Humble spiritualist believes in divinity of his icon paintings

  • 2011-01-13
  • By Linas Jegelevicius

ICONOGRAPHER: Destiny brought Georgijus Jakovlevas back to his uncle’s workshop where he devoutly works on Old Believer religious icons.

KLAIPEDA - When Georgijus Jakovlevas, an Old Believer, meticulously touches a human-being-begotten icon with his paintbrush, a metaphysical serenity descends on his solemn face, emphasizing the divinity of the artwork in the pipeline – the icon. “Only a really spiritual and pious man with a special sanctification can paint Old Believer icons,” he is convinced, radiating undeniable joy in his earnest posture.

Lithuania’s Old Believers Church has entered its fourth century, solemnly marking its 300-year anniversary all over its tight-knit communities. According to different sources, there are over 40,000 Old Believers in Lithuania. However, if you ask an average Joe: who are the Old Believers? you most likely will catch the person off guard, making him or her scratch his or her head. In the context of history, Old Believers (Starovery in Russian) separated from the Russian Orthodox Church after the year 1666 as a protest against the Church’s reforms, introduced by Patriarch Nikon throughout 1652-1666. Old Believers continue liturgical practices which the Russian Orthodox Church maintained before the implementation of these reforms.

The Old Believers Church’s  anniversary celebrations culminate with an exhibition in the National Museum of Lithuania in Vilnius, displaying Old Believers’ culture through icon paintings, metal, plastic and book art. The exhibition, lasting from Dec. 1 to Feb. 1, reveals the beauty of approximately 200 various items, including not only medieval and contemporary icons, but also little altars, metallic icons, religious and polemic-type hand-written and published books, manuscripts, prayer books and some other ecclesiastical appurtenances. The icons on display mostly overwhelm the 19-20th centuries, acquainting the National Museum visitors with different icon painting schools, ranging from the best Russian icon painting centers to Lithuanian and Western Belarusian tradition-reflecting icon painting schools. The exhibition introduces an array of folk-like amateur paintings, popularly called “primitives,” as well as a handful of more mature works, including those by Dysna’s and Vilnius’ icon painting center craftsmen, such as Ivanas Vasiljevicius Michailovas, Ivanas Ipatjevicius Michailovas and his nephew, the above-mentioned Georgijus Jakovlevas.

“My propensity to the art extends well into the Soviet times, during which my uncle, Ivanas Ipatjevicius Michailovas, was probably the only professional painter of Old Believer icons. Back then, having noticed my curiosity, my aunt prompted me to take a paintbrush in my hands. At 15, for the first time, I gingerly walked in my uncle’s workshop. He looked over and asked me whether I had gone to any art school. As I shook my head, he sprang up rejoicing, “Then it means that you are not yet spoiled,” Jakovlevas recalled, speaking to The Baltic Times.

Ikona, or icon in English, Wikipedia reveals, derives its name from the Greek eikon, meaning “image.” In Eastern Christianity, the icon is generally a flat-panel painting, depicting a holy being or object - Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, saints, angels or the cross. Icons painted in the traditional, or “old” style, are executed in a non-realistic, stylized manner intended to reveal the “spiritual” nature of the figures depicted rather than accurate anatomical detail. Icons may be cast in metal, carved in stone, embroidered on cloth, done in mosaic, or even printed on paper or metal. The history purports that the art of the icon came to Russia from Byzantium after conversion to Christianity in 988 A.D. The then-Russians modified this art in ways that reflected their own skills and character. Icon sketches spread, which helped not only to retain certain qualities and standards, but also to simplify the work and quicken the process of painting.

To come back to Georgijus’s story, maybe God himself has decided to try out his devotion and dedication – deterred from the pursuit at 15, he did come back to it in his early thirties. “I believe it is my destiny, or a small divine intervention. Either has brought me back to my uncle’s workshop. In his elderly years, he had turned nearly blind and I felt I needed to help him. When he passed away, being nearly a centenarian, I was determined to take over his legacy.  I am now 20 years in the business,” Jakovlevas suggested.

Iconography experts maintain that Old Believer iconography reflects crucial aspects, essential to the nature of the “ancient Orthodoxy.” Thus, every detail must be a witness to the ancient Orthodox faith. When depicting the sign of the cross or a blessing by the Lord or saints, the blessing with two fingers must be shown. Crucifixes and crosses that Saints hold in their hands on the icons, or which are depicted on the church domes, have to have three bars.
Icons are painted on woodboards that are perfectly dried and do not have knots. The woodboard is strengthened by veneer. Throughout the centuries, particularly in the Greek culture, icons were painted on cypress and linden trees. However, in Russia, Estonia and Lithuania, linden and pine trees are used most often.

Over the centuries, the techniques of icon painting have changed little - usually natural dry colors are mixed with egg emulsions consisting of water, yolk, vinegar or white wine. The darker an icon, the older it is, as the oil is getting darker after 80-100 years.
“Icon painting gives a painter indefinite solace, a sense of gratification and self-fulfillment. However, you are not supposed to express your artistic creativity or emotions, as the tradition you are following is much bigger and defined by rules,” Jakovlevas says.

The icon exhibition will be open in the National Museum of Lithuania (Arsenalo St. 1, Vilnius) until February.