An exhibition of unique 14th-century Italian icons opened in the Hermitage

ST. PETERSBURG. On May 18, an exhibition opened in the Apollon Hall of the Winter Palace, dedicated to the end of twenty years of work on the restoration of a unique XIV century icon, made by craftsmen from Italy. The icon depicts the Madonna and Child, surrounded by scenes from the gospel.

This kind of icons It is called "everyday icons", Byzantine icon painters began to write them. Then they began to spread in Italy, in the XIII-XIV centuries becoming very popular in Tuscany. Obviously, the Byzantine type of the Mother of God was the model for the author of the icon, but a combination of pastel colors was used in her writing, which is not characteristic of the traditions of Byzantine painting. Pink and blue shades, gold finish, gave the icon a bright and joyful appearance.

The icon came to Russia from Florence, where it was acquired by Nikolai Petrovich Likhachev. Then, among his collection, she was transferred to the Russian Museum. Then in 1923 the icon entered the collection The Hermitage but before this exhibition it wasn’t shown to the public.

Only now, after restoration work that began in 1992, through the painstaking work of the talented restorer Tamara Dmitrievna Chizhova, the icon acquired a look worthy of showing to connoisseurs of painting. Restoration work was carried out in such a way as to best preserve the painting of the author.

There were about ten layers of late layers, many details were hidden. After the restoration, the color of the face of the Madonna changed, turning from brown to light, pink. The previously invisible parts of the throne appeared, and the wings of the angels radically changed not only the color, but also the location.

The author of the icon is still unknown. At a time when this work was completed, such paintings were not accepted for signing.

Ludmila Trautmane © Gallerix.ru