John the Theologian, St., in Silence

Iconography:  John the Theologian in silence

Date: XVII century. 1686

Origin: From the church commemorating saint apostle and evangelist John the Theologian in the Troitskaya-Blagoveshenskaya Sinozerskaya hermitage, Ustyuzhensky district, Novgorodskaya region (now – Chagodoshensky district, Vologoskaya region). The hermitage was founded in 1600 by Venerable Euphrosynus Sinozersky (+1612).

Material: Wood, tempera

Dimensions:  height 107 cm, width 84 cm

Probably is one of the tsar’s donations. John the Theologian is shown sitting with the open Gospel book on his lap. His right hand is raised up to his mouth. Behind his shoulder is depicted an angel, to the left is shown an eagle (symbol of the evangelist).

The inscription in the lower left corner of the centerpiece: “194 (1686) ГО[ДУ] ПИСАЛЪ ЛИ[К] ОБ[РА]СА ОРУЖЕННО[И] ПОЛАТКИ ИКОНОПИСЕ ТИХАНЪ ИВАНОВЪ

ПОЛАТКИ ИКОНОПИСЕ ТИХАНЪ ИВАНОВЪ”.

Was deposited in 1936.

Restoration: the All-Russian Art Scientific and Restoration Center named after I.E. Grabar, 1991, restorer – Mironova L.A.

Inv. №1056/11. © Cherepovets Museum Association.

Bibliography: Куликова О.В. Древние лики Русского Севера. Из музейного собрания икон XIV-XIX веков города Череповца. М., 2009. Кат. № 71 (Илл. 72).

  • General view
  • Mullion. A fragment
  • John the Theologian and the angel
  • Angel