May 14, 2001

Andrey Rublev


Andrey Rublev

Little is known about the life of this Russian painter and iconographer. His life spanned, roughly, the years 1360 - 1430. It is difficult to positively identify works to Rublev as Russian painters, especially iconographers, did not sign their work until the 1600's. Historians have had to rely on written testimony and the study of the artist's unique style to determine which works belong to Rublev.

Rublev became a monk in the latter part of his life. He, first, entered St. Sergius Lavra and later moved to Andronikov Monastery in Moscow. As a painter, he was associated with Theophanes the Greek {the immigrant master from Constantinople} as a student and/or assistant. Written documentation provides no doubt that Rublev was the author of the famous Old Testament Trinity icon which resided in the Holy Trinity Cathedral at St. Sergius and now is housed in the State Tretyakov Gallery, in Moscow.

"Our Lady of Vladimir"Rublev was tutored in the Byzantine style of icon painting. The emphasis was on the spiritual essence of the work rather than the accuracy of proportions.

The Byzantine style of the 1300's had become less harsh and more intimate. Both of these characteristics are seen in Our Lady of Vladimir, above, which is an early Rublev work.

Rublev quickly developed a style of his own. To the softer impressions of the 14th century Byzantine method, he added something that is uniquely Russian; a mystical, spiritual sense of not being of this world. Rublev's deep, rich colors, gentle lines and faces which seem to gaze, lovingly, at us from heaven itself are what sets him apart from all other iconographers.Other works attributed to Rublev include the Feasts of the Church tier of the iconostasis in the Cathedral of the Annuciation {Moscow}, various icons and frescos in the Assumption Cathedral {Vladimir} and wall paintings done during the early 1400's at the Dormition Cathedral {Vladimir}.

The importance and significance of the Holy Trinity icon lies in Old Testament context. The Trinity includes God the Father, God the Son {Jesus Christ} and God the Holy Spirit. In western thought, the Trinity is generally associated with the New Testament, after the appearance of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Rublev portrayed a very Eastern Orthodox bit of theology in his icon. In Orthodoxy, the Trinity is believed to have been in existence from the time of Creation. Rublev's Holy Trinity represents the guests of Abraham and Sarah {Genesis 18:2-15} who announced that Sarah would bear a child in her old age. Many Westerners consider this threesome to have been God and two angels.

The other interesting point about Rublev's icon is the three figures appear as relative equals of the same age. Again, many Western paintings of the Trinity depict God the Father as an elderly man and the Son and Spirit as much younger. This further displays the difference in theology on the issue of the appearance of the individuals of the Trinity.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955