Simon Ushakov: biography and the best works of the icon painter (photo)

Venerable, caressed by the court of Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich, possessing a multifaceted talent - except for icons he painted frescoes, miniatures, made engravings on a tree - such was Simon Ushakov, whose biography sins only by the absence of exact number and month of birth and unknown origin. But this is already progress, as his great predecessors Andrei Rublev and Theophanes the Greek do not know the number, month, or even year of birth, and the last and the date of death is marked with the prefix "about".

Not at all an anonymous author

Many things are known about Ushakov, even the fact that Simon is his nickname, and he was named Pimen. It is known because the icon painter Simon Ushakov was the first to make his works authored. And now, on one of the icons, finished in 1677, he points out that Pimen Fedorov, nicknamed Simon Ushakov, wrote it. To have two names was at that time a tradition - one "concealed", received at baptism, was dedicated to God. He could not be spoken in vain. Another, "called," everyday, was meant for life. Data on the artist can be gleaned from the signatures on other icons - one of them is kept in the Georgian church in China Town. Actually, most of his works are signed.

New trends

Ushakov Simon Fedorovich, the famous Moscow icon painter of the XVII century is considered a bright representative of the last period of art of Moscow Russia, which began with the erection of the Kremlin, which became the symbol of the united country. A new stage in the history of Russian culture is characterized by new methods and approaches to the depicted subject. Painting and architecture of ancient Russia absorbed the skills of representatives of various schools, including Italian. All of them worked on the construction and painting of the Kremlin chambers. New trends have made architecture, icon painting and other forms of creativity more decorative, colors have become brighter, images - more plastic.

The Russian Renaissance

In general, this transition period from old to new art was bright and saturated with masterpieces of talented (icon painter Simon - his main representative) people. And so in history the second half of the 17th century is often compared with the Western Renaissance or the Baroque era. Indeed, the boom experienced all kinds of art and construction. Architecture flourished - a very large number of temples were built.

Secrets of origin

Simon Ushakov is a talented painter and graphic artist, evidently from his early years studying the skill of the artist, since rarely before and after him he was admitted to the Silver Chamber for the official position of the bencher at such a young age - at 22. The exact date of birth is not known, as well as the origin. There is only a year of birth - 1626, and the assumption that Simon Ushakov was born from the people of the towns, that is, he came from a medieval estate of formally free people. Although one of the icons he signed himself (as mentioned above, he was the first to denote his work) contradicts this - the icon painter calls himself a "Moscow nobleman." Most likely, he did not lie, and the title received later as a sign of special distinction from the powers that be. Another researcher of creativity Ushakov - Boris Shevatov - writes that Simon was even a hereditary nobleman and that's why he had the opportunity to master the skill, and then to get a public post with a salary.

Variety of talent

In the place of the first service, his duties included the creation of sketches of various kinds: for gold, silver, enamel church utensils. The painting of banners was also part of his duties, as was the development of drawings and motifs for embroideries. The number of tasks necessary for execution was great, but Simon Ushakov managed to write images all the time, both for the church and for people, gradually becoming the most famous icon painter. The manufacture of skilful maps, the painting of church walls, beautiful notches on the guns - all these and many others became famous for this talented person.

Fanatic diligence

Mastery, diligence, amazing efficiency earned the attention of the authorities, and in 1664 he was transferred to the Armory, where a "well-paid isograph" was assigned to a well-paid position. Talent is sharpened, the glory is widening, and now Simon Ushakov is at the head of all the icon painters of Moscow. The biography of his later life suggests that he was not acquainted with the poverty and non-recognition that usually accompanies many artists. The last of the brilliant icon painters of the pre-Petrine era died in Moscow, in 1686, surrounded by fame, prosperity and recognition.

Shadow biographies

Although there were unpleasant moments - in 1665 the artist was disgraced. He was even exiled to a monastery, obviously, in Ugreshsky. But the exact address is unknown, as well as the reason that caused the annoyance of the king - whether naked nature in one of the paintings, or sympathetic statements about the Old Believers. However, in 1666 the artist is again mentioned as a royal servant.

The first icons

The first known work of the master is the image of the Vladimir Mother of God, dated 1652 year. It is noteworthy only that five years after he saw the light of the first Savior not made by Simon Ushakov. They argue about him, he may like it or not, but the image became known for violating the canons of writing. Realistic features appear in it, it is carefully and voluminously discharged. Jesus has eyelashes, eyes shine, as if from a teardrop. And, in spite of this, the church accepted the icon. Of course, this was not a revolutionary word in icon painting, but it certainly became something new.

Program image

All these images have been written several - some experts believe that in the artist's work he has become a software one. Trying to get as close as possible to the ubarus, on which, with a wet face, Christ himself left his miraculous image, Ushakov constantly improves his icons - changes some features, adds or removes inscriptions. It is believed that the artist himself and the students of the workshop created under his supervision became the first to equal the Western masters. They began to introduce human features into the images of saints depicted by them, which was not in the old Russian iconography. Representatives of Ushakov's school, in his own words, tried to "write as if alive", that is, approaching reality in their work, for which they were severely criticized by the Old Believers (Habakkuk generally said that Ushakov, when drawing Christ, blasphemes). The Savior, not made by hands, Simon Ushakov, dated 1670, was written for the Trinity Cathedral of Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda. Now it is stored in the Armory.

Images become more humane

Faces on Ushakov's icons were strikingly different from the Old Believers' images, in the title of which lies the explanation for this. Old, rigidly preserved for centuries, rites dictated the manner of writing icons, very far from the surrounding reality. Darkened from time, they were strikingly different from light, since "God is light," more colorful and quiet images of saints from Ushakov icons. In his work, for the first time, Old Old Russian art and new realistic trends were combined.

In his works for the first time appear elements of "Fryazh" or Western art. He borrows from them the perspective, and sometimes the plot - "Seven Deadly Sins." There are dozens of Western paintings and engravings on this subject.

Artistic credo

Completing a number of great Russian icon painters - Theophanes the Greek, Andrei Rublev, Dionysius - Simon Ushakov becomes a bridge to the next stage in the development of Russian painting. His views on art, on the responsibility of the authors for their work, on the reality of the depicted subject, the educator reflected in his book "The Word to an Enthusiastic Iconic Book", which was published in 1666, possibly written in exile. The views expressed in it by the author are so progressive that some critics have expressed the idea that in his paintings he was not so bold. In the book he sings "the principle of a mirror", which speaks of the desire for the accuracy of the image. In this connection, the artist developed a new method of writing - small, barely distinguishable strokes that make the color transition invisible, they were called "plavi" and were multilayered. This made it possible to draw an oval face, the color of which was approaching the real, to make a rounded chin and neck, to emphasize the swelling of the lips, to carefully outline the eyes. All these techniques Ushakov honed on their favorite images - the Savior and the Virgin.

Go to the portrait

Thanks to this, he was called "the Russian Raphael" during his lifetime. And not in vain. Because the first portrait of Simon Ushakov, or rather his brush, or parsuna (a word from the Latin term persona - a person) - is also a new word in art. He painted a gravestone portrait of Skopin-Shuisky, a number of other parsons of the Moscow nobility. The most famous icon, considered to be the greatest work of the 17th century, the artistic and political program of the epoch - The Tree of the Moscow State, also known as the "Glorification of the Virgin of Vladimir" or simply "The Mother of God of Vladimir", exists in portrait works. And other names.

Main work of the master

On this unusual icon, except for the Kremlin walls, drawn as truthfully as possible and located below the picture, is depicted the Assumption Cathedral. This main shrine of the Russian state is also depicted with photographic precision. At its foot two people are planting a tree. "The Russian state is the collectors of Russian lands Ivan Kalita and the Moscow Metropolitan Peter, known for having transferred the symbol of spiritual authority, the Metropolitan's chair to Moscow from Vladimir, thus denoting the vertical power.

The work is a historical epic

On the branches of the tree Simon Ushakov arranged medallions in which there were portraits of people - kings (Fedor Ivanovich, Mikhail Fedorovich, Tsarevich Dmitri) and saints with prayer scrolls in their hands, who did everything to strengthen the Moscow state and its capital, Moscow, the political and spiritual center. On the right are Patriarchs Job and Filaret. Metropolitans of Jonah, Alexis, Cyprian, Philip and Photius. Left - Sergius and Nikon Radonezh and other pillars of Orthodoxy. Portraits of Alexei Mikhailovich, which he ordered Ushakov in large numbers, were not preserved. And the more interesting and significant is the parsuna on the icon, as the author tried to give it a complete resemblance to the original. The tsar himself, his wife and two princes, Alexei and Fyodor, are represented by a group standing on the territory of the Kremlin. In the clouds, angels receive from the hands of the Savior the attributes of power for Alexei Mikhailovich. All this symbolizes the process of marriage to the kingdom of the earthly ruler by the heavenly king. In the center of the icon is the Face of Vladimir the Virgin with the baby Jesus in his arms. The canvas is signed, as are the other works of Simon Ushakov.

Other works of genius

His works include frescoes on the walls of the Faceted and Royal Chambers of the Kremlin, the walls of the Archangel and Assumption cathedrals. Considering the multifaceted and diverse creativity (according to Ushakov's designs, coins were minted), there were many works left.

The icons of Simon Ushakov deserve special mention. In addition to the aforementioned Savior's miraculous in various modifications and several icons of Our Lady of Vladimir, the faces of Christos Emmanuel, the Kazan Mother of God, the Annunciation, the Calvary Cross are known .

Transitional stage to painting

To date, there are 50 icons that Simon Ushakov himself signed. "Trinity" is worthy of a separate description. It was performed in adulthood - in 1671. The date is indicated both from Adam and from the Nativity of Christ. Extended signatures were often made on the front side of the canvas. The icon is kept since 1925 in the Russian Museum, where it came from the Gatchina Palace. The composition of the icon is borrowed from Andrei Rublev, whose work, as is commonly believed, is inferior to the strength of spirituality and philosophical sound. This is due to the oversaturation of the canvas carefully written objects of everyday life. These secular details some icons are more like painting. She always interested Simon Ushakov. He was engaged in renovation, that is, the restoration of paintings. Actually, the "Trinity" is a stepping stone from the iconography to the fine art in its pure form. He was well acquainted with the masters of Western schools and sometimes borrowed a background for his icons from such great artists as Veronese. Therefore Ushakov is not only a great icon painter, but also a talented artist and graphic artist.

Pupils and associates

To his numerous talents is the gift of teaching. Simon Ushakov even worked on a textbook for his students, the book was called "Alphabet of Arts." After his death, which occurred on June 25, 1686, there remained a fine art school of followers, among the pupils of which were such great painters and icon painters as Tikhon Filatiev, Cyril Ulanov, Georgy Zinoviev, Ivan Maximov and Mikhail Milyutin.