An icon within a tradition: “Fatherland” with seventeen plot stamps from the collection of iconography of the Vetka Museum

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of one of the icons from the rich collection of the Vetka museum of Old Believers and Belarusian traditions (Republic of Belarus). The author suggests a possible circle of authors of this icon, gives a general description of the icon, analyzes in detail the central part and all seventeen plot stamps. The study shows that the performer or customer of the icon seeks to create a special type of work — an iconostasis icon, which reflects his interest and sufficiently deep immersion in the dogmatics of Orthodox teaching, and in a variant of ascetic and monastic-monastic manifestations. There is a noticeable search for views reflected in a particular church meeting of Old Believers-Vetkovites, included in the traditional way of life and an established system of beliefs. The analysis uses the method of archival research, historical and art criticism analysis, the study of the questions of Orthodox dogmatics in the system of artistic means of expression.