Needle Painting

Permanent exhibition of the workshop of face and gold embroidery

In the chambers of Tsarevna Sofia, samples of modern facial and gold embroidery from the workshop of the Novodevichy Monastery are presented.

There are real works of art among them, testifying to the revival and deep understanding of the ancient traditions of church embroidery by modern embroiderers.  

Since the foundation of the monastery in 1524, thanks to the royal nuns, the monastery's sewing school has reached the highest level of skill. The workshops produced works of art that enriched and decorated the sacristy not only of the Novodevichy Monastery, but also became valuable contributions to other churches and monasteries. 

Among the nun-masters, such historical figures as Nun Alexandra (Princess Uliania), elder Feognia Ogneva (Ognev), nun Leonida (Elena Ivanovna Sheremeteva, daughter-in-law of Tsar Ivan the Terrible), nun Alexandra (Tsarina Irina Godunova, sister of Boris Godunov) are known not only to specialists. 

The workshop existed for four centuries and was revived after the monastery was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1994. Now the workshop is a center for the restoration and development of the traditions of ancient Russian art. The exhibition presents modern workshop works made using ancient technologies, examples of restoration work: the icon's pearl-embroidered frame, precious mitres, shrouds, stole and handrails, icons.

Since 2009, a new stage in the workshop's history has begun. Through the diligence of Abbess Margarita, premises were allocated and professionally trained craftsmen were recruited, who constantly improve their skills, participate in thematic exhibitions and conferences, and study the best examples of antique sewing. 

The exhibit, which occupies a special place at the exhibition, is the pearl of the collection, an exact replica made to measure of one of the oldest masterpieces of gold embroidery, the first known and accurately dated work of the shroud of the Novodevichy Monastery, Anna Staritskaya's shroud of 1539, with an insert on its border. the inscription "7047 YEARS AGO, THE AIR WAS PERFECTED IN THESE HOLY MONASTERIES OF HER HOLY MONASTERY UNDER THE GREAT PRINCE IVAN VASILYEVICH OF ALL RUSSIA[AND] BY THE COMMAND OF ABBESS THEOGNEA AND ELDER ELENA AND CELLARER THEOPHANA, THE ELDER SEWED; ANNA TUSHIN[EH?]» 

An exact copy of the ancient work, now kept in the Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve, was made for the 500th anniversary of the monastery and is available for detailed study. Special magnifying glasses have been prepared for visitors. A documentary film depicting the process of creating the shroud is being shown in the exhibition hall. 

Gold and face embroidery - view decorative-applied art, borrowed from Byzantium. Russian silk and gold embroidery has been shaped over the centuries as a deep national phenomenon. His subject images are close to the artistic and figurative structure icons and frescoes, combined with liturgical and decorative inscriptions. A special group consists of liturgical objects and temple decorations decorated with facial "story" embroidery. They are still a part of the church service. 

We are confident that for visitors of the exhibition, acquaintance with ancient church art will be a true discovery of the spiritual world, a touch to the centuries-old church and folk tradition. 

In the near future, it is planned to open a shop where it will be possible to purchase the works of the gold embroidery and icon painting workshops of the monastery.