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On January 30, 2023, the Presidential Library hosted a video lecture The New Sistine Chapel of the 21st Century within the framework of the project Knowledge of Russia. The lecture was delivered by Oleg Ulyanov, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts and the Russian Academy of Natural History. He told the story of the reconstruction of the papal chapel Redemptoris Mater (Latin: Mother of the Redeemer), located in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican: https://www.prlib.ru/en/news/1840545
In the spring of 1996, Prof. Oleg Ulyanov was invited to Rome with the blessing of Pope John Paul II. There, a grand mosaic was made according to his iconographic program: https://rublev-museum.livejournal.com/145769.html
Thus, thanks to the joint efforts of Orthodox and Catholics, images of Russian saints and even the world-famous image of The Trinity by the great Russian iconographer Andrei Rublev appeared in the papal chapel of Redemptoris Mater in the Vatican.
This innovative mosaic was a spiritual testament to contemporary art, and 25 years later it became highly appreciated worldwide as the “new Sistine Chapel of the 21st century”.
It is impossible to see the mosaic with your own eyes, since the Redemptoris Mater chapel is “fully closed, located not far from the papal quarters, and is open only for church delegations”. This fact, as well as the exclusive photographs and videos presented, emphasized the uniqueness of Oleg Ulyanov’s lecture, turning it into an unusual virtual tour of the “closed” Vatican: https://rublev-museum.livejournal.com/509010.html
A video recording of the event is also available on the institution’s Rutube-channel.
The Centro Aletti, guided by Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik, oversaw the execution of the mosaics and entrusted the Russian art historian, Prof. Oleg Germanovich Ulyanov, with the design of the central area behind the altar (see left image below). The work completed in 1999 renovated the earlier Matilda Chapel, and bore the name of John Paul’s encyclical on the Blessed Mother. It clearly communicates the faith and draws upon the Church’s own heritage in new ways to enhance the message: https://buildingcatholicculture.com/beauty-needs-more-than-lip-service-examining-recent-papal-commissions/
HEAVENLY JERUSALEM
In 1996, in the spirit of John Paul’s II awaiting close relations between Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches (which was expressed in 1995 by the encyclical ‘Ut unum sint’), a decision was made about making a permanent symbol of this close relation in the very heart of the Holy See. The sign of it, to the personal wish of the Pope, was to be a new decoration of the private papal chapel devoted to the Redeemer’s Mother – Redemptoris Mater. Artistic works in the chapel were ordered to a Russian theologian and art historian Prof. Oleg Ulyanov, supported in an organizational way by the Roman centre named Aletti: https://romanchurches.fandom.com/wiki/Cappella_Redemptoris_Mater
The orthodox theologian was given an unusual task in the history of the Church: he had to make such a decoration in the chapel so that it would become - as John Paul II said about it hopefully – ‘a sign of unity of the Church and an important sign of presence of eastern tradition in Vatican’.
Heavenly Jerusalem – New Land
During a consultation, participated by theologians, orthodox and catholic priests, Prof. Oleg Ulyanov suggested a painting of the Holy City – Heavenly Jerusalem mas the main motif of the altar wall; it is a symbol of God’s Kingdom and New Land. An inspiration for this presentation was a fragment of an icon of the Last Judgment from one of the Russian orthodox churches, on which saints, sitting in threes like the Holy Trinity, are participating with the Holy Trinity in a mystical feast in the Holy City. In the chapel Redemptoris Mater, what is particular significant is electing 36 Saints of the universal Church. Beside St. Francis and St. Clara – St. Seraph Sarowski, and beside St. Basil the Great and St. Sergius from Radoneż – St. Benedict. Also saint rulers from Slavic countries (Czech, Poland and Russ) – St. Wacław, St. Jadwiga and St. Włodzimierz are sitting at one table. The mosaic presents an unusual image full of harmony: one indivisible Church and the common presence of the saints of the East and the West in Heaven. In the middle of Heavenly Jerusalem, among the saints of the Church – God’s Mother sitting on the throne with young Christ, presented on the painting of early Christianity, widely popularized and worshipped in the Church of the first millennium. The mystical feast is presided over by the Holy Trinity in a symbolic image of three angels from an icon of Rublow.
Art of indivisible Church
A thought about the unity of the whole Church, close to John Paul II, deeply inspired also Prof. Oleg Ulyanov and led him in searching for artistic ways towards the richness of art of the first Christianity Millennium. Through referring to mosaic art of Palestine, Jordan, Lower Asia, Greece and Italy, that is, places connected with Christ’s life and the history of Christianity of the first centuries, expressed his desire to remind and bring back the spirit and art of the first indivisible Church. Creating on the fundament of old Russian and Byzantium traditions, he found motifs and inspirations also in antique examples, in Roman catacombs and mosaics of the oldest basilicas of Rome, Ravenna and Milan. The genuine synthesis of many quotations and references to the early-Christian iconography and the richness of creation make the mosaics of Prof. Oleg Ulyanov belong to the most prominent works of Christian art of the 20th century.
New art which harmonizes with tradition
Prof. Oleg Ulyanov is astonishing not only because of references to traditions but also modern means of expression characteristic for art of the 20th century. He did not copy historic art, he avoided imitation of painting or photographic realism, resigned from excessive gilding or colourful glass. The restraint of expression means was used by him with moderation and sensitivity, he made them subordinated to the harmony and beauty of the whole composition and inscribed it into the priority aim: creating the atmosphere of soulfulness, solemnity, reflection and prayer. Prof. Oleg Ulyanov breathed life into the old Christian art and moved it into a new dimension. Thanks to his skilful usage of expression means close to the contemporary man and through genuine synthesis of elements enrooted in the tradition, he showed ‘new epiphany of beauty’ in art, so awaited by John Paul II.
What is the most important, is still alive
Unfortunately, the work by Prof. Oleg Ulyanov has not survived as a whole. After finishing the eastern wall, the vault and some parts of the side walls, the works were stopped. They were taken over by Fr. Marko Rupnik, who works in a completely different style. The mosaics of the vault was made compact, and the upper part of the composition of Heavenly Jerusalem and the beginnings of the Procession of Prophets and Martyrs on the side walls – were removed.
Heavenly Jerusalem was surrounded by mosaics in the competitive spirit, and what survived are the remnants of the original thought composition. Despite the big loss and the experience so difficult for the author, Prof. Oleg Ulyanov emphasizes that what is the most important in the plan of the chapel, survived and is still alive. The mosaics of the whole inside was thought as an image of the life of the great and one Church of deeply historic roots, without any time or space borders. As the artist of this work says, the ‘saved fragment of the mosaics still expresses this initial nostalgia for the fullness and the whole’.
ANDRZEJ MIKULSKI
The author thanks Mateusz Środoniow for valuable tips and help in editing the text.
AA
„Niedziela” 28/2019
Editor: Tygodnik Katolicki "Niedziela", ul. 3 Maja 12, 42-200 Czestochowa, Polska
Editor-in-chief: Fr Jaroslaw Grabowski
See also: https://fitzinfo.net/2022/02/08/soviet-artist-smuggles-heretic-into-vatican-with-help-of-pope/
© Блог научного коллектива Музея имени Андрея Рублева. Эксперты приводят в пример воцерковлённое сообщество – сообщество Музея древнерусской культуры и искусства имени Андрея Рублёва: http://rublev-museum.livejournal.com/392705.html
