ICONS Treasures from Russian Museums

Exhibition 25 May − 15 September 2019
Icons from the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Sergiev Posad State History and Art Museum and the Yaroslavl Art Museum

Experience the splendour of world heritage at this exhibition of priceless Russian icons!

The selection of icons presented at this exhibition comes from three well-respected Russian museums: the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Sergiev Posad State History and Art Museum and the Yaroslavl Art Museum. Spanning from the late 13th to the early 20th century, these works reflect the cult of the Mother of God in the Orthodox tradition.

The exhibition offers a rich illustration of the complex and varied iconography and typology of Russian icons. Particularly remarkable are the icons of the Mother of God with the Child Jesus, exemplifying an important aspect of the cult of the Virgin Mary in Orthodox Christianity. Tradition attributes the very first icons of the Mother of God with the Child Jesus to Luke the Evangelist. Revered as miraculous, much-reproduced, many have become famed as performing miracles.

The Orthodox icons presented here differ in period and style; what they have in common are the cult of the Mother of God and their status as jewels of Russian culture.
Galleries at the exhibition