Novgorod. Icon refers to the number of early Novgorod red icons. In its center one of the pillars of monasticism is represented – the Monk John of the Ladder – hegumen of the Sinai Monastery, the author of the famous book of the instructions of “Ladder”.
On the sides of it are small figures of saints: the Great Martyr George and Bishop Vlasius of Sevastia. The diversity of the figures of the saints depicted on the icon indicates the special intention of the creator of the monument, which apparently performed the icon according to a special order.
It is possible that the enlarged scale image of St. John Climacus, depicted on the icon not with a traditional scroll, but with a book in his hands, indicated the status of her customer, who may have been the hegumen of one of the Novgorod monasteries. Monumental figure of the monk, several times greater than the figures of the warrior and prelate, testified that the author of the icon sought to emphasize the theme of the monastic exploit, to emphasize his superiority over military valor and the hierarchy of saints.
The icon is distinguished by its colorfulness and decorativeness, the monumentalization of images, which originated in the frescoes of pre-Mongol Rus. Its characteristic feature is a pronounced linear principle. It clearly manifests itself in the development of folds of clothes, in the relief of the concentrated faces of saints reinforced with whitewashed blanks, in the paleography of white inscriptions with their superscripts and subscripts.
The color of the icon is built on the contrast of the cinnabar background with emerald green, bright yellow, blue and reddish-brown tones. Novgorod painting, bright in colors, strong and courageous, close in nature to folk art.
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