Evening bells ring from the tower to call worshippers to pray. As the sun sets on another Saturday it is time for evening Vespers. Russian Orthodoxy gives people plenty of time through the course of a weekend to go to church. The entire service is split into two parts, Vespers and the Liturgy. Liturgical mass is held on Sunday mornings, while Vespers are held in the evening the night before. Vespers are peaceful and the church stays dark, except for the lights of candles. The choir sings softly and the priest conducts the service with the utmost care.
This scene is quite common in Russia. Cathedrals and churches are found in every corner of the country. Some are neglected and disheveled, and other like this are in perfect working order. Most Orthodox churches have a bell tower connected to the entrance of the building. The entrance always faces the west so that the altar faces east. In a traditional Russian Orthodox church there are no pews. There are chairs for the older people, but the younger crowd must stand throughout the duration of the services. Even the smallest villages have large churches and cathedrals, which shows the influence the church had before 1917 and even today.
Oil-based paint is the main medium used to paint this composition. The palette is subtle and allows the artist to fully explore the possibilities of the landscape and the architecture. The sky is filled with an unimaginable amount of tones and gradations of color. These transitions of color are so natural that one might mistake the sky for that of a photograph. The trees are painted with intricacy that shows the soft white snow gathered on the ends of the branches. Each person is dwarfed by the grandeur of the church. Its lines and perspectives hold a dignified precision that is a result of the excellent execution. Inlays of gold leaf are found throughout the structure, which are painted over, and give the building an intoxicating glow.
The box is made out of paper-mache made in Fedoskino. Blue lacquer (which is much harder to work with) covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the piece; clear lacquer is added in layers that are polished to a gleaming finish. A gold and white tartan pattern can be found on all four exterior side panels of the box. The box has a hinge above the composition and rests on a flat bottom. The Fedoskino "troika" insignia can be found on the interior of the lid. Upon completing the work on this piece the artist writes the title, 2003, and signs his name at the bottom of the composition.
Materials: paper-mache, oil-based paint, gold, and lacquer.
|
About Artist Larishev, German Gennadievich:
German Larishev is the son of one of lacquer art's greatest names, Gennady Larishev. Today he lives with his wife (Yelena, another great Fedoskino artist), daughter, and his wonderful father. He works at the Fedoskino Lacquer Art Factory, and prefers to work on landscapes, which he does with exceptional skill and grace.
Under his father's tutelage he was able to develop skills and tricks of the trade that set his pieces apart from others. The pays special attention to depth and working with the light shining up through a painting from an inlay of mother-of-pearl. He also, because of his father's influence, is very into painting scenes that are true to the Fedoskino style and that ar
...
read about Larishev, German Gennadievich
|
Item Specifications:
- Title: "Evening Vespers 2003"
- Price: $950.00
- This specific item is available as a single work.
We do not expect to carry this item in the foreseeable future!
- Request more information?
|
Related Stories, Legends & Readings:
|
|
