Russian culture abroad: The exhibition of Russian icons “Divine inspiration” in Holland

In Utrecht, Holland, in the Museum of the Monastery of St. Catherine, was opened an exhibition of Russian icons of the “divine inspiration”, dedicated to the Year of Russia in the Netherlands and the Netherlands in Russia.

This unique exhibition is about iconographic differences between the Orthodox and Western Christian art. Thirty life-size icons of the famous collection of the Andrei Rublev Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art, representing a 500-year history of Russian art and almost never left the museum, are on display next to the masterpieces of Western art from the extensive collection of the Museum of the monastery of St. Catherine and private collections.

The exhibition demonstrates that religious art - both Western and Orthodox - has its origins in Byzantine iconography. However, unlike the Orthodox tradition, the religious aspects of the west were gradually more subordinated to interpretations and artistic talent.

The exhibition will run till August 4.