The work of the 20th century Russian iconographer
and monk, Fr. Gregory Krug (1908-1969), is rather interesting,
particularly as it is an example that is clearly rooted within the
Byzantine iconographic tradition, and yet there is also something of a
contemporary sort of quality to it as well.
Fr. Krug, born
Georgii Ivanovich Krug in St. Petersburg, the son of a Swedish Lutheran
Father and Russian Orthodox mother, as a young man emigrated from his
native Russia to Paris, where he attended the Academy of Arts which was
opened in Paris, and there met and established a friendship with
another man who would also become a well known 20th century
iconographer, Leonid Ouspensky. His time as an iconographer began when
he studied the iconographic tradition under Federov, Stelletsky and
Sister Jean Reitlinger.
In the latter part of the 1930’s, Krug
(along with Ouspensky) joined an association of Eastern Orthodox
theologians, intellectuals and artists which established itself in
Paris known as the “Stavropegial Brotherhood of Saint Photios” of whom
another member was the respected Byzantine theologian, Vladimir Lossky
(author of The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church).
Krug would eventually move to the Skit du Saint-Esprit
near Mesnil-Saint-Denis, France, to function as a reader and eventually
become a monk. This skete is particularly associated with Krug's work,
since the icons within were substantially painted by him. (Sadly, a
photograph of the full interior has not been forthcoming.
Returning to the particular stylistic qualities of Krug's iconography, the well respected contemporary iconographer,
Aidan Hart (whose work has a similar quality in its own right), has this to say of Krug's iconographic work:
Fr.
Gregory’s icons are stylistically unique. While remaining true to the
principles of the icon tradition, he has his own unique way of
expressing these principles. One such feature is his use of darts of
pure white highlights, which float over a sea of uneven colour. Also,
the over-sized irises and pupils of his eyes give an impression of
tenderness, sadness devoid of sentimentality, and of a deep interior
life.
Fr. Gregory’s icons stand above all for a marriage of
freedom within and a deep respect for the Church’s iconographic
tradition. His work is devoid of that unhealthy type of fear which so
easily leads to lifeless copying, but nor is it disdainful of the
Church’s wise traditions.
Source: Iconographers of the Twentieth Century
Indeed,
as noted earlier, Krug's work presents us with a sort of
contemporaneity, a development, that is also clearly in continuity with
and deeply respectful of the tradition.
Without further ado, here is some of Krug's iconographic work.
Those who are interested in seeing and reading more about Fr. Krug's work may be interested in
The Light of Christ, published by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press.
via www.newliturgicalmovement.org
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