ABRAMTSEVO

It is a good thing we waited until Sunday, October 14 to visit the Russian revivalist artists' colony of Abramtsevo. The weather was greatly improved from Friday's damp drizzle.

[BTW - Have I mentioned recently how much I despise Google? I wrote almost this entire blog last night, only to have Google delete it! @#$%&! Google.]

Below is our partial photo essay.

AS ALWAYS, VLADIMIR ILYICH LEADS THE WAY. THIS STATUE OF LENIN SITS ASTRIDE THE YAROSLAVKY RAIL STATION, FROM WHENCE WE BEGAN OUR JOURNEY UNDER COLD, CLEAR, BLUE SKIES.

AFTER 1.5 HOURS ON THE LOCAL TRAIN OUT OF MOSCOW, THROUGH SUBURBS OF APARTMENT BLOCKS, THROUGH THE EXURBS OF OLD, TIN-ROOFED SHACKS STANDING NEXT TO NEW, MULTILEVEL MC-MANSIONS AND INTO THE COUNTRY SIDE, WE WERE DEPOSITED PRETTY MUCH IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. WE FINALLY FOUND THIS SIGN POINTING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

THROUGH THE FOREST, OVER STREAMS, AND IN THE MUD WE TRAMPED. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO BEARS! WE SHOULD HAVE LEFT BREAD CRUMBS, BECAUSE WE ALMOST TOOK A WRONG TURN ON OUR RETURN AT TWILIGHT.

WE FINALLY EMERGED FROM THE WOODS AND CLIMBED ATOP THIS HILLOCK, UPON WHICH SITS THE ABRAMTSEVO ESTATE. AUTUMN IS VERY EVIDENT IN THE COUNTRY, WHERE THE LEAVES HAVE ALREADY TURNED AND FALLEN. IN MOSCOW, FALL IS NOT SO FAR ALONG YET, BUT ALMOST.

STANDING IN LINE FOR OUR TICKETS WITH ALL THE OTHER PUSHING RUSSIANS. THIS BEHAVIOR OF CUTTING IN LINE AND JOSTLING OTHERS IS GETTING RATHER OLD FOR US. THERE IS NEVER AN "EXCUSE ME" OR A "MIND IF I CUT IN?" WE HAVE SURMISED THIS MUST BE A HOLDOVER FROM THE SOVIET DAYS WHEN QUEUING UP MAY HAVE MEANT GETTING THE LAST LOAF OF BREAD TO FEED THE FAMILY OR SOME WEIRD AUTO PART THAT NOBODY WANTED. OLD BABUSHKAS ARE THE WORST!

SAVVA MAMONTOV AND HIS WIFE, YELIZAVETA. THE MAMONTOVS MADE THEIR FORTUNE BUILDING AND OPERATING RAILWAYS, AS WELL AS IN OIL. SAVVA BOUGHT THE ESTATE ABOUT 45 MILES NORTH OF MOSCOW AND AFTER HAVING MET SOME RUSSIAN ARTISTS IN ITALY, BEGAN INVITING THEM OUT TO HIS COUNTRY ESTATE. THERE, THEY WORKED ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL ART WHILE ALSO CREATING SOME ICONIC WORKS FOR THE MAMONTOVS AND DEVELOPING A STYLE THAT WOULD COME TO BE KNOWN AS "ART NOUVEAU."

THIS IS THE "SAVIOUR CHURCH NOT MADE BY HUMAN HAND." VASNETSOV, REPIN, NESTEROV, VRUBEL, POLENOVA, ANTOKOLSKY AND OTHERS CONTRIBUTED THEIR CREATIVITY TO MAKE THIS AN HOMAGE TO THE 14TH CENTURY ARCHITECTURAL STYLE IN NOVGOROD. THE MAMONTOVS ARE BURIED ASIDE THE BUILDING.

DR. RUSNOCK NOTING STYLE AND TAKING NOTES ON THE ABUNDANCE OF VISUALS..

SOME EXTERIOR DETAILS. TILING TO ACCENTUATE THE CURVES.

PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF THE CHURCH BY VIKTOR VASNETSOV.

INTERIOR OF SAVIOUR CHURCH, THICK WITH ICONS AND OTHER ORNAMENTAL DESIGNS BY THE NATIONAL REVIVALIST ARTISTS. 

WILL BESIDE THE "HUT ON CHICKEN LEGS," WHICH VASNETSOV CREATED ACCORDING TO THE FAIRY TALE ABOUT THE WITCH, BABA YAGA.

VASNETSOV'S SKETCH OF THE HUT. KIND OF CUTE AND KIND OF SCARY, HUH?

TEREMOK. ORIGINALLY BUILT AS A BATHHOUSE, THIS STRUCTURE LATER SERVED AS AN OFFICE FOR ALL THE WOODWORKING, WEAVING AND CERAMICS PROJECTS THAT THE LOCAL FOLK WERE EMPLOYED TO PRODUCE BASED ON REVIVALIST DESIGNS.

DETAIL OF THE TEREMOK'S EXTERIOR WOODWORK. 

JUST THE FACTS, M'AM - INSIDE THE TEREMOK.

ANDREA ABOUT TO ENTER THE MASTER STUDIO. SHE CAUSED A MINOR STIR WHEN SHE DROPPED THE CAMERA ON TOP OF THE GLASS PROTECTING A LARGE CROSS-STITCHED PIECE DESIGNED BY VASNETSOV. 

AFTER A VERY NICE, EARLY SUPPER AT THE GALLERIA RESTAURANT ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE ABRAMTSEVO ESTATE, WE MADE OUR WAY BACK DOWN THE HILL AND THROUGH A DIMLY LIT FOREST TO THE LITTLE TRAIN DEPOT. HERE'S WILL, WAITING FOR THE 6:25 PM. TRAIN BACK TO MOSCOW.