakov Gallery originates from P.M. Tretyakov's collection, although Russian icons originally accounted for a relatively small share of his amassed works. The number of icons increased considerably in the 1920s-1930s, when the gallery received the collections of I.S. Ostroukhov, A.V. Morozov, S.P. Ryabushinsky and A.E. Anisimov, as well as those of other collectors and connoisseurs of antique Russian art. It is during these two decades that large-scale work was conducted to discover and study pieces in churches and monasteries, many of which came to the Tretyakov Gallery after they had been restored.
The efforts of the researchers and restorers provided the gallery with one of the most extensive collections of Russian icons from the 12th and early 13th centuries. Most of them came from the Moscow Kremlin's Assumption Cathedral which had housed the oldest and most famous icons from all over Russia since the 16th century. These include the icon of
"The Ustyug Annunciation" (1130-1140, Novgorod), "The Saviour Made Without Hands" (second half of the 12th century, Novgorod), "The Deesis : Our Saviour, Our Lady and John the Baptist" (early 13th century, Vladimir-Suzdal Russia), "The Saviour Emmanuel with Archangels" (late 12th century, Vladimir-Suzdal Russia) and the famous miracle-working icon "The
Virgin of Vladimir" (early 12th century, Constantinople). The oldest works also include mosaics from the Mikhailovsky Golden Domed monastery in Kiev that was destroyed in 1936. They clearly demonstrate how from the outset Russian painting followed the common aesthetic and ideological principles of the Orthodox world that had formed in Byzantium. This
often came as the result of collaboration between Russian and Greek masters and the great number of Byzantine icons sent to Russia at that time.
The devastation of Constantinople by the Crusaders in 1204 and the Mongol-Tartar invasion of Russia led to a wide gap emerging in the cultural unity of the Orthodox world. However, the forced isolation of Russian art proved to be one of the most important factors influencing the independent evolution of national artistic schools. It is in the second half of the 13th century that such major artistic centres as Novgorod, Pskov and Central Russia, acquire some independence. Their specific features can be clearly seen in Novgorod and Pskov icons dating from the14th -15th centuries: "The Trinity
with the Saints" (early 15th century, Novgorod), "The Battle between the Novgorodians and Suzdalians (Miracle of the Icon of Our Lady of the Sign)" (mid 15th century, Novgorod), "Assembly of Our Lady" (late 14th - early 15th century, Pskov).
The early 14th century brings with it social and cultural upheaval to Russia mainly associated with the decline of the Mongol-Tartar yoke, the rise of Moscow and the gathering of Russian lands around it. This restores traditional ties with Byzantium to their former significance. Now Moscow becomes the main centre connecting Russian culture with the spiritual and artistic achievements of 14th century Byzantine art. Copies of the most famous Byzantine icons are sent to Moscow ("The Virgin Hodegetria of Pimen", 1380s, Constantinople, for example), while Byzantine masters work here, including
Theophanes the Greek. At the same time, Moscow icons from the 14th -15th centuries clearly show the features of local traditions: integrity, inherent clarity, softened intonation and a certain animation in the image.
Both of the above mentioned traditions combine to develop the creative work of venerable Andrei Rublyov. The Tretyakov's collection includes this famous icon painter's most celebrated works: the icons from the Zvenigorod Tier ("The Saviour", "Archangel Michael" and "The Apostle Paul", all early 15th century) and "The Trinity" (1425-1427) from the Trinity Cathedral at the St Sergius and Trinity Monastery. New features that appear in Russian art by the late 15th century are amply demonstrated in the works of another famous Moscow icon painter, Dionysius.
A special place in the Tretyakov Gallery's collection is reserved for painting from the late Middle Ages, or the 16th -17th centuries. This period is distinguished by the sophisticated nature of the icon's theological content that is encapsulated by the emergence of new symbolic themes ("Blessed Be the Host of the King of Heaven...", 1550s, Moscow). From the middle of the 17th century the aesthetic language of Russian icon painting gradually departs from traditional canonic and medieval aesthetic norms. Although artists consistently base their work on old pieces, new features become widespread: in terms of composition, they assume elements of the direct perspective, while in terms of painting, the artist strives to provide his depiction of the face on the icon with volume, light and shade (i.e. life-likeness). The most important part in this process is played by aesthetic ideas embodied in the creative work of Simon Ushakov and other masters of the Moscow Armoury.
