Andrei Rublev ( rus, Андре́й Рублёв, p=ɐnˈdrʲej rʊˈblʲɵf , also transliterated as ''Andrey Rublyov'') was a

Muscovite Muscovite (also known as common mica, isinglass, or potash mica) is a hydrated phyllosilicate mineral of aluminium and potassium with formula K Al2(Al Si3 O10)( F,O H)2, or ( KF)2( Al2O3)3( SiO2)6( H2O). It has a highly perfect basal cleavag ...

icon painter born in the 1360s who died between 1427 and 1430 in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

. He is considered to be one of the greatest

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

painters Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

of Orthodox Christian

icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The mos ...

s and

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plast ...

Early life

Little information survives about his life; even where he was born is unknown. He probably lived in the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, near

, under Nikon of

Radonezh Radonezh (russian: Радонеж), formerly known as ''Gorodok'' () is a historic village in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located about from Sergiyev Posad. The old town of Radonezh is known to have existed since the first half of the 14th century, wh ...

, who became

hegumen Hegumen, hegumenos, or igumen ( el, ἡγούμενος, trans. ), is the title for the head of a monastery in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, similar to the title of abbot. The head of a convent of nuns is called a hegumenia ...

after the death of

Sergius of Radonezh Sergius of Radonezh (russian: Се́ргий Ра́донежский, ''Sergii Radonezhsky''; 14 May 1314 – 25 September 1392), also known as Sergiy Radonezhsky, Serge of Radonezh and Sergius of Moscow, was a spiritual leader and monastic re ...

in 1392. The first mention of Rublev is in 1405, when he decorated

s and

s for the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the

Moscow Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of the kremlins (R ...

, in company with

Theophanes the Greek Theophanes the Greek (sometimes "Feofan Grek" from the russian: Феофан Грек, Greek: Θεοφάνης; c. 1340 – c. 1410) was a Byzantine Greek artist and one of the greatest icon painters of Muscovite Russia, who influenced the 15t ...

and

Prokhor of Gorodets Prokhor of Gorodets (''Прохор'', ''Прохор с Городца'' in Russian) was a medieval Russian icon-painter, thought to have been the teacher of Andrei Rublev. Together with Rublev and Theophanes the Greek, Prokhor painted a number ...

. His name was the last of the list of masters, as the junior both by rank and by age. Theophanes was an important

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

master, who moved to Russia and is considered to have trained Rublev.

Career

Chronicles tell us that together with

Daniel Chorny Daniil Chyorny () (c. 1360–1430) was a Russian monk and icon painter. Career Together with his companion Andrei Rublev and other painters, Chyorny worked at the Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir (1408) and Trinity Cathedral in the Trinity ...

he painted the

Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir The Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir (sometimes translated Assumption Cathedral) (russian: Собор Успения Пресвятой Богородицы, ''Sobor Uspeniya Presvyatoy Bogoroditsy'') was a mother church of Medieval Russia in t ...

in 1408 as well as the Trinity Cathedral in the

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius (russian: Тро́ице-Се́ргиева ла́вра) is the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev Pos ...

between 1425 and 1427. After Daniel's death, Andrei came to Moscow's

Andronikov Monastery Andronikov Monastery of the Saviour (russian: Андро́ников монасты́рь, Спа́со-Андро́ников монасты́рь, or ) is a former monastery on the left bank of the Yauza River in Moscow, consecrated to the Hol ...

where he painted his last work, the frescoes of the Saviour Cathedral. He is also believed to have painted at least one of the miniatures in the

Khitrovo Gospels The Khitrovo Gospels is a Russian illuminated Gospel Book from the late 14th or early 15th century. The book has numerous similarities to the Koshka Gospels, Kiev Psalter of 1397, and other East Slavic manuscripts of the 1390s. It contains eight ...

. The only work authenticated as entirely his is the icon of the

Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...

(c. 1410, currently in the

Tretyakov Gallery The State Tretyakov Gallery (russian: Государственная Третьяковская Галерея, ''Gosudarstvennaya Tretyâkovskaya Galereya''; abbreviated ГТГ, ''GTG'') is an art gallery in Moscow, Russia, which is considered th ...

). It is based on an earlier icon known as the "Hospitality of Abraham" (illustrating ). Rublev removed the figures of

Abraham Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Je ...

and

Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch and prophetess, a major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pio ...

from the scene, and through a subtle use of composition and symbolism changed the subject to focus on the Mystery of the Trinity. In Rublev's art two traditions are combined: the highest

asceticism Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

and the classic harmony of

mannerism. The characters of his paintings are always peaceful and calm. After some time his art came to be perceived as the ideal of Eastern Church painting and of Orthodox

iconography Iconography, as a branch of art history, studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct fro ...

Death and legacy

Rublev died at Andronikov Monastery between 1427 and 1430. Rublev's work influenced many artists including Dionisy. The Stoglavi Sobor (1551) promulgated Rublev's icon style as a model for church painting. Since 1959 the Andrei Rublev Museum at the

has displayed his and related art. The

Russian Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = ru , image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia , abbreviation = ROC , type ...

canonized Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of s ...

Rublev as a

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Or ...

in 1988, celebrating his

feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context do ...

on 29 January and/or on 4 July. In 1966,

Andrei Tarkovsky Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky ( rus, Андрей Арсеньевич Тарковский, p=ɐnˈdrʲej ɐrˈsʲenʲjɪvʲɪtɕ tɐrˈkofskʲɪj; 4 April 1932 – 29 December 1986) was a Russian filmmaker. Widely considered one of the greates ...

made a film ''

Andrei Rublev Andrei Rublev ( rus, Андре́й Рублёв, p=ɐnˈdrʲej rʊˈblʲɵf , also transliterated as ''Andrey Rublyov'') was a Muscovite icon painter born in the 1360s who died between 1427 and 1430 in Moscow. He is considered to be one of th ...

'', loosely based on the artist's life. This became the first (and perhaps only) film produced in the Soviet era to treat the artist as a world-historic figure and Christianity as an axiom of Russia's historical identity, during a turbulent period in the

history of Russia The history of Russia begins with the histories of the East Slavs. The traditional start-date of specifically Russian history is the establishment of the Rus' people, Rus' state in the north in 862, ruled by Varangians. Staraya Ladoga and Veli ...

Veneration

* 29 January – commemoration of his death anniversary (

Greek Orthodox Church The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...

) * 12/13 June – feast day, Synaxis of All of

(with Andronicus, Sabbas, Alexander, Abbots of Moscow and Daniel the Black, the icon painter) * 4 July – main feast day from the list of "Russian saints of Moscow and Vladimir" by Nikodim (Kononov), * 6 July – Synaxis of All Saints of Radonezh * Synaxis of all saints of Moscow – movable holiday on the Sunday before 26 August ( ROC)

Selected works

Image:Nativity (15th c., Annunciation Cathedral in Moscow).jpg,

Nativity of Jesus The nativity of Jesus, nativity of Christ, birth of Jesus or birth of Christ is described in the biblical gospels of Luke and Matthew. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea, his mother Mary was engaged to a man ...

, 1405 ( Cathedral of the Annunciation,

) Image:Baptism (15th c., Annunciation Cathedral in Moscow).jpg,

Baptism of Jesus The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is a major event in the life of Jesus which is described in the three synoptic Gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark and Luke). It is considered to have taken place at Al-Maghtas (also called Bet ...

, 1405 (Cathedral of the Annunciation, Moscow) Image:Annunciation from Vasilyevskiy chin (1408, Tretyakov gallery).jpg,

Annunciation The Annunciation (from Latin '), also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the biblical tale of the announcement by the ang ...

, 1405 (Cathedral of the Annunciation, Moscow) Image:Vladimirskaya by A.Rublev (1395-1410s, Vladimir museum).jpg, Version of the

Theotokos of Vladimir , other_title_1 = Our Lady of Vladimir , other_language_2 = uk, Вишгородська ікона Божої Матері , other_title_2 = Vyshgorod Mother of God , wikidata = Q546241 , image = Virgin of Vladimir.jpg , image_upright = 1 ...

, ca. 1405 Image:Michael from Vasilyevskiy chin (15th c., GTG).jpg,

St. Michael Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...

, 1408 (

Iconostasis In Eastern Christianity, an iconostasis ( gr, εἰκονοστάσιον) is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. ''Iconostasis'' also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed a ...

at Dormition Cathedral,

Vladimir Vladimir may refer to: Names * Vladimir (name) for the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Macedonian, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak and Slovenian spellings of a Slavic name * Uladzimir for the Belarusian version of the name * Volodymyr for the Ukr ...

) Image:Gabriel from Vladimirskiy chin (15th c., GTG).jpg,

St. Gabriel In Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Gabriel (); Greek language, Greek: grc, Γαβριήλ, translit=Gabriḗl, label=none; Latin language, Latin: ''Gabriel''; Coptic language, Coptic: cop, Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, transli ...

, 1408 (Dormition Cathedral, Vladimir) Image:Andrew from Vasilyevskiy chin (15th c., GTG).jpg, St. Andrew the First-called, 1408 (Dormition Cathedral, Vladimir) Image:Gregory of Nazianzus from Vasilyevskiy chin (15th c., GTG).jpg, St. Gregory the Theologian, 1408 (Dormition Cathedral, Vladimir) Image:Virgin Mary from Vasilyevskiy chin (15th c., GTG).jpg,

Theotokos ''Theotokos'' ( Greek: ) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are ''Dei Genitrix'' or '' Deipara'' (approximately "parent (fem.) of God"). Familiar English translations a ...

from Deësis, 1408 (Dormition Cathedral, Vladimir) ''Some think this may be the work of

'' Image:John the Evangelist from Vasilyevskiy chin (15th c., GTG).jpg, St. John the Theologian, 1408 (Dormition Cathedral, Vladimir) Image:John the Baptist from Vasilyevskiy chin (15th c., GTG).jpg, St. John the Baptist, 1408 (Dormition Cathedral, Vladimir) Image:Spas v silach from Vasilyevskiy chin (15th c., GTG).jpg, The Saviour Enthroned in Glory,

Christ in Majesty Christ in Majesty or Christ in Glory ( la, Maiestas Domini) is the Western Christian image of Christ seated on a throne as ruler of the world, always seen frontally in the centre of the composition, and often flanked by other sacred figures, whos ...

, 1408 (Dormition Cathedral, Vladimir) Image:Harrowing of hell from Vasilyevskiy chin (1408, Tretyakov gallery).jpg,

Harrowing of Hell In Christian theology, the Harrowing of Hell ( la, Descensus Christi ad Inferos, "the descent of Christ into Hell" or Hades) is an Old English and Middle English term referring to the period of time between the Crucifixion of Jesus and his re ...

, 1408-1410 (Vladimir) Image:Rublev's saviour.jpg, Christ the Redeemer ca. 1410 (

) Image:Ascension from Vasilyevskiy chin (15th c., GTG).jpg, Ascension, 1408 (Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow) Image:Rublev Paul.jpg,

Apostle Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

, 1410s (Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow)

References

Sources

*''

'', a 1966 film by

loosely based on the painter's life. * Mikhail V. Alpatov, ''Andrey Rublev'', Moscow: Iskusstvo, 1972. *Gabriel Bunge, The Rublev Trinity, transl. Andrew Louth, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, Crestwood, New York, 2007. *Sergius Golubtsov, Voplosh’enie bogoslovskih idey v tvorchestve prepodobnogo Andreya Rubleva he realization of theological ideas in creative works of Andrey Rublev ''Bogoslovskie trudy'' 22, 20–40, 1981. *''Troitca Andreya Rubleva'' he Trinity of Andrey Rublev Gerold I. Vzdornov (ed.), Moscow: Iskusstvo 1989. *Viktor N. Lazarev, ''The

Russian Icon The use and making of icons entered Kievan Rus', Ancient Rus' following its conversion to Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox Christianity in AD 988. As a general rule, these icons strictly followed models and formulas hallowed by Byzantine art, led ...

: From Its Origins to the Sixteenth Century'', Gerold I. Vzdornov (ed.). Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1997. *Priscilla Hunt, Andrei Rublev's Old Testament Trinity Icon in Cultural Context, The Trinity-Sergius Lavr in Russian History and Culture: Readings in Russian Religious Culture, vol. 3, ed. Deacon Vladimir Tsurikov, (Jordanville, NY: Holy Trinity Seminary Press, 2006), 99-122.(See on-line at phslavic.com) *Priscilla Hunt, Andrei Rublev's Old Testament Trinity Icon: Problems of Meaning, Intertextuality, and Transmission, Symposion: A Journal of Russian (Religious) Thought, ed. Roy Robson, 7-12 (2002–2007), 15-46 (See on-line at www.phslavic.com) *Konrad Onasch, ''Das Problem des Lichtes in der Ikonomalerei Andrej Rublevs. Zur 600–Jahrfeier des grossen russischen Malers'', vol. 28. Berlin: Berliner byzantinische Arbeiten, 1962. *Konrad Onasch, Das Gedankenmodell des byzantisch–slawischen Kirchenbaus. In ''Tausend Jahre Christentum in Russland'', Karl Christian Felmy et al. (eds.), 539–543. Go¨ ttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1988. *Eugeny N. Trubetskoi, Russkaya ikonopis'. ''Umozrenie w kraskah. Wopros o smysle vizni w drewnerusskoj religioznoj viwopisi'' ussian icon painting. Colourful contemplation. Question of the meaning of life in early Russian religious painting Moscow: Beliy Gorod, 2003

916 __NOTOC__ Year 916 ( CMXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Sicilian Berbers in Agrigento revolt and depose the independent Emir Ahmed ibn Kh ...

*Georgij Yu. Somov
Semiotic systemity of visual artworks: Case study of The Holy Trinity by Rublev
'' Semiotica'' 166 (1/4), 1-79, 2007.

External links

Andrey Rublev Official Web Site

Selected works by Andrei Rublev: icons, frescoes and miniatures

"The Deesis painted by Andrey Rublev" from the Annunciation Church of the Moscow Kremlin
- article by Dr. Oleg G. Uliyanov

compiled by Robert Bird
Venerable Andrew Rublev the Iconographer
Orthodox icon and

synaxarion Synaxarion or Synexarion (plurals Synaxaria, Synexaria; el, Συναξάριον, from συνάγειν, ''synagein'', "to bring together"; cf. etymology of ''synaxis'' and '' synagogue''; Latin: ''Synaxarium'', ''Synexarium''; cop, ⲥⲩⲛ ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rublev, Andrei 14th-century births 14th-century painters 14th-century Russian people 15th-century Christian saints 15th-century deaths 15th-century painters 15th-century Russian people Christian artists Manuscript illuminators Medieval Russian artists Russian icon painters Russian painters Russian male painters Russian saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church Medieval Russian painters