Old Believers and the World of Evil: Images of Evil Forces in Old Believer Art

Abstract

The article considers the Old Believers’ beliefs about, and the manner of depicting, the Antichrist, the end of the world, Satan and the devils. It discusses how both Old Believer literature and philosophy relate to their art, which was created between the second half of the 17th century and 1917. The subject matter includes popular images from Old Believer iconography, such as images of John the Baptist, the Angel of the Desert, the Archangel Michael, the Archistrategos of the Heavenly Hosts, Saint Nicetas fighting a devil, or Saint George slaying a dragon, as well as several illustration sets from various editions of the Old Believer Annotated Apocalypse. Many of the Old Believer icons, drawings and craftworks from various groups and workshops display angels, but also Satan and the devils. The latter may be considered particularly controversial in the light of the doctrine of icon painting and of the Old Believers’ particular beliefs. The article attempts to answer the question as to what reasons stood behind the fear of such representations and why they were ultimately accepted by the faithful.