Society and church: The exhibition “Dymkovo holidays. Icons of Church of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica in Veliky Ustyug” in Moscow

September 12, 2013 at the Museum of Russian Icons in Moscow opened the exhibition “Dymkovo holidays. Icons of the Church of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica in the Veliky Ustyug”. The exhibition is organized by the Museum of Russian Icons in conjunction with the Department of Culture and Veliky Ustyug State Historical-Architectural and Art Museum -Reserve.

The only exhibit of the show is a set of 30 icons of the festival rank, which comes from the stone church iconostasis of Demetrius of Thessalonica, built in the XVIII century in the ancient settlement of the Great Dymkovo in earlier times. According to the number of its images and iconographic composition of plots a festive rite is one of the most detailed and extensive in the ancient art and is of particular interest as an example of the monument and the style of transition. 

The preservation of such a complex is a unique case, especially since it has survived not fully, but at its original location. However, it was possible to see only because of a fluke. In 1984, ten icons of this order have been stolen from the iconostasis of the Church of Dimetrius, a branch of Veliky Museum, shipped overseas and up to 2007 were in a private collection in Switzerland. Monuments were found by specialists of the Museum of Russian Icons, redeemed by its founder, Mikhail Abramov and returned to Russia. In 2012, all ten icons were donated to the rightful owner – the Veliky Ustyug Museum-Reserve.

As part of the art project on the same day at the Museum of Russian Icons was opened an exhibition of works by one of the leading Russian photo artists, craftsmen and talented singer of the Russian North - Alexei Nitecki “Immortalized eternity. Architectural images of the Vologda land”.

The exhibitions will be open to visitors till November 12, 2013.