The Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Massachusetts and its peer-reviewed Journal of Icon Studies (http://www.museumofrussianicons.org/research/)is pleased to announce the publication of its first three articles:
Engelina S. Smirnova, “’Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker with Angels and Miracles’ A New Image of Saint Nicholas of Myra in Russian Art of the 16th Century (Icon from a Private Collection in London)”
The icon discussed in this paperrelates to a rare variation of Russian depictions of St Nicholas. In medieval Russia St Nicholas was depicted in various iconographic variations in which were reflected how the saint was venerated. Some types of depiction which had come from Byzantium and were modified on Russian soil did not have special names.Our icon appears to be an example of a rare Russian iconographic type so far unidentified, absent from scholarly literature,and whose special characteristics havenot until this time been described.
Clemena Antonova,“Visuality among Cubism, Iconography, and Theosophy:
Pavel Florensky’s Theory of Iconic Space”
This paper considers the little known influence of Theosophical notions of visuality
on Pavel Florensky’s theory of iconic space. What is probably the most insightful aspect of Florensky’s position on the pictorial space of the medieval image appears in his essay “Reverse Perspective” (1919). But these ideas cannot be understood outside his Theosophically-derived notions of vision in an even earlier work, Smysl idealizma (The Meaning of Idealism, 1914). The close connection between the two texts has not yet been noticed, but the importance of the icon for Florensky lies exactly in its ability to provide a model of vision at a higher level of existence.
Henry Hundt and Raoul Smith “A Teratological Source of Hellhead”
A group of 17th century Russian icons of the Resurrection and Descent into Hell have an interesting depiction of Hell. It is a creature with a face that is human-like but with an opening on the top of its head from which the righteous exit Hell. We have found what we think is the source for this creature, which we call Hellhead, in a medieval Russian novel about Alexander the Great called Aleksandriya.
The Journal of Icon Studies is seeking submissions in the study of religious icons from the development of icons in the Byzantine period to the modern era, in all areas of iconology and iconography, including the fields of art history, literature, religion, spirituality, comparative studies, conservation and related fields. Submitted articles are reviewed as soon as received and published as soon as accepted by the reviewers.
Guidelines for submission are available at http://www.museumofrussianicons.org/research/index.php/publications/journal-of-icon-studies/publication-guidelines/what-we-publish/.
For further information, feel free to call
978.598.5000 ext. 24 or to email research@museumofrussianicons.org.