St. George Church Finift in Frame

Product Description

St. George the Trophy-Bearer Church in Moscow (Церковь Св. Георгия Победоносца в Москве). This is a miniature painting of the golden-domed church that was erected during the years 1993-95 on the Poklonnaya Gora (Поклонная Гора), i.e., "Low Bow", or "Bow Down" Hill. It's one of the highest spots in Moscow, from where a "low reverent bow" was expected as an expression of honor and homage to the outcome of the War of 1812. It was here that Napoleon waited in vain for the keys to the city, ultimately failing miserably in his campaign to conquer Russia. This is a finely detailed Rostov miniature enamel painting in its original oak frame. Image size is 4½"x2½" and overall dimensions are 5½"x7". 1 only.

Painting on enamel appeared in Rostov Veliky (125 miles northwest of Moscow) in the 18th century. The Veliky (i.e., The Great) appended to the town is to distinguish it from Rostov-on-the-Don, which is about 500 miles south of Moscow ,and to indicate that it's the older of the two towns. First mentioned in 862 in the Primary Chronicle, and two centuries later joined by Rurik to his Kingdom, it became the seat of the Church.

Since 1917, local artisans began creating miniatures on enamel with colorful floral patterns and put into filigree settings and frames. Finift painting has many layers and each layer is fired. Finift comes from the Greek “fingitis,” which means, “gleaming.”