Yevgeni Ponomaryov. Dedicated to the Defenders of Osovets: “The Attack of the Dead” in 1915. 2015

Dedicated to the Defenders of Osovets: “The Attack of the Dead” in 1915

Yevgeni Ponomaryov

2015

Vera Glazunova. The Holy New Martyr Grand Princess Yelizaveta Fyodorovna. 1997

The Holy New Martyr Grand Princess Yelizaveta Fyodorovna

Vera Glazunova

1997

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I believe that this artist is the daughter of the great artist, Ilya Glazunov… this work received a gold medal and it was Ms Galzunova’s diploma work.

BMD

Konstantin Zvezdochetov. Mother and Motherland: Equal in Honour! no date (2000s?)

Mother and Motherland: Equal in Honour!

Konstantin Zvezdochetov

undated (2000s?)

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This work is indicitive of the creative synthesis taking part in Russia today. Russians are not merely rejecting Communism, rather, they are taking what was good from the Soviet period and combining it with the best of the Tsarist and Old Russian traditions. In short, it is not merely a slavish imitation of American-style “democracy” (which has disappointed many in the West), but, it is a unique construct suited to the particular history, culture, and weltanshauung of Russia. That is to say, it stands in opposition to many of the accepted verities of “modernity”… thank God for that!

BMD

Vladimir Pervunensky. The Last Tsar of Russia. 2006

The Last Tsar of Russia

Vladimir Pervunensky

2006

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Of course, this is an equestrian portrait of Royal Martyr Tsar St Nikolai Aleksandrovich the Passionbearer (1868-1918). He’s in front of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow. We in America have a special reason to hold Tsar St Nikolai in veneration. Many of the earliest Orthodox churches in this country were built using funds from the tsar’s privy purse. If it weren’t for this aid, there’d be no Orhtodoxy in America today. There are factions in Orthodoxy in this country that minimise Tsar St Nikolai’s role in our history. They shouldn’t be listened to and we should give them short shrift.

BMD