The Russian Icon Museum

Possibly the least likely spot for a Russian Icon museum is the tiny town of Clinton, Massachusetts. This unassuming town actually boasts the largest collection of Russian icons outside of Russia! Perhaps unsurprisingly, the museum is also the only one in the United States dedicated completely to icons.

Some fast facts:

• Icons are not Objects of Worship
• The Museum has icons from the 15th Century to the 21st Century
• Writing icons is a detailed process, requiring a lot of skill

In the Orthodox church, icons are not viewed as idols, or as something to be worshipped. They are depictions of people and meaningful events. They serve as reminders of those who have gone before, and as a glimpse into heaven. Different people will have varying answers, but the base line is clear: they are not idols. This is part of the issue that divided the Eastern and Western Churches in 1054 AD.

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The Collection

Ranging from the 1400’s to the present day, the museum’s collection is impressive. To think that you are standing before a piece of art created in a remote monastery in the 17th century is incredible. On some of the icons, you can see the painting falling away, revealing the thick layer of canvas and gesso beneath. Some contain hundreds of detailed figures; magnifying glasses hang nearby so you can view the tiny faces.

For those who wish to earn a small prize, there are scavenger hunt pages. Items on the list include a unicorn, dragon, and other oddities within the icons.

Downstairs, an exhibit filled with modern Russian art shows the disparity and similarities between the eras.

Also downstairs is the tea room, where you can purchase Russian tea packets and sweets. There is a machine to brew the tea there, along with small tables.

Throughout the museum, there are many video stations with audio handsets nearby. Topics include traditional embroidery, a trip across Russia, icon writing, and matryoshka dolls (the last is a temporary exhibit).

Writing an Icon

The process of creating an icon is mesmerizing. Typically, the artist starts with a block of wood that is carved out in the middle to provide a raised frame. The wood is then covered with canvas and gesso. Outlines for the image are cut into the board. Many layers of color are daubed onto the surface, going from dark to light.

You may have noticed that the proper term for making an icon is writing, not painting. In brief, it is to distinguish the art of iconography from others.

The video below is a perfect example of icon writing!

SKINIYA. CREATING AN ICON. ANTON & EKATERINA DAINEKO

short but very informative film about creating an icon We are happy to invite you to our class in Charleston SC January 2018 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/anton-and-ekaterina-daineko-icon-painting-master-class-charleston-sc-tickets-36964835819 in Texas February 2018 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/master-iconography-class-of-anton-and-ekaterina-daineko-in-texas-tickets-35463562470 10 days icon-painting workshop in Michigan June 2018 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/antonekaterina-daineko-master-class-icon-painting-and-gilding-michigan-tickets-36474927490 all information you can get on our website WWW.IKONA-SKINIYA.COM or by email PTAHMINSK@gmail.com

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VISIT

WELCOME! The Museum of Russian Icons inspires the appreciation and study of Russian culture by collecting and exhibiting one of the world’s largest collections of Russian icons – sacred paintings used for veneration in the Orthodox tradition.