It is considered a masterpiece of Russian icon painting and has been under the protection of the tsars for centuries. It is also perhaps the most famous image of the great hagiographer. Andrey Rublev (c. 1360-1430), who studied under the Byzantine painter Theophanes the Greek, chronicled important churches in Russia and was even filmed by Andrei Tarkovsky. However, today the famous “Holy Trinity”, also known as “Abraham’s hospitality”, designed by Rublev at the beginning of the 15th century, seems to be in danger: by his decree Vladimir Putin transfer image from Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow V Russian Orthodox Churchas a result, the movement of the project associated with such a decision causes concern among experts.

“All professional restorers agree that the state of the Holy Trinity is such that any movement of it, even a minor one, is fraught with many risks, since the image can simply be destroyed,” the historian told the Russian research site The Insider. Art Alexey Lindov. “It could even be lost or broken into pieces, since it consists of three parts that are not securely connected to each other,” the director of the Pushkin Museum im. A.S. Pushkin Elizaveta Likhacheva. Likhacheva also pointed out that the icon was never considered miraculous, and she had her own reasons for emphasizing this: according to Khudozhestvennaya Gazeta and other media outlets, Putin is donating the Rublev icon to the Russian Church to thank Patriarch Kirill for supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but also satisfy those who believe that the image will bring victory on the battlefield.

On the “Holy Trinity”, 142×114 cm in size, three angels are depicted, which, according to the book of Genesis, Abraham received in the sacred “Oak of Mambri” and which symbolize the triune unity of God. Rublev created it by order of the Russian monastery of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and by decision of Ivan the Terrible, the icon was protected by gilding. The Soviet authorities transferred it to the Tretyakov Gallery, where it was kept until last summer, when it returned to the Lavra to exhibit in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, and then preserved and returned to its current base. However, being in a church is considered especially dangerous due to candles, the presence of people, etc.

“Large and old images may experience transmission problems. All of these movements involve risk. I think it’s good that she stayed in the gallery instead of suffering like that.” says “K” professor of Byzantine archeology at the Aristotelian University, Athanasios Semoglu. Demosthenes Avramidis, Associate Professor of Mural Painting and Portable Icons at School of Fine Arts. “Perhaps there is photo-oxidation in the image,” he says, and continues: “The colors make you wonder what’s going on. Did you work on the project in low light conditions? Definitely yes. And this clearly affected the color scheme. We have excellent greenery, heavenly green land, amazing. These are sensitive colors. If the image is taken out of museum conditions and made a pilgrimage with open chandeliers, 150 years of aging will be added to it.”

And while Putin is “recruiting” his image in the war with Ukraine, Mr. Avramidis emphasizes another interesting feature of him. “This image depicts a complete god,” he says. “We know him from experience. And our experience is such that he appeared to people in the form of three youths, whom, according to Genesis, Abraham sometimes called “master.” Ultimately, God is relationships at the table. It’s very structural to the human condition: you relate to the other when you sit down to eat together at the table.”