Theophanes the Greek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Theophanes the Greek
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Virgin and Child (Donskaya)
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| Born | 1340 |
| Died | 1410 Russia
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| Nationality | Greek |
| Movement | Byzantine Iconography |
Theophanes the Greek (born around 1340, died around 1410) was a very important artist from the Byzantine Empire. He was one of the greatest painters of icons in Muscovite Russia. His unique style greatly influenced other artists in the 1400s, especially in the Novgorod and Moscow areas. He was also known as the teacher of the famous Russian painter, Andrei Rublev.
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Life and Art of Theophanes
Theophanes came from Constantinople, which was the capital city of the Byzantine Empire. Today, this city is called Istanbul in Turkey. He studied art and philosophy at the University of Constantinople.
Moving to Russia
Around 1370, Theophanes moved to Novgorod in Russia. Later, in 1395, he moved to Moscow. He became very famous for his unique painting style.
Theophanes' Painting Style
Many people thought his style was amazing because he used very few colors. Some people even said he painted "with a broom." This meant he used bold, wide brushstrokes in his large wall paintings, called frescos. This style was quite special in the larger Byzantine art tradition.
People in Moscow called Theophanes "learned in philosophy." This shows he had a wide education and was very smart. You can see his deep thinking in his icon of the Transfiguration of Jesus. In this painting, the figure of Christ looks bright and perfect. The Apostles on the ground look a bit messy, but in an organized way. This balance of perfect shapes and colors, along with his use of earth tones and shiny gold leaf, creates a very powerful feeling. It shows how talented this artist was. Theophanes was also known for decorating old books with beautiful pictures, called illuminated manuscripts.
Theophanes' Art Gallery
Wall Paintings (Frescoes)
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Transfiguration of Jesus 1408
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Christ Pantocrator
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St. Daniel the Stylite
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St. Macarius of Egypt
Icons
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Dormition of the Theotokos (Uspenie Bogoroditsy)
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The Virgin Mary, Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin
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John the Baptist pair with the Virgin
Famous Works by Theophanes
Theophanes created many important artworks during his life.
Frescoes (Wall Paintings)
He decorated the walls and ceilings of several churches with frescoes, including:
- the Church of the Transfiguration on Ilin Street in Novgorod (1378)
- the Church of Nativity of Mary (1395) in the Moscow Kremlin (he worked with Semen Chernij on this)
- Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (1399)
- The Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Moscow Kremlin (1405)
Icons (Panel Paintings)
Theophanes also painted icons on wooden panels. Some famous icons are traditionally believed to be his work, but experts still discuss if he painted all of them. These include:
- Our Lady of the Don (around 1380)
- Dormition of the Virgin Mary (1392)
- The Virgin Mary and John the Baptist from the iconostasis (a screen of icons) in the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin (around 1405)
- The Transfiguration (1408)
See also
In Spanish: Teófanes el Griego para niños
- List of Russian artists
