Composition Peculiarities of the Main Iconostasis of the Church of St John the Warrior in Yakimanka Street

Abstract

This article considers the history of the composition transformation of the baroque iconostasis created in the early 18 th century by Moscow icon painters of the Armoury of the Moscow Kremlin for the Church of the Three Holy Hierarchs located by the Red Gate in Moscow until 1928. Referring to the results of research work and archival search, analysis and comparison of documents and archival photographs, as well as inventories of the 18 th , 19 th , and 20 th centuries and other documents that are still kept in the archive of St John the Warrior’s Church, the author determines the date when the main iconostasis and all the icons it contained, some other icons, books and church plate belonging to the parish of the Church of the Three Holy Hierarchs were transferred to the Museum Fund, the Church of St John the Warrior in Yakimanka Street, the Church of SS Peter and Paul in Basmannaya Street, and the Museum of the 18 th Century and other museums of Moscow and Moscow Region. The article makes an attempt to determine the period in which the iconostasis was created, reflecting the main issues connected with the change in the composition of the main iconostasis, revealing the missing parts and putting forward a hypothesis about the icons that could have made part of the iconostasis. Additionally, the author tries to attribute the icons which make part of the iconostasis but do not have a signature. Referring to archival findings and research carried out, and analysis of archival documents and photographs, the author reconstructs the main iconostasis of the Church of the Three Holy Hierarchs by the Red Gate before the iconostasis was disassembled and taken to the Church of St John the Warrior in Yakimanka Street. The article clarifies the author’s concept and composition of the iconostasis, and attempts to establish the period of its creation and the reasons that led to the transfer of the icons and the resulting change of its size and composition.