Kholmogorets Simeon Spiridonov (ich) (1642-1695)

The artist was born in Holmogor, which explains the nickname has stuck to it. Most of his life Simeon Spiridonov (1642-1693/95) held in Yaroslavl, which is in the XVII century, was the second largest city in Russia after Moscow.

Probably not only the wealth of the city attracted him Holmogortsa Seeds - North Russia at that time was under the influence of the Old Believers who did not recognize the new icon painting, which the artist had been taught. It is known that his brother Basil was also a painter. Simon wrote Kholmogorets large icons for urban parish churches.

In August of 1677 as the head of the farm Yaroslavl masters by imperial decree, he went to Moscow for the collective "fine work": illustrated thumbnail of 200 sheets Gospel for Alexis. Despite the flattering opinion of his talent, Simon Ushakov , in Moscow, he was not left and returned to Yaroslavl.

By the middle of XVII century Yaroslavl school of icon painting is well recognized. Appreciate it, and in the capital of Yaroslavl masters bought a yard for a contribution to the monastery of Mount Athos, gifts Syrian patriarch, the king of Georgia. In this great merit Seeds Holmogortsa, the best masters, Yaroslavl school pride. It is known that Kholmogorets wrote great way to Yaroslavl churches Nicholas Wet, Epiphany, St. John Chrysostom in the cowshed with his brother Basil painted the chapel of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Solovetsky monastery.

World presented in the works of seeds Spiridonov, strikes an exquisite beauty, in which his contemporaries saw the admirable dispensation.

 His creativity was of arhaiziruyuschuyu focus, the image on the icons Seeds Holmogortsa flatness of the graphic quality, mullion and stigma linearly separated. At the same time, his innate talent miniaturist kalligrafichnoy put it in the detailing, fine strokes gold probelki and decorative gift - a refinement of ornamentation. Planar Uzoroche its icons in nature is reminiscent of northern bone carving art, Ustyug blackening of silver.

The features of color system works Holmogortsa seeds are dense reddish-pink color ohreniya, giving likam tanning effect, an abundance of gold, the complete absence of blue. Seeds of peculiar characters Holmogortsa tense angularity, their faces etched with pain and melancholy. His Virgin - is, as a rule, childlike girl with a sad little face. Background compositions typically architecture, the image of which was an outstanding Semen Kholmogorets master.

Among the most important works of seeds Holmogortsa can be called an icon of "the prophet Elijah in the Life" (1679 Yaroslavsky nstoriko and Architectural Museum-Reserve), the icon "The Virgin and Child Enthroned" (1682 Church of St. John Chrysostom in Korovniki, Yaroslavl), the icon " Nicola in the Life "(1686, Yaroslavl Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve).