Becker Albert O. — The State Research Institute for Restoration, Artist-Restorer of the Department of Scientific Restoration of Metal Works
E-mail: 113metal@gmail.com

Dubrovin Mikhail F. — Ph.D., The State Research Institute for Restoration, Leading Researcher of the Department of Scientific Restoration of Metal Works
E-mail: 113metal@gmail.com

The article examines another type of convex name stamps of the Moscow branch of the company “K. Faberge”, in which the name of the owner is combined with the sign of the Supplier of the Highest Court. For the first time, images of this type of birthday people are published in significant volume and high quality, and fake names of this type are also published for the first time. Special attention is paid to the comparative analysis of images of stamps, which makes it possible to distinguish genuine stamps from fake ones, as well as the influence of the conditions of placement and existence of the stamp on the state of its impression on the object. The need for comprehensive studies of objects in the study of decorative and applied arts made of precious metals is also emphasized. The article has scientific and practical value both for museum staff and for specialists involved in the examination and attribution of decorative and applied art products. The information published in the article is useful both in scientific terms — the publication of photographs of stamp prints in good quality, the possibility of conducting their comparative analysis, the introduction of previously unpublished stamp prints into scientific circulation, and in practical terms — the identification of fake stamps.

Database, Moscow branch of the company “K. Faberge”, name stamps, types of name stamps, genuine and fake stamps, comparative analysis of stamps, decorative and applied art products made of precious metals.

Denisov Denis V. — MA in Art History; The State Research Institute for Restoration, Research Engineer at the Department of Scientific Restoration of Easel Tempera Painting;
State Central Andrey Rublev Museum, Head of the Methodology and Research Section.
E-mail: denisov_dionisii@mail.ru

This article gives an overview of the 50-year history of the study of Old Russian monumental paintings in the laboratory of physicochemical research at the State Research Institute for Restoration. It covers mural paintings dated from the 12-th to the 18-th centuries in buildings of federal importance and those included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, such as the St Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, the Nativity Cathedral of the Ferapontov Monastery, the Church of the Nicholas Nadein in Yaroslavl, as well as other temples, both survived and lost in the areas of Novgorod, Kalyazin, Rostov, Yaroslavl, and Moscow. The article also presents some research results captured in unpublished reports of the laboratory. This was achieved by the specialists of the State Research Institute for Restoration, with special recognition of Yu. I. Grenberg, the founding father of this area of research, namely the use of scientific methods in the study of Old Russian wall murals. In addition, the article draws attention to the idea that source studies and art history research along with stylistic observations have been and still are essential complements to the identification of materials and techniques.

Old Russian monumental paintings, scientific methods of research, pigments, murals, wall paintings, fragments of monumental painting, art materials.

Evseeva Liliya M. — Cand. Sci. (Art History), The Mikhail Abramov Museum of Russian Icon, Deputy Director for Research
E-mail: evseeva.lil@mail.ru

The article discusses the results of long-term cooperation between the Laboratory of Physicochemical Research of The State Research Institute for Restoration and the Andrei Rublev Museum in studying the museum collection. More than 100 icons were examined. More than 10 icons, presumably of the XVI — XVII centuries, were recognized as manufactured in Modern times. Some of the obtained data made it possible to clarify the attribution of the icons of the Moscow collection. The technology of the “Hodegetria” icon of 1480 by the master Dionysius was defined. On the basis of these data, it was proved that the “Assumption” was made in the end of the XV century at the workshop of Dionysius, but by another artist. The artificial posnjakite mineral found in its paint layer served as an aid in attributing the icon “Sergius of Radonezh with the scenes of life” around 1510 to the authorship of Theodosius. The identification of the technological features of the Georgian icon “The Mother of God with the Baby” made it possible to date the icon by the beginning of the XII century. The study of 61 icons of the iconostasis of 1663 — 1670 from the Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery revealed the true color of icons, and it was also proved that the icons of festive row of the iconostasis were painted by Moscow artists in the manner of the Greek masters of the XV — XVII centuries.

Icon, iconostasis, collection, museum, painting, technology, colorful layer, artist, research.

Kadikova Irina F. — The State Research Institute for Restoration, Head of the Laboratory of Physicochemical Research
E-mail: kadikovaif@gosniir.ru

Morozova Ekaterina A. —The State Research Institute for Restoration, Research fellow of the Laboratory of Physicochemical Research
E-mail: morozovaea@gosniir.ru

Kolpakova Olga V. — the Second Qualification Category Restorer in Tempera Paintings, Interregional Agency for Scientific Restoration of Work of Art, Research fellow of the Monumental Fresco and Tempera Painting Restoration Department
E-mail: olya-lya.sk@yandex.ru

The article presents the results of the study of painting technological features of the central iconostasis of the Smolensk Cathedral of the Novodevichy Monastery — one of the significant, but little-studied icon painting ensembles of the late 16th century. In the course of the work the chemical composition of microsamples of the author's and repaint’s layers of twenty five icons was investigated. Among them 19 icons belong to the Forefather, the Prophetical, the Deisis and the Festival rows and represent a single complex; five icons from the Sovereign row, which сonsist of different works of Old Russian icon painting, which have their own technological features. For the first time, the icon of the Last Supper from the top of Holy Gates was examined, for which the time of creation, as well as the technique of painting were determined and specified. The analysis of artistic materials was carried out using a set of physicochemical and optical methods, such as polarization microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, Raman microspectroscopy, infrared microspectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence analysis and microchemical analysis. Using cross-sections, it was possible to investigate the layer-by-layer structure of the paint layers. As a result, we obtained information about the technological features of painting icons of different times, the pigment composition of the author's paint layers and repaint’s layers preserved in some areas, as well as revealed the causes of color changes in a number of icons.

Iconostasis of the Smolensk Cathedral of the Novodevichy Monastery, icon, technological features of painting, physicochemical research, pigments, smalt, degradation of pigments.

Kiryanova Olga G. — Likhachev Russian Research Institute for Cultural and Natural Heritage, Senior Researcher of the Center for Museum Policy; The State Research Institute for Restoration, Employee of the Scientific and Organizational Department
E-mail: psk-ok@mail.ru

The article is devoted to icons of Palestinian origin from the collection of the Church Historical and Archaeological Museum of the Kostroma Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. In the second half of the XIX — early XX century, Russian Orthodox pilgrims visited Palestine en masse, revered as a place of biblical events. As memorable relics, which were taken home by our compatriots at the end of the pilgrimage, products made of mother-of-pearl for religious purposes, which were made by Palestinian craftsmen from Jerusalem and Bethlehem, were in great demand. Icons made on a mother-of-pearl basis in the technique of engraving and relief carving occupied a special place among these products. 24 such icons are kept in the Kostroma Diocesan Museum. The article describes the most remarkable specimens from the museum collection, their plots and composition features. Based on the actual material, the author traces the influence of the Catholic spiritual tradition and Western European art in general on the formation of the most typical visual interpretations of the events of sacred history for Palestinian icons made of mother-of-pearl. It is assumed that in choosing the iconography of the subjects and their compositional solution, the regional masters focused mainly on Western European engravings and lithographs. According to the author, the composition of the elements of the floral ornament, which is a traditional part of the decor for this type of product, is also due not to the aesthetic preferences of Palestinian artisans, but to their desire to use stable symbols and images imprinted in the oldest monuments of church hymnography, Christian tradition and legends of Western Europe.

Church museum, diocesan museum, Kostroma Diocesan Church Historical and Archaeological Museum, mother-of-pearl, mother-of-pearl icons, mother-of-pearl carvings, pilgrimage relics.