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

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

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.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

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.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

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