The Holy Face of the Savior in the Rostov-Suzdal Iconographic Tradition

Abstract

The Image of The Savior Not Made by Hands has always been considered one of the most revered. The search for means of representation identical to the idea of the concept of not-made-by-hands image is a crucial problem from the perspective of semiotics and art history. It is central to forming approaches to the very topic of art, in order to distinguish the spiritual paths of fine art, the key to which is the phenomenon of the Image of The Savior Not Made by Hands.

Several artistic developments are evident in the iconography and pictorial-plastic tendencies of The Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands in Rus'. This is due to the complex process of developing canonical rules, historically linked to the development of the dogma surrounding The Image Not Made by Hands. Clarifying this connection is important for understanding the principles of figurativeness and expressiveness in relation to the stylistic distinctiveness of the Russian iconographic tradition as a whole.

An examination of the stylistic and geographical characteristics of several iconographic centers testifies to the artistic specificity and uniqueness of their figurative-plastic content, and opens up possibilities for interpreting the unity and diversity of the figurative-aesthetic features of sensory contemplation. One such center is Rostov, whose iconography is discussed in the present article.

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