PROTOPOPE (ARCHPRIEST) AVVAKOUM
Central Russia
The end of XVII – the beginning of XVIII centuries
Wood, gesso, tempera
14,6 x 12,5 cm
Receipt: from the Moscow St. Nicholas monastery, 1923 (previously from the collection of A.I.Khludov)
Showcase 3
Avvakoum Petrov (1620–1682), Archpriest from Yuryvets Povolsky, a writer and an ideologist of the “old believers” in the period of its occurrence. An active participant of the circle of zealots of piety, Archpriest Avvakoum became an irreconcilable opponent of Church reforms carried out by Patriarch Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Being in exile since 1653 in Tobolsk, Yeniseisk, Dauria, Mezen and later for fifteen years a prisoner in Poustozersky jail, he preached “the old faith” and wrote his main works “The Book of conversations”, “The Book of interpretations”, autobiographical novel – “Life”, as well as numerous accusatory letters and petitions. In 1666, at the Great Moscow Sobor (Convention), convened for the trial of Nikon, he was defrocked. In 1682, in Pustozersk Avvakoum was executed - he was burned in a log cabin for “great abuse of the Tsar’s family”. He was canonized in 1916.
The icon was probably painted at the turn of XVII - VIII Centuries in the Onouphriev Monastery skete on Kerzhenets River, a left tributary of the Volga River, by a community of believers – fans of Avvakoum. The icon is considered to be a reliable image of the disgraced priest, painted as a self-portrait and sent to Kerzhenets from the Pustozersk prison.
The plot for the icon was the vision of the protopope Avvakoum in the prison of the Nikolo-Ouresh Monastery after his defrocking in 1666, described by him in his fifth petition to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Avvakoum is depicted in standing in prayer. In his hand he holds a roll with the text of the “The Message to the brethren on the entire face of the Earth” (1669–1670), dedicated to preaching opposition to ritual reforms. In the Golden clouds the Christ holds a roll with the “answer”, personally said to protopope Avvakoum during the vision.
The style of the icon was called by the old believers - “The Baron” or “the third Stroganov”. It became popular at the turn of XVII – XVIII Centuries. In the traditional iconographic scheme of the prayer of a Saint in front of the Savior and heavenly powers, the artist included a Baroque plot of “unspoken” dialogue. The image of the Archpriest Avvakoum is expressive and individual. The artist had painted his model in every tiny detail and magnified it. The image created of the sufferer and hero is full of tragedy. This Characteristic, recognizable image is repeated in the late icons and miniatures of the XIX century.
The Church reform carried out by Patriarch Nikon was aimed at correction of rites and liturgical books in line with New Greek models. Opponents of the reform, recognizing its necessity, claimed that corrections should made compliance to the Old Russian traditions and decisions of the Hundred-Head Sobor (Convention). The Church schism became a broad people’s movement. Many representatives of the nobility, Church hierarchs, peasants and townspeople took the side of the zealots of the old rites.
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