The icon “Saint Tsarevich Dmitry and Saint Prince Roman” is one of the best examples of the Kostroma school of painting in the museum’s collection. It originated from the Resurrection Cathedral of the Resurrection Monastery established in Uglich upon the initiative of the Rostov metropolitan Jonas Sysoevich between 1664 and 1677.
The unusual elongated and incorporate figures of saints face the center and are depicted in a three-quarter view. Full of devout silence, they turn their faces and hands toward Christ Pantocrator — the fate of the city is in His hands.
The tragic events associated with the death of Tsarevich Dmitry preceded the period of the Time of Troubles — its devastating consequences depleted the cultural life of Uglich. Luckily, after Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov came to power in Moscow, Uglich soon recovered after the Smuta. During that difficult period, Uglich icons and embroidered works mostly depicted local saints. In the second half of the 17th century, paired images of Saint Prince Roman and Saint Tsarevich Dmitry became widely popular.
The first and last saints of the Uglich land were recognized as the heavenly patrons of the city. The “Uglich Chronicle” refers to Prince Roman as “a peaceful and just person” because he chose not to participate in feuds, “governed his principality wisely and took care of its happiness as its father” and attended only to his own principality’s affairs during the difficult period. According to the number of towns in the Uglich Principality during the reign of Prince Roman, it was referred to as “the seven-town principality” in the chronicle. The hagiography of Saint Prince Roman contains information about his death,
The unusual elongated and incorporate figures of saints face the center and are depicted in a three-quarter view. Full of devout silence, they turn their faces and hands toward Christ Pantocrator — the fate of the city is in His hands.
The tragic events associated with the death of Tsarevich Dmitry preceded the period of the Time of Troubles — its devastating consequences depleted the cultural life of Uglich. Luckily, after Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov came to power in Moscow, Uglich soon recovered after the Smuta. During that difficult period, Uglich icons and embroidered works mostly depicted local saints. In the second half of the 17th century, paired images of Saint Prince Roman and Saint Tsarevich Dmitry became widely popular.
The first and last saints of the Uglich land were recognized as the heavenly patrons of the city. The “Uglich Chronicle” refers to Prince Roman as “a peaceful and just person” because he chose not to participate in feuds, “governed his principality wisely and took care of its happiness as its father” and attended only to his own principality’s affairs during the difficult period. According to the number of towns in the Uglich Principality during the reign of Prince Roman, it was referred to as “the seven-town principality” in the chronicle. The hagiography of Saint Prince Roman contains information about his death,
