09.01.2024
On December 27–28, the VIII International Conference “Biblical and Liturgical Themes and Images in the Art of East and West: Dialogue of Cultures, Tradition and Modernity” was held at RSUH
The event was organized by the Faculty of Art History of RSUH jointly with the Moscow Theological Academy (Department of History and Theory of Church Art). During the Conference, the issues of studying unique works of medieval and modern painting, architecture and sculpture were discussed. The discussion included both little-known monuments of medieval art in Russian art history, and new works by contemporary artists working in the field of religious themes.
The event was attended by teachers and students of the Faculty of History of Art and other departments of RSUH, Moscow Theological Academy, the Faculty of History of Lomonosov Moscow State University, St. Andrew Biblical and Theological Institute, Ural University of Architecture and Art, Ural Federal University, Higher School of Economics, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Russian Icons, Yaroslavl Art Museum, Research Institute of Theory and History of Fine Arts of the Russian Academy of Arts, State Institute of Art Studies, St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, Herzen State Pedagogical University, Russian Institute of Art History, St. Petersburg State University, Tyumen State University. Representatives of the states of Syria, Uzbekistan and others also took part in the event.
Dean of the Faculty of Art History of RSUH, Professor Vladimir Kolotaev, opened the event and noted the significant contribution to the organization of the Conference of the Associate Professor of the Department of Theory and History of Art of RUSH Elena Khripkova and Associate Professor Nina Kvlividze.
Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Art History of RSUH, Alexander Markov, made a report in which he touched on the topic of liturgical meaning in modern world philosophy. The participants discussed the features of Russian religious painting of the 19th - early 21st centuries, religious painting of Russia of the 20th century in the collection of Viktor Fedotov. Artistic parallels and continuity of symbolic connections between eras were demonstrated in the presentations of Dr. Kifishina, Dr. Piven and other speakers.
The presentation of Irina Yazykova was dedicated to the medieval and modern iconography of Celtic saints.
The experts discussed Christian motifs and images in the works of artists of the Western European Middle Ages and the Byzantine circle, paintings of the Mar Saba Church in Edde (Lebanon), iconographic features of some scenes in the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady in Vardzia, issues of the creation and decoration of the Horne’s Chapel of the Ascension in London. In addition, the speakers examined the formal stylistic and iconographic features and evolution of the Luccan school of painting using the example of the crucifixions by Bottega Berlinghieri and the motifs of the Christian history of the time of Gregory the Great in the iconographic program of the paintings of the Theodelinda Chapel of the Cathedral in Monza, issues and the role of the use of biblical images in the political life of society in example of Pinturicchio's paintings in the Vatican.
The Conference ended with an evening session, at which discussions were held on the topic of painting the chapel of Appiano Castle in South Tyrol, analysis of the image of St. Gregory the Wonderworker in monumental paintings of Pskov and Polotsk, issues of researching medieval manuscripts of the East and West and paintings of Moldavian monastery churches during the reign of Petru Rares (XVI century), as well as Christian images in modern Ethiopian painting. In the final presentation, Vladimir Kolotaev traced the image of the Savior in the works of Andrei Tarkovsky.
