The formation of a local artistic center in Novgorod in the context of Byzantine art
No. 1 (40) (2026), Forum
No. 1 (40) (2026)

The formation of a local artistic center in Novgorod in the context of Byzantine art

Forum
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2026.01.013
Published 2026-03-30
Olga Evgenievna Etinhof
Russian Academy of Arts; Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russian Federation

eLibrary ID etinhof@mail.ru

Выпуск № 1 (40) 2026 журнала "Искусство Евразии"
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Keywords

12th-century art, art of the Russian North, Novgorod artistic school, Novgorod, Kiev, Constantinople, Byzantium, fresco, icon, miniature, manuscript, team of masters, artist,

How to Cite

Etinhof O. E. The formation of a local artistic center in Novgorod in the context of Byzantine art // The Art of Eurasia, 2026. № 1 (40). P. 234–257. URL: https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2026.01.013.
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Abstract

The formation of an independent local painting tradition in Novgorod should be dated to no earlier than the first half of the 12th century. Until recently, our understanding of Novgorod art was limited to a narrow range of monuments and fragments. During recent years, archaeological finds and restoration have significantly expanded our knowledge about it, revealing fragments of frescoes from three previously almost or virtually unknown churches. The formation of this tradition in the Russian North occurred not only under the strong influence of Southern Rus' and the Byzantine Empire, but also as a result of the work of Kievan and Byzantine teams of masters in Novgorod and Pskov. According to our estimates, five main teams of fresco painters were active in the Novgorod land during this period. Icons were likely also created by masters from these same teams. The majority of surviving illustrated manuscripts were likely also primarily created by Kievan artists during this period.

https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2026.01.013

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