Memorable dates of Russia: Exhibition to the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino opened in the Andrey Rublev Museum

September 5, 2012 at the Andrey Rublev Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art (Moscow) opened the exhibition "In the memory of getting rid of the invasion of the Gauls..." Russian icon on the eve of the War of 1812", dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Borodino. Its title became the first words of the Decree of the Emperor Alexander I to establish a festival to commemorate the expulsion of Napoleon's troops from Russia.

The main idea of the exhibition is to create a collective image of Russian icons, to which addressed their prayers the Russian people during the period from the beginning of the Italian campaign of 1796, that brought to Napoleon the international fame to the victorious entry of Russian troops in Paris in 1814. Works selected for the exhibition of this time give an idea of the wide range of aesthetic and iconographic preferences of different classes of Russian society. Despite the significant differences in lifestyle, attitudes, tastes, social opportunities and financial situation, they all share common Orthodox faith, which is the basis of the consolidation of the Russian people in the fight against the invaders.

At the exhibition, in addition to the icons, like temple, and intended for personal piety, objects of decorative art and religious books are also exhibited. Most of the works are of the exact date of creation and authorship; some of them have memorial character. Totally viewers can see about 150 works, half of them are on display for the first time and have not been known even to specialists before.

The exhibition will run till November 20, 2012.