"The great Byzantium emigrant" Theophanes the Greek

At a time when Byzantine artists of the 14th century rushed to the Apennines, where artistic life flourished, the Byzantine master Theophanes the Greek rushed to Russia. Theophanes the Greek came to Russia from Byzantium when he was about 30 years old. Even during his lifetime, contemporaries called the icon painter “an excellent painter” and “a glorious sage.” He created murals for Orthodox churches, painted icons, decorated the houses of princes and illustrated books.

When the painter moved to Novgorod (now - Veliky Novgorod), he received his nickname - Greek, or Grechenin, which he was given because of origin.

At this time, the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior was built on Ilyina Street at the expense of the noble boyar and local residents. They ordered a Byzantine artist to decorate the church. Theophanes accepted the offer with the greatest inspiration. The central decoration of the churche has survived to this day - the bust of the Savior Almighty in the dome. He blesses with one hand, and holds a book in the other. The portrait is surrounded by a frame inside which Theophanes the Greek arranged the lines from the Psalter. Around the Savior, on the drum of the church, angels and seraphim are depicted. The artist also painted the image of Macarius Egyptian. He was a great saint, lived ascetic in the desert for sixty years. This is a rare case in the history of world reclusion. The saint is depicted with palms turned towards people entering the church. This silent gesture seems to bless and admonish every person.

In the design of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, Theophanes the Greek used only two colors - ocher and white, which was not typical for church paintings of those years. The artist departed from icon painting traditions in composition. Theophanes the Greek depicted many figures in a circle, deliberately abandoning sharp corners, which is especially pleasing to the eye.

Two years after the completion of the painting of the church, the Russians won the Kulikovo Field. Perhaps the Russian people won freedom from the Tatar-Mongol yoke, blessed by the wise gesture of the great ascetic Makarius Egyptian.

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