Icon-Painting Workshop of the Solovetsky Monastery. 17th - Early 20th Century

Abstract

Founded in 1429, the Solovetsky Monastery has throughout several centuries preserved and maintained the traditions of Russian icon painting in the North. In its iconpainting chamber (the building was constructed in 1615), new iconostases were created and icons from the churches of the monastery and patrimonial lands in Pomorie were repaired. In the 17th century, 45 icon painters worked on Solovki in different years, among them were monks, monastery servants, and “trudniks” (lay workers). In the 18th century, the artists of the Pomor patrimonial lands underwent their initial training at the monastery school of icon painting. Families of hereditary icon painters Chalkovs and Savins from Sumsky Posad are particularly well-known. The monastery sent the most gifted students to St. Petersburg and Moscow to improve their art. In 1880, the Solovetsky painting school was inaugurated, where many northern icon painters acquired basic painting skills. Copying and painting from life formed the basis of the educational process; students were offered paintings from the Academy of Arts as samples. The icons and paintings made in the workshop are distinguished by their characteristic stylistic, technical and technological features. The most prominent graduates of the school (A. A. Borisov, N. G. Bekryashev) contributed significantly to the history of Russian art. The article contains new archival documents and rare photographs.