In the 1970’s, Sergei Simakov was very keen on impressionism, surrealism, and abstractionism. In 1977, he became a member of the Twenty Moscow Artists, an association of Soviet non-conformist artists. But in the early 1980’s, Simakov withdrew from avant-garde painting, was baptized, had a church wedding with his wife Yelena, and started spending more and more time at his country house near the town of Uglich. By the end of the 1980’s, he devoted all of his time to religious art.
The picture above dates back to 1986. Sergei Simakov portrayed two saints, Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. Anthony is on the left; in the Orthodox Church he is revered as head of all Russian monks. Legend has it that he visited places of Christ’s earthly life, was tonsured a monk in Athos, and returned to Kiev in the 11th century to lead a hermit’s life. His ascetic labours attracted people, including Theodosius (in the picture, he is on the right). Anthony and Theodosius are thought to be the fathers of the Kiev Caves Laura (or Kiev Pechersk Laura), one of the very first monasteries in Kievan Rus.
The picture above dates back to 1986. Sergei Simakov portrayed two saints, Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. Anthony is on the left; in the Orthodox Church he is revered as head of all Russian monks. Legend has it that he visited places of Christ’s earthly life, was tonsured a monk in Athos, and returned to Kiev in the 11th century to lead a hermit’s life. His ascetic labours attracted people, including Theodosius (in the picture, he is on the right). Anthony and Theodosius are thought to be the fathers of the Kiev Caves Laura (or Kiev Pechersk Laura), one of the very first monasteries in Kievan Rus.
