The word icon conjures up images of medieval Russian
churches illuminated by candles and decorated with paintings
of the Madonna, Jesus Christ and saints. Created for liturgical
use in churches and for personal prayers at home or while
traveling, icons are often described as visual prayers and
windows to heaven. The faithful kissed and touched the icons,
or holy images, as acts of devotion. These intimate
interactions were intended to transport worshippers to an
infinite time and space.
Russian icons have a long history. The earliest Russian icons
appeared in Kiev in the 10th or 11th centuries; the icons in
this exhibition range in date from the late 17th to 20th
centuries. In the Middle Ages, monks, who are largely
unidentified today, painted icons after several days of praying
and fasting to purify themselves before beginning their task.
Icons were
usually painted on small wooden panels. They depicted
events and people from the Old and New Testaments to
share religious messages with the largely illiterate
congregation. The Orthodox Church prescribed each
subjects format and symbolism so that icons have
changed little over the course of many centuries.
Colors, for example, had particular meanings. Gold
signified sanctity and omniscience; red represented the
passion of Christ and black stood for hell and perdition.
One of the most popular icon subjects is the Madonna
of Kazan. The original version was found in the 16th
century in Kazan, Russia. Now in the possession of
New York Citys Russian Orthodox Church, the icon is
historically important because Russian Prince
Pozharsky carried it with him into battle against Polish
troops. In this exhibition, Mother of God of Kazan (pictured here), in the Collections
of Daniel Bibb, dates to the 19th century and shows that the subject continued to be relevant three
centuries later.
Four icons in this exhibition depict St. Nicholas, the
patron saint of Russia. The saint is represented with his
traditional full white beard, although his demeanor is
more serious than the jolly personality associated with
Christmas.
The icons in the Telfairs exhibition come from a
number of collections. Daniel Bibb is an avid collector
of Russian icons, and he began pursuing this interest
twenty-five years ago when he received his first icon as a
gift. Complementing his collection are twenty-four icons
from the New Orleans Museum of Art and a number
from Ira Bourgeois and Dr. Daniel J. Shirley.
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