Nesterov’s famous “Holy Rus’” painting on display again after 6-month restoration

Moscow, October 17, 2019

Photo: museum.ru Photo: museum.ru     

Mikhail Nesterov’s world-famous painting “Holy Rus’” returned to the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg today following an extensive restoration, reports Interfax.

The 6-month process was the first large-scale restoration of the painting in the century that has been at the Russian Museum, having been transferred there in 1921. It was impossible to transport the painting to exhibitions for the past several years due to its condition. It was last exhibited in San Marino in 2000 in honor of the jubilee of Christianity.

Photo: restoration.rusmuseum.ru Photo: restoration.rusmuseum.ru     

Restoration began in March of this year. There were small deformities on the corners and yellow preventative stickers on the canvas. There was also a large crack horizontally across the entire surface of the painting, which sometimes turned into holes. This was especially noticeable on the figure of Christ. The painting was fully restored and a new layer of varnish was added.

“Holy Rus’” is considered to be one of the main paintings of the Silver Age of Russian culture. The painting depicts a northern Russian winter landscape, with the Lord Jesus Christ with some of the most revered saints in Rus’—Nicholas, Sergius, and George—and a number of pious worshipers.

As the site of the Russian Museum details, the painting was first displayed to the general public at Nesterov’s solo exhibition in St. Petersburg in 1907. He hoped, through his work, to bring calm to a society that was agitated by revolutionary events and sentiments. The piece was bought by the museum of the Imperial Academy of Arts directly from his exhibition, and was later transferred to the Russian Museum in 1921, where it was part of the main exhibition.

The piece was removed in the 1920s due to the growing prohibitions against displays of religion, only becoming available to the public again in the late 1980s.

Thanks to the restoration, “Holy Rus’” has been restored to its original condition, and the process of deterioration has been halted.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

10/17/2019

See also
“A World Without God Is an Incomplete Picture”. A Talk With the Russian Artist Vladimir Fedukov “A World Without God Is an Incomplete Picture”. A Talk With the Russian Artist Vladimir Fedukov “A World Without God Is an Incomplete Picture”. A Talk With the Russian Artist Vladimir Fedukov “A World Without God Is an Incomplete Picture”
A Talk With the Russian Artist Vladimir Fedukov
Stepan Ignashev, Vladimir Fedukov
Twenty-five years ago, artist Vladimir Fedukov moved with his family from the city to a rural village in the Russian north. Writer Stepan Ignashev talks with him about Russian realism in both art and life.
“Genuine art can be recognized by its favorable influence on the soul” “Genuine art can be recognized by its favorable influence on the soul”
Dmitry Nechitaylo
“Genuine art can be recognized by its favorable influence on the soul” “Genuine art can be recognized by its favorable influence on the soul”
A talk with the Russian artist Dmitry Nechitaylo
Artem Budenny, Dmitry Nechitaylo
An artist shows both perfection and imperfection of life in his art. He first needs to experience, feel keenly and comprehend the idea and then convey it, using the arsenal of knowledge and skills.
Better a Kind Light Than Black Despondency Better a Kind Light Than Black Despondency
William Brumfield
Better a Kind Light Than Black Despondency Better a Kind Light Than Black Despondency
Professor William Brumfield on the photographs of Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky and on Russia
Peter Davydov, William Brumfield
“I firmly believe that familiarity with Prokudin-Gorsky’s photographs (not just a superficial glance) would be a great help to all who want to get to know Russia at least a little better and more sincerely—better than television, blogs, and newspapers. Bear in mind that nostalgia for the “good old days” should motivate us to work for the good of Russia and pray for it instead of plunging us into deep despondency.”

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×