Museums of Russia: Old Russian art 16th-19th cc. goes on show in Kazan

May 31, 2011 the Museum of Fine Arts in Kazan launched an icon exhibition “Guarded by Holy Trinity” (The exhibition of Old Russian art works 16th-19th cc.). The exposition marks 460 years since the consecration of The Trinity Church in Sviyazhsk.

On display are over 100 unique works of old Russian art from the collection of the State Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan. They present the change of the iconostasis and interior of the Trinity Church over time.

The oldest church in Tatarstan – the Trinity Church was founded by monks of the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius in 1551. Presently this is the only one wooden building, which has survived from the former Sviyazhsk fortress. It was in this church that the town and the first monastery were consecrated.

The pearl of the exhibition are the oldest icons of the church created between mid. 16th c. and beg. 17th c. This is a rare example of such an old iconostasis which has survived up to present days. Its value doesn’t only lie in its historical significance for Kazan, but in the fact that it is an exceptionally important source for study of the old Russian art of this period of time as a whole.

The Trinity Church in Sviyazhsk – is not only a unique monument of the old wooden architecture of 16th c., but it is also a peculiar Sviyazhsk sacristy, which has preserved many icon painting works, some coming from destroyed churches and others created during the Modern era (18th-19th cc.). Works of this period, which unveil the life of the church within several centuries, build an important section of the exhibition.

A prominent place in the exposition occupies polychrome sculpture, which has been represented by monuments spanning 18th-19th cc.

Organizers of the exhibition have also put on display some works of modern icon painters, which were meant for the reconstruction of the iconostasis of the Trinity Church in late 20th c.