St. John the Evangelist 1400

Andrei Rublev painted this image of Saint John the Evangelist sometime in the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century. Rublev was a monk known for his religious frescoes and icons. This image comes from a manuscript of the Gospels. The Byzantine style would have been very familiar to viewers in Russia at this time. The two figures, mountains, and golden background, are conventional features of icons found throughout the region. But the setting is not just a backdrop. The mountains situate John’s writing of the Gospels in a space that is both earthly and spiritual. Rublev worked at a time when the Russian Orthodox Church was becoming an important political institution. Some scholars believe Rublev's art advocated for the values of moderation, peace, and harmony during a time of political division. The image and its setting are thus inseparable from both religious practice and social change. Art historians look closely at the social and political context of images like this to understand their meanings. We can draw on many sources, including historical documents and religious texts, to shed light on art’s powerful role in shaping culture.