| Museum display |
| Architecture and painting |
| History |
 Saints and sacred objects |
 Living antiquity |
September 1 International Youth Creativity Competition
The State Historical museum and the State Historical museum Friends Society announce the beginning of the International Youth Creativity Competition “Saint Basil’s Cathedral: History, Soul and Beauty of Russia”.
The holding of the Competition is dedicated to the 450th Anniversary of Saint Basil’s Cathedral that is celebrated in 2011. Saint Basil’s Cathedral is one of the most recognizable symbols of Russia, a great creation of our forefathers, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
November 25 A Unique Icon Has Returned to the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God
Visitors to the museum now have an opportunity to see a unique icon, The Protecting Veil of the Mother of God with Interceding Sts. Vasily and Ioann the Blessed, which has returned to the cathedral after restoration.
This monumental icon, 3.5 by 2.45 meters in size, was painted in the 1780s specially for the southern facade of the belfry of the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil. It is rather unconventional in terms of its plot and the saints it shows, being related to the dedication of the cathedral’s altars. In the 19th century, the icon was adorned with a gilt copper setting and put into a glassed-in frame.
For more than 200 years, the icon remained in the open air. In the mid-20th century, it was for the first time examined by restorers. In 2007, the icon was removed from the frame to undergo a comprehensive restoration at the State Historical Museum. Experts performed the extensive and laborious work of cleaning and strengthening the paint layer and applying a protective coating.
Because of the need to ensure preservation of the old icon, it cannot be displayed in the open air. Now the icon The Protecting Veil of the Mother of God with Interceding Saints has been given a befitting place of display in the central church of the cathedral — the Church of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God.
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This monumental icon, 3.5 by 2.45 meters in size, was painted in the 1780s specially for the southern facade of the belfry of the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil. It is rather unconventional in terms of its plot and the saints it shows, being related to the dedication of the cathedral’s altars. In the 19th century, the icon was adorned with a gilt copper setting and put into a glassed-in frame.
For more than 200 years, the icon remained in the open air. In the mid-20th century, it was for the first time examined by restorers. In 2007, the icon was removed from the frame to undergo a comprehensive restoration at the State Historical Museum. Experts performed the extensive and laborious work of cleaning and strengthening the paint layer and applying a protective coating.
Because of the need to ensure preservation of the old icon, it cannot be displayed in the open air. Now the icon The Protecting Veil of the Mother of God with Interceding Saints has been given a befitting place of display in the central church of the cathedral — the Church of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God.
August 28 The Opening of the exhibition “The Model of St. Basil’s Cathedral”
The exhibition is to be held in Moscow, at the GUM Trading House on Red Square, from August 28 until September 3, 2009. To mark the 450th anniversary of the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil, artisans from Campocavallo, a small township in the Italian region of Marche, made a model of the cathedral from ears of wheat. It took more than 200 volunteers working under the supervision of skillful masters a whole of six months to create a copy of the remarkable Moscow cathedral standing more than six meters in height, which they wove by hand from wheat straw. In addition to the model, the exhibition includes a display of photographs featuring the rural traditions of the Marche region.
The exhibition has been staged within the “Make Culture!” project co-financed by the European Union. The State Historical Museum and its branch, the museum “Cathedral of the Protecting Veil,” have rendered every assistance to the project “Model of the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil.”
The exhibition has been staged within the “Make Culture!” project co-financed by the European Union. The State Historical Museum and its branch, the museum “Cathedral of the Protecting Veil,” have rendered every assistance to the project “Model of the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil.”
June 23 The Church of the Holy Trinity is closed for restoration
In keeping with the 2009 plan for restoration work at the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil, the restoration of the Church of the Holy Trinity has been launched. The previous restoration of this side church was carried out more than a quarter of a century ago.
This is one of the cathedral’s four bigger churches. Its architectural and painted decor was restored in the 1920s. Today the walls of the church are whitewashed the way they were in the 17th century. This is the earliest decorative finishing of the walls uncovered in the church by restorers.
In the course of its current restoration, the whitewash on the walls will be renovated and the damaged 16th-century herringbone-patterned brick floor will be restored. The iconostasis and ancient icons will also be specially examined and restored.
This is one of the cathedral’s four bigger churches. Its architectural and painted decor was restored in the 1920s. Today the walls of the church are whitewashed the way they were in the 17th century. This is the earliest decorative finishing of the walls uncovered in the church by restorers.
In the course of its current restoration, the whitewash on the walls will be renovated and the damaged 16th-century herringbone-patterned brick floor will be restored. The iconostasis and ancient icons will also be specially examined and restored.
June 10 Presentation of uniform suits for the museum staff
Uniform suits for the staff of the museum “Cathedral of the Protecting Veil” have been produced to sketches by Yelena Suprun, the noted Russian fashion designer. For creating such an unusual collection, characteristic colors of the ancient monument were chosen such as sunny orange, light sky blue, dark blue, grass green, and cherry red. The suits are decorated with an amazingly beautiful floral curl pattern similar to those which an observant visitor can find on the vaults of the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil.
The uniform was designed with due regard for the climatic features of the cathedral, which has never been heated. Stylish felt boots hand-made by craftsmen according to an old technology under the supervision of designer Olga Chermikova have made a good supplement to warm winter coats. This convenient traditional Russian footwear was felted and embroidered by hand.
Even now visitors to the museum can see its staff members wearing elegant summer suits — jackets and trousers (or skirts). In cool weather, the suits are supplemented with waistcoats.
The uniform was designed with due regard for the climatic features of the cathedral, which has never been heated. Stylish felt boots hand-made by craftsmen according to an old technology under the supervision of designer Olga Chermikova have made a good supplement to warm winter coats. This convenient traditional Russian footwear was felted and embroidered by hand.
Even now visitors to the museum can see its staff members wearing elegant summer suits — jackets and trousers (or skirts). In cool weather, the suits are supplemented with waistcoats.
May 12 Performances of the Doros Male Choir
Throughout the summer period, visitors to the museum “Cathedral of the Protecting Veil” will have an opportunity to listen, free of charge, to spiritual singing performed by the members of the Doros Male Choir. The performances are held in the central Church of the Protecting Veil in the museum’s working hours. Here one may also purchase CDs with recordings of the choir.