Ms. Hen reviews The Museum of Russian Icons

 

The Museum of Russian Icons

203 Union Street

Clinton, MA 01510

https://www.museumofrussianicons.org/

Ms. Hen was meandering through Western Massachusetts, and she stopped at the Johnny Appleseed rest stop in Lancaster, and she happened to find a brochure about this museum, and thought it sounded fascinating. She decided to go on a rainy Sunday, because they have a free Sunday once a month on the first day of the month.

On the front page of the website, the museum wrote a statement condemning the Ukraine war, and the Ukrainian flag hung outside the museum. That made Ms. Hen feel better about attending the museum.

This museum was started by Gordon B. Lankton, a plastics engineer, who became the president of Nypro. He traveled to Russia, and bought his first icon in 1989. He collected them throughout his life, and opened the museum in Clinton. Icons are devotional paintings, usually done on wood, with egg tempera. It is the only museum in the United States decided to Russian icons, and the largest collection in the world outside of Russia.

On the first floor a gift shop is located, and an exhibit "Icons and Retablos: Images of Devotion" is showing. This contains icons and retablos from Mexico, which are similar to icons, but are painted on tin.

Ms. Hen with some Retablos

 

 

 

 

Music plays throughout the galleries, and Ms. Hen thought the effect was lovely, and made her feel religious. She saw a woman blessing herself before an icon, which she thought was a weird thing to do at a museum.

The upper floor of the museum is full of icons. Lots have halos made of tin, which give the icon a crafted look. Others have jewels set in, and are quite beautiful. Ms. Hen is not a religious hen, but she loves art, and beautiful things. She would recommend this museum to anyone who is an art connoisseur, or is religious, or likes Russian history.

A tea room serving Russian tea and snacks in located in the lower level. A row of antique samovars line the wall. Ms. Hen didn't have any tea, but she admired the samovars, which are a type of Russian teapot.

Ms. Hen and the samovars

Ms. Hen had a great time at the Museum of Russian Icons. She loves spending time with beautiful art, immersed in history.