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Insightful gaze of wise eyes, traditional peasant beard, lips ready to smile – this is how we see a Russian icon painter Grigory Zhuravlev in his rare portrait. Nearby – Brother Athanasius, whom Gregory reaches only to the waist: the fact is that the boy was born with legs knee-deep and arms up to the elbow …
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The future icon painter was born in 1860. in the Samara province, the village Utovka, in a family of peasants. Thanks to his grandfather, Grisha began attend a village school where I learned to read. When grandpa died, the boy had to study at home – with the help of a zemstvo teacher Trinity. Realizing how a pencil works, Grisha began to learn to write. and draw, holding it with your teeth …
At the age of 15, Gregory with his brother Athanasius goes to Samara with a dream to learn how to be an icon painter. Local artist Travkin, to whom the armless young man asked teach him painting techniques, was so amazed that he settled an extraordinary student at home and taught him the basics of icon painting. Having mastered them, Gregory acquired brushes, paints, a table with the necessary for him devices and returned to his native village, where he began to develop own skill and hone skill.
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Grandmother helped the young icon painter: she prepared paints, cleaned brushes, in a special way seated Gregory. Athanasius made for wooden blanks icons. For five years of persistent and uninterrupted talented self-taught worker reached such a level that he decided to give dignitaries of Samara several of their icons …
Tsesarevich accepted the icon of Zhuravlev
These icons were so liked by the Samara authorities that Zhuravlev began to receive good orders. In addition, the provincial zemsky Gregory’s meeting appointed an annual 60-ruble pension – in view of the plight of the family and for personal work on self-improvement in painting.
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So the legless and armless icon painter became the breadwinner of the family, because a lot of money was paid for his work. For example, for the image Zhuravlev could receive 50 rubles (for comparison, the salary of Zemsky doctors and teachers at that time was 10-15 rubles).
Grigory Nikolaevich met with the governor of Samara himself A.D.Sverbeev, was in correspondence with him. In 1884 Zhuravlev asked his patron to transfer to Tsarevich Nicholas, the future to the Russian emperor, an image written especially for him Nicholas the Wonderworker. Graciously accepting the icon, the prince of own money granted peasant Zhuravlev one-time allowance of 100 rubles.
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Amazing icons of Grigory Zhuravlev
Samara local historian and writer Alexander Malinovsky is already somewhat decades collects materials about the life and work of Zhuravlev. IN 2013 the fifth edition of his documentary story was published “Joyful meeting” about the amazing Utev icon painter. In the book chapters appeared about the newly found Zhuravlev icons.
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It is still unknown how many images the armless wrote icon painter. Currently, Alexander Stanislavovich, collecting information about Zhuravlev from the 60s of the last century, found the location of 100 of his works. In particular, the icon we mentioned St. Nicholas, once donated to Nicholas Romanov, is kept today in the Hermitage. The inscription on the back reads: “From the archive Tsesarevich “.
In general, the geography of the distribution of Zhuravlev’s icons is very wide. For example, one of his works was discovered in 1963. in Serbia, which was then part of Yugoslavia.
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But the icon painter has one very unusual picture, which Alexander Malinovsky gave the name “Utev Madonna”. Small format, she depicts a peasant woman in a white scarf on head holding a baby in her arms. The woman is typically Zavolzhsky, simple face with big dark eyes and a barely visible smile on the lips … No raid of churchiness, however perceived the picture is like an icon.
The resident of Utyovka Alexander Podusova was the last of Famous owners of this unique painting. The woman said that she greatly loved the picture-icon and belonged to her as a heirloom. Unfortunately, she did not save Utyovskaya Madonna, “and where this canvas is now stored, is unknown.
The greatest spiritual feat of the icon painter
In Utevka there is the Holy Trinity Church, built in 1892. IN for seven years it was erected “by the scrutiny of the parishioners.” This temple painted according to the sketches of Grigory Zhuravlev. Old-timers said that the icon painter was raised under the dome in a special cradle with leather belts, and he, lying in it, painted murals. At the same time, Gregory Nikolayevich clenched his brush in his teeth so hard that cheekbones. To unclench them, warm wet towels …
Grigory Zhuravlev died on February 15, 1916. from transient consumption. With the blessing of the Samara bishop, the icon painter was buried in the fence a temple painted by him.
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In 1934 Holy Trinity Church was closed, having arranged there granary. In 1989 he was returned to the church. Now in this temple There are nine icons of Zhuravlev’s brush. As the abbot says Anatoly Kopach, they are mainly brought by the descendants of those who all their lives kept the holy images and thus saved them after the ruin the temple.
About Grigory Zhuravlev himself, Father Anatoly says this: this an amazing person gives people hope. Doomed, it would seem to complete helplessness and inaction, he performed a spiritual feat and with his whole life he showed that you can create even when it seems unthinkable …
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