By Judy Buswick |
Since visiting Clinton, we completely comprehend why Laura wanted to take a second look at these exquisite works. We highly recommend this gem of a small museum, as a day-trip destination for teens and adults when Leaving Lexington.
Housed within the brick walls of a 150-year old mill-office facility, now stunningly remodeled inside with a wide-spiraling metal and glass stairway that allows views of its three levels, the museum anchors one corner of Clinton’s historic Central Park. There’s plenty of free, on-street parking
Walking into the busy lobby just after 11 a.m. when the museum had opened, we were greeted by Gordon B. Lankton, the founder of the museum which houses his private collection of over 500 Russian icons and artifacts that span six centuries. Formerly from Peoria, Lankton, now 80, said that he has always loved travel and foreign cultures. When he was 25, he’d motorcycled through the Middle East to China, but the Iron Curtain had prohibited him from exploring Russia. Then, when the Soviet Union broke up in 1989, more than thirty years later, he went to Moscow to set up a plastics factory, having already established plants in China, India, Mexico, and U.S. — the largest network of plastic factories in the world, he explained. In fact, Lankton was President and is now Chairman of NYPRO, a global plastic molding company headquartered in Clinton.
Since he’d never experienced a culture like that of Moscow, he embarked on a program of self-study, visiting museums and learning about icons with each of his more than 50 trips to Russia. He pointed to the museum’s lower level, through the sweeping stairway, to the first icon of his collection, which he’d picked up from a dirty bin for $25. His is now the largest collection of icons in North America and, he’s been told, “it’s the largest collection outside of Moscow.” Though he owns them, ten here are only on loan for two years from Russia, since the government “doesn’t want to let them go.”
Docent Joyce Carpenter-Henderson joined us then to guide our exploration of the art collection. Our first stop was before a miniature iconostasis, a folding panel with several rows of figures “that priests would have brought into homes to teach Biblical lessons and stories,” since most people were illiterate in those days. In a Russian Orthodox cathedral a full-size screen would have divided the sanctuary from the nave of the church. A small iconostasis or an icon would have been in every Russian Orthodox home, not as objects of worship but as a reminder of God’s presence.
Icons, or images of a holy person or event, were always painted by monks, not by freelance artists. Joyce explained that “the monks were scripted,” they did not paint creatively. Still, each is considered an original work of art. For example, they had 350 prototypes of a Madonna image, known as the “Mother of God.” When the child’s head is near the mother’s cheek, this is the “Mother of God of tenderness” motif. Other configurations with subtle differences have other meanings.
Joyce pointed out that this miniature iconostasis depicted the people and angels closest to Jesus in the first tier and then liturgical figures in rows above. About three inches high, each person was different. “The more ornate the vestments, the higher up the ecclesiastic ladder [the priest] had risen.” Miniscule lettering identified the figures; but since words were in Cyrillic script, we relied on Joyce to point out the clues. Angels had wings, Peter held the keys to the kingdom, John the Baptist stood beside Jesus. Free audio guided tours with commentary by Gordon Lankton are available to visitors, but we thoroughly enjoyed Joyce’s personal observations.
Her favorite work titled Paternitas or New Testament Trinity from about 1667, might actually be heretical, since it depicts God the Father as a bearded man (a graven image.) Christ’s mother and John the Baptist appear wearing wealthy garments, as well. But this beautifully detailed work is the one Joyce would like to have, if one were offered her.
Icon painting in the Russian Orthodox tradition used egg tempura and ground natural minerals to create vibrant colors. The surface painted is a gesso-covered block of wood — wood being in tribute to the cross of Jesus. Especially on the largest wood panels (perhaps 26 x 36 inches), significant bowing occurs. Since there is no lacquer or linseed on the back of the wood panel, only on the painted front, it is inevitable that the wood would react to the changes in humidity, making this warping one of the signs of age authenticity.
Russian icons are often decorated by delicate metalwork, known as oklad. These ornamental frames surround the painted icons and often overshadow the intricate painting. The combination of hammered metal and beautiful brush work demands the viewer’s eye travel through each component in repeated amazement.
In front of a small arrangement depicting women martyrs, Joyce told us the stories of these women who had struggled though violence-tinged lives. Typically, icon paintings of saints, like St. Nicholas, have the figure in the middle with scenes of their life story in bordering squares. These women’s portraits were unadorned, but we did find the life story blocks on the panel of St. Anastia, in the next room.
Our introduction to icons included some sculptural forms, though only St. Nicholas and St. Nil are allowed to be portrayed in three dimensions. Jewels adorned many works. The icon in the museum with the most figures in it is titled The Day of Judgment. Adam and Eve, sinners, devils and angels are active throughout the work, showing God’s mercy and grace. Yet the fires of hell are clearly visible in the lower right corner.
One of the most incredible works we encountered was a liturgical calendar, a minyeia, from around 1860 that identifies one saint for each day of the year. Twelve squares (months) had 365 saints painted in rows for each day. Oklad borders and a large center section decorated the wood panel. Around the miniature figures even smaller titles were painted or etched into the metal bars. How any human hand could work this small is hard to imagine.
Even though the nearest Russian Orthodox Church is miles away in Maynard, the museum was full of visitors. With exhibits changing regularly, it is not uncommon to have 200-250 people (artists and art-lovers) on a weekend. Joyce recounted that people from all walks of life and many religious backgrounds come. Most visitors are “typically awe struck,” she reported.
If you go:
The Museum of Russian Icons is at 203 Union Street in Clinton, Massachusetts is about 50 minutes from Lexington. The Museum is ADA compliant, has an elevator, a cafe, a small gift shop and library. Admission is $5, free for students, and voluntary for seniors. Open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursdays until 7 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Driving directions and more information is available at http://www.museumofrussianicons.org/directions.html
A day trip is probably best for adults — might be combined with the Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, the Nashoba Winery in Bolton, or the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard. Clinton restaurants include Italian, Thai, an Irish Pub, and more. A handy local map is available.
Judy Buswick is a frequent contributor to Colonial Times. Contact her at jt.buswick@verizon.net.
