Dear friends!

We continue to acquaint you with Artistic Heritage of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Today we are going to talk about one of the art works that decorates the Refectory Chamber at the Church of St. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. It is dedicated to Saint Nestor the Chronicler.

In the gallery of images of Reverend Pechersk Fathers in the Refectory Chamber, the figure that symbolizes Nestor the Chronicler is, by all means, the most famous one. Like all other “portraits” of Saints in the Refectory Chamber gallery, the image of Nestor the Chronicler was painted in full length and in solemn manner. The artwork was done by the artist Ivan Izhakevych. It is interesting to note that the image of Nestor the Chronicler that the painter created for the Lavra’s Refectory Chamber, became the prototype for the similarly-named icon. The copies of the icon with the image of the Saint on it got wide distribution while Nestor’s iconic portrait became the most popular one.

The image of the Nestor the Chronicler in the Refectory Chamber shows that the Saint’s vital life task - his chronicle - is over. The chair, the monk used a minute ago, is resolutely pulled out. The hard-working pen is put back into the inkwell. For the last time Nestor rereads what he wrote a minute ago. He takes his eyes off the scroll and looks ahead, directly at the viewer. The piercing gaze of Nestor and his thoughts, which have reached us through the centuries, must restore time continuity lost in the darkness of history. This is how the viewer can “read” the plot of the artwork, at least on an intuitive level. The fingers of Nestor’s right hand are fixed to prevent the edge of the charter twisting. Long fingers of his left hand help Nestor lightly lean against the table.

The painted mural image of Nestor the Chronicler in the Refectory Chamber is surprisingly portrait-looking. It seems like the viewer recognizes the image of the Saint and is, so to say, familiar with him through his life and “expressive” realism. At the same time, the image of Nestor is stepped in a special epic, and, perhaps, poetic fiction of “legend of deep antiquity”, which evokes vivid associations with Pimen from poem “Boris Godunov” written by Pushkin.

Caption to the illustration:

1. Ivan Izhakevych. Saint Nestor the Chronicler. Early 20th century. Painting of the Refectory Chamber at the Church of St. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk

Prepared by Olena Pitateleva

Senior research worker

Study of Artistic Heritage Research Division

National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”

#ArtisticHeritage

#МистецькаСпадщина