Annunciation in the painting of Cyril’s Church

Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that She will give birth to Savior. The figure of the Archangel was created by M. Vrubel.

This is M. Vrubel’s first monumental work in Cyril’s Church.

The figure of Gabriel is written on an outline on a wet stucco and is preserved since the 12th century. Graceful figure of Archangel is made with virtuosity: carefully designed details of hands, face, clothing. It reminds the best samples of Byzantine mosaics. The folds of white and pink dressing, intertwined, like an ornament, a hand raised in a blessing gesture, a flap of a wing – do not produce a copy, not a forgery, but a deeply modern interpretation of the ancient formal language of painting. A swift figure of the archangel Gabriel goes to the Virgin Mary, depicted on the opposite south pillar of the triumphal arch, to announce the joyful news of the birth of the future Savior of all mankind. Unfortunately, the name of the artist who painted the image of Mary the Virgin remains unknown. Can it ever turn out that this is also the work of Mickail Vrubel? The main example, according to one of the biographers of M. Vrubel, for this composition was the icon of the XII century “Annunciation of Ustyug”, stored in the State Tretyakov Gallery. Vrubel approved himself in this work as a brilliant interpreter of the heritage of ancient masters. M. Zummer noted that the artist didn’t feel tight within the outline of the old master, he was able to guess the really great painting tradition.

The author: Irina Margolina