Rublev’s “Trinity” was taken from Christ the Savior to the restorers under escort

The icon was delivered to the Grabar Center, the period of its stay there is still unclear

Andrey Rublev’s “Trinity” was taken from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior after sunset, when traffic jams cleared in the center of Moscow. She had to travel 7 km to find herself in a new temporary home – the Grabar Restoration Center. There, a separate room was prepared for the monument of ancient Russian icon painting, in which the icon will be kept for conservation. After rest and examination, an extended restoration council will be held, where a report will be presented with the latest data on the state of Rublev’s masterpiece.

Cars for transporting the “Trinity” were driven to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior on Wednesday at half past six in the evening, but they were in no hurry with loading – a fragile monument requires accuracy.

Before loading the ancient icon weighing 25 kg and measuring 142 by 114 cm into a climatic van, it was taken out of the icon case, carried out a quick inspection and packed in a special box – with a vibration damping system. This “casket”, where the masterpiece is in an upright position, was taken to a truck and fixed with special belts.

During the packing, about 20 people were present in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior: among them, they presented the Grabar Center, priests, employees of the National Guard. After more than two hours, a special truck with an icon, accompanied by an escort (a traffic police car in front, six cars behind) left the territory of the KhHS and went to Radio Street, where it was met by employees of the Grabar Center.

The special van drove into the garage, from where the path leads straight to the store, where a separate room has been prepared for the Trinity. She equipped with a system of temperature and humidity conditions with conditions suitable for the icon, namely: temperature around 19 degrees, humidity – 50%.

A table is set in the center of the room, on top of which there is a thick glass tabletop – in order to study the state of the masterpiece from two sides, without turning it over. Unlike the Tretyakov Gallery, where the restoration table can be raised to the level of human growth, lowered and changed the angle of inclination, everything is simpler here. They promised to unpack the exhibit in the presence of employees of the Tretyakov Gallery, because the icon is still in the operational management of the museum and has retained its inventory number. That is, the State Tretyakov Gallery is responsible for it.

What’s next? How long did the icon move to the center named after Igor Grabar, through whose efforts the blackened “Trinity” was once rediscovered, transferred first to the restoration center founded by him, and in 1929 to the Tretyakov Gallery? At least – until the end of July, as a maximum for a year. First, the icon should rest a little. Then her condition will be studied: they will conduct an examination using a binocular microscope, photo-video-micrography and 3D scanning to fix the dynamics of changes in the state of preservation.

Recall that at the last Extended Restoration Council on May 15, Mikhail Shitov, head of the restoration workshop of ancient Russian painting at the Tretyakov Gallery, reported that in addition to 61 areas of backlogs of gesso and the paint layer, which were recorded after returning from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra a year ago, another 10 newly formed backlogs of gesso with a paint layer were added. 5 of the complications identified in August 2022 required urgent strengthening.

In addition, the crack along the right junction of the base boards on the image of the face and figure of the right Angel has increased. Fortifications of five emergency areas were carried out in August, after which the behavior of problem areas was observed for months. For this, 3D scanning and micro-shooting were carried out every few months. This is the conservation that the Trinity will now have to go through.

It is impossible to draw hasty conclusions about the state of the Trinity. Change is slow, but may be irreversible. Therefore, now a detailed inspection should fix the latest changes, they will be reported to the Extended Restoration Council, after which a decision will be made on the necessary measures. Further, fortifications will be carried out and the behavior of problem areas will be monitored.

“The stages of the dynamics of the ongoing changes must be monitored over a long period until full confidence is reached in the stabilization of the state of conservation of the icon,” Shitov emphasized in his report back in May. Nothing has changed since then. It is no coincidence that Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova said that the Trinity could stay at the Grabar Center for a year. During this time, it is possible to really draw conclusions about the dynamics of fortified areas and monitor new changes that may not appear immediately. The question – will the restorers be allowed to do their job properly, or will they try to take the Trinity to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra as soon as possible – is open.

After the signing by Patriarch Kirill and Olga Lyubimova of an agreement on the transfer of the “Trinity” to the Russian Orthodox Church for free use, Alexander Shchipkov, deputy head of the World Russian People’s Cathedral, sharply stated: “It is absolutely impossible to give back the main icon of our Church to the fifth column. Because – who keeps the Trinity, he owns the Russian land.

A couple of weeks ago, some “restorers” tried to enter the temple to the icon as its owners. These members of the comprador elite were firmly pointed to the door.”

With this approach, there will soon be nothing to own. “Trinity” is too fragile and seriously ill, it is not a bargaining chip and not a passing banner. The political game unfolding around it now can lead to the death of the monument. We must not forget about it.