Russian antimins. Engraving on fabric of the XVII-XIX centuries

Already in the first centuries of Christianity, a special portable table was used for divine services outside the church, and later a piece of cloth with relics sewn into it served as a throne. Later on, this rectangular plate, called antimins (in place of the altar), became obligatory for the performance of the liturgy. In Russia antimins have been known since the 12th century - for several centuries they were made in a handwritten manner. The exhibition presents several of these early examples with the image of the Cross.

The exhibition is dedicated to printed antimins, the history of which is connected with the reforms of Patriarch Nikon. The exposition will present practically all iconographic variants of engraved antimins from the beginning of their appearance in Russia in 1655 to the middle of the 19th century, when a new printing technique replaced engraving. Among the exhibited works are rare monuments of icon painting, as well as engravings and lithographs with views of monasteries and portraits of church hierarchs from the collection of the Andrei Rublev Central Museum of Old Russian Culture and Art and the Museum of Christian Art "Church and Archaeological Cabinet" of the Moscow Theological Academy.

The curators of the exhibition are O.R. Khromov, Doctor of Art History, Chief Researcher of the Research Department; L.I. Antonova, Candidate of Art History, Leading Researcher of the Research Department.