Simon Fyodorovich Ushakov (1626-1686)

With the name of S. Ushakov in the history of old Russian icon painting is usually associated idea of ​​the last period of Art Moscow Russia.

And his work, and his very identity are typical for the era of radical changes that occurred in the second half of the XVII century. Clearly marked breaking the medieval world leads to serious changes in the understanding and interpretation of the iconographic image.

Especially clearly expressed in these innovations of the masters of the Kremlin Armory. Occurred while the sovereign's yard in the early XVII century. as a store of weapons, it is already in the middle of the century, transformed into a large art studio, which pulled together the best painters from different cities of Russia, where a number of them worked as a visiting foreign makers. Here done a lot of work, ranging from paintings of temples and dwellings of the Kremlin and ending decoration banners, coaches, various household items.

In the Armory for more than twenty years he worked Simon Ushakov. Its efficiency and energy striking. He paints the walls of temples, writes icons and miniatures, draws a card, make drawings for banners, coins, jewelry to guns, prints and engraves itself. Has written extensively on the orders of churches in Moscow, Novgorod, Tver, Rostov, for the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.
Ushakov headed icon-painting workshop and leaves many students and followers, among whom were particularly known Tikhon Filatev and Kirill Ulanov. Following the teacher they are trying to find new ways to create iconographic image.

His new look at the problem of icon painting Ushakov formulates them in the written no later than 1667 "Word to lyubotschatelnomu iconic writings" where admires properties mirrors capable of exactly reproduce the world around him and wants to be likened to the painted image. Following this endeavor, he tries to use multi afloat (small, barely visible brush strokes, giving a smooth transition from one tone to another) to apply the cut-off and in the interpretation of faces.

He often writes the image of the Saviour and the Virgin Mary, demonstrating its ability to simulate the soft face and neck, to emphasize the roundness of the chin, swelling of the lips. In the icon "Our Lady of Vladimir (Tree of the Moscow State)," written in 1668, it depicts the Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, trying to convey his portrait features.

It is known that Ushakov wrote parsuna. In the image of the interior or landscape on the icons he sometimes uses the principles of linear perspective. As a model for backgrounds icons artist sometimes uses Western engraving. Thus, in the architectural landscape of the icon "Trinity" (1671), he repeated the image with engravings, executed a painting by Italian painter of XVI century. Paolo Veronese's "Feast of Simon the Pharisee." As for the understanding of the iconographic image of the whole, the master remains in the medieval representations. (The dual nature inherent in his art, finds an analogy in the works pozdnegrecheskih painters - such as for example Emmanuel Tzanes.)

In contrast to the painters of the past, Ushakov often signs his work, stating the date of writing his name and image. Of the remaining documents it is known that from 1648 to 1664, he worked as flag bearers at the Silver House, and from 1664 by 1686 - Complained icon-painter Armory. For information about the "kind iconographer Simon Ushakov son Fedorov" contained in the manuscript Synodikon Moscow Church of Our Lady of Georgia.

Of the extant his legacy best known icons, now stored in the Tretyakov Gallery and Museum. Among them - the repetition of famous Russian shrines: Images of Our Lady of Vladimir (1652, 1662), Our Lady of the Don, Our Lady Kykkotissa (both 1668), and others are known as his copper engravings - "Fatherland", "Seven Deadly Sins"; prints to the "Life of Barlaam and Joasaph "to the" Psalter of Simeon of Polotsk ".