Baranov Viktor V. — Ph.D., restorer of the highest category, member of the State Commission for Certification of Restorers of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation; The State Research Institute for Restoration, Leading Researcher at the Laboratory of Physicochemical Research
E-mail: trinity64@mail.ru

The article is devoted to the results of long-term research on the technological features of the works of Old Believer icon painting of the archaic type — stylizations and imitations of the XIX — early XX centuries. Iconography of Modern times was considered a second-rate phenomenon of Russian artistic culture not so long ago. Unlike the technology of ancient painting, no one studied the artistic materials of later icons. Most researchers of ancient Russian painting are convinced that forgers of the XIX — early XX century. They were well acquainted with the colorful materials used by medieval craftsmen, and could use them in the manufacture of their “falshaks”. Since the 1990s, V. V. Baranov and M. M. Naumova have been regularly conducting technical and technological studies of late icon painting in general and icon imitations of that time in particular at the State Research Institute for Restoration. The article analyzes the written sources of the XVIII — first third of the XX century, which contain information about the materials of painting. The conclusion is made about which pigments of medieval painting the icon painters of the New Time had an adequate idea. Further, the article provides information about the technology obtained during the study of the icon stylizations and imitations themselves. The last part of the article provides a comparative analysis of the technological features of modern fakes and imitations, stylizations of the XIX — early XX century.

Archaic iconography, forgeries, imitations, old believers, stylizations, technical and technological research, technological features.