As the church fathers teach, a temple is not just walls in which services are held. According to religion, symbols make sense. Separate parts of the temple are important in worship, while they carry a message that is fully revealed in the monumental painting, which expresses all the teachings of the Church. The temple’s murals contain His invisible presence, and the more the picture conforms to the canons, the more this presence is felt, bearing more grace.
First murals
From ancient times, images in churches were intended to provide information to the people. The painting of the walls of the temple is a continuation of the forms of the cathedral, they should carry not only a preaching goal, but also meet poetic-figurative functions. In addition, painting is a reflection of the transformation of ideals and the progress of popular thought.
How art developed
Since the end of the XIV century, the principality in the art of temple painting has been occupied by the Moscow Principality, which led the unification of lands and the battle for the overthrow of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. The school, one of whose natives was Andrei Rublev, had a significant impact on the formation of painting.
The name of this icon painter is associated with the flowering of art. This period coincided with the early Renaissance in Italy. Rublev's worthy successor was Dionysius, whose painting of the Orthodox church is characterized by sophistication, sophistication, and a bright and bright palette.
After Dionysius, one can observe a desire for a structured story unfolding on the walls of the cathedral. Often such a painting of the temple is overloaded. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Stroganov School was born , an important part of which was landscape painting, which displayed the diversity of nature.
The century is rich in dramatic events in the history of the state, but, at the same time, a secular culture has developed, which affects the painting of the temple. For example, the most significant painter of this period, Ushakov, calls for truthfulness in the drawings. Peter I ascended the throne strengthened secular perception. The ban on the use of stone in the construction of buildings outside St. Petersburg had even greater influence on the fading of wall painting.
Steps towards the revival of temple murals were taken only by the middle of the century. It was at this moment that the images began to be placed in stucco frames. By the end of the 19th century, classicism prevailed in the murals of the cathedrals, which was characterized by the academic manner of writing, combined with alfrei and ornamental murals.
Religious painting of the 19th-20th centuries
Temple painting of this period is developing according to the laws of Russian Art Nouveau, which originated in Kiev. It was there that one could get acquainted with the works of Vasnetsov and Vrubel. The walls of the Vladimir Cathedral, painted by Vasnetsov, were photographed in detail, the magnificence of painting throughout the country was shown.
Many artists sought to imitate this technique when working in other temples. The painting of the temple of this period greatly influenced the technique of other artists. A close study of temple painting made it possible to gain an unforgettable experience, contributing to the selection of a style suitable for a particular architecture.