Exhibitions: Pyotr Ossovsky’s works dedicated to the town of Izborsk go on show

The Russian Academy of Arts in Moscow has staged an exhibition of works by the People’s Artist of the USSR Pyotr Ossovsky. The exposition showcases 17 original wall paintings and cartoons for the interior of Izborsk Chamber created to mark 1150th anniversary of the town of Izborsk to be celebrated in the fall of 2012.

The relevant decree was signed by the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev in June 2010.

Izborsk is a town-fortress, one of the oldest Russian towns that defended northern frontiers of Russia from numerous invasions from the West. Through the struggle with crusaders Izborsk has won the fame as a stronghold of Pskov and Novgorod lands.

It is well-known that Pyotr Ossovsky has devoted his whole life to one theme - Russian people, native land, which he discovered for himself in Pskov land. These are Pskov Kremlin, cathedrals and monasteries, wonderful nature and people who live here.

That’s why an address to this landmark date in the history of Izborsk was no coincidence for the artist. He says that his paintings for the Izborsk Chamber are dedicated to the Russian language and literature, as well as Russian Orthodoxy. The cartoons portray figures of two outstanding personalities in Russian history and culture, whose life and work were connected with Pskov and Izborsk – the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin and St. Equal to the Apostles Princess Olga, who brought Christianity and fundamentals of Russian statehood to the historical land. Pyotr Ossovsky’s canvas “Vision and Reality of Princess Olga” figuratively interprets the annalistic legend about three beams in the sky seen by Olga over Dovmont steep slope.

Of major interest are the artist’s paintings “Way to the Church”, “Prayer for Russia”, “Ringing of Church Bells”, “Alarm”, polyptych “Symphony of Sunsets” devoted to the colors of the Pskov icon painting.