Novgorod icons 12th-17th century

The city of Novgorod was long one of the foremost trading posts of medieval Russia and the capital of a far-flung territory. Novgorod also became a creative centre of learning and of the arts of architecture and painting. The school of Novgorod, outstanding for the quality and variety of its luminous icons, established a tradition that was to flourish for five hundred years. The finest surviving examples of this profoundly spiritual and subtly harmonious art are presented in this book. Carefully and expertly conserved, most Novgorod icons are now displayed in the Museum Zonę of Novgorod itself, in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, and above all in the Russian Museum in Leningrad. The importance and character of this unique artistic heritage are discussed in the introductory texts, and a detailed catalogue provides authoritative information on the condition, dating and provenance of each icon, together with full bibliographical references.