Church of the Intercession in Kizhi - Built in 1764
"In sunny weather these shingles and the slender crosses glitter like a gold wreath, and the old beams of the walls also emit a faint gleam"
This is the second article in the North Russian Architecture series. The previous article can be found via the following link:
. . . A mere thirty metres away from the Church of the Transfiguration stands The Church of the Intercession built in 1764. The main body of the church is pillar-shaped, a traditional feature of North Russian wooden architecture. It is 27 metres high. The solid rectangular lower section supports an octagon by nine graceful domes covered with carved aspen shingles.
In sunny weather these shingles and the slender crosses glitter like a gold wreath, and the old beams of the walls also emit a faint gleam. The translucent interplay of light and shade on the splayed ridges and the projecting ends of the beams throws the contours of the rectangle and octagon into sharp relief.
The builders of the church naturally had to take into account the architecture of the neighbouring Church of the Transfiguration erected fifty years earlier. They decided to design a church that would blend with the older one into a single architectural composition rather than attempting to contrast the two. This explains why instead of rising directly from the gently sloping roof the nine domes on the Church of Intercession are slightly elevated on octagonal bases which are separated from the drums by a projecting ruff of wooden slats carved at the ends.
Working on the assumption that the Church of the Transfiguration must remain the main edifice in the ensemble, the builders made the Church of the Intercession lower and refrained from giving it a dynamic form. The projecting cornice at the top of the octagon arrests the upward movement of the structure and the ring of domes on top look as if they are performing a slow stately dance around the larger, slightly elevated central dome. The church does in fact provide an harmonious accompaniment to the neighbouring one of the Transfiguration.
The interior was spoilt by numerous alterations in the nineteenth century and work is now in progress to restore its original appearance. The plaster has been removed from the walls and ceiling and the church has received a four-tiered iconostasis modelled on surviving specimens in Transonega. This has produced a partial restoration of the church's original decoration.
The iconostasis contains seventeenth- and eighteenth-century icons from various parts of Transonega, placed on ledges painted with traditional foliate patterns.
In the centre of the iconostasis there are the tiny Holy Doors leading to the altar. They are a typical feature of wooden altar screens and the paintings on them are arranged in a strictly prescribed sequence. The top panels which end in a curving, ogee-shaped arch contain the Annunciation with full-length figures against a background of buildings. The left panel shows the Archangel Gabriel and the right one depicts the Virgin Mary. Below them are the Four Evangelists: the two on the left are John with a pupil and Luke, and the two on the right are Mark and Matthew. Above the doors is the scene of the Last Supper.
The background to the figures is full of tall, many-tiered buildings with curved arches and barrel-type roofs. The figures, buildings, and hillss are all painted in high relief. The brushwork is thick and the colours light — bright reds, pinks, greens, and pale yellows. The background and margins are a golden yellow.
The iconostasis is most impressive, particularly the icon of the Virgin Mary in the bottom tier. The bold combination of purple, white, and gold creates an impression of solemn splendour, and the gentle light-blue background with a large pattern of pale-green leaves is reminiscent of the traditional designs found on domestic peasant utensils.
The ensemble is completed by the bell-tower which was erected in 1874. Although it contains certain features which are not found in early wooden architecture, such as arched doorways and windows and fixed frames, it still reflects early Russian traditions and fits in well with the other buildings.
From the platform of the bell-tower you have a fine view of the silvery surface of the lake dotted with boats, the meadows with grazing herds, and a large number of buildings not far from the pogost.
Let us now examine these buildings and their relation to the Kizhi ensemble. They consist of chapels, peasant houses, barns, and mills which belong to the wooden architecture reserve on Kizhi . . .
To be continued . . .
Source: North Russian Architecture