EXPOSITION D'ICÔNES ANCIENNES

This municipal art gallery offers an enchanting visit. Housed in an old house in old Plovdiv, it hosts a permanent exhibition of icons painted mainly from the ^17th to the ^19th century. The first works represent Jesus Christ, the Virgin Odigitria and the emperor Constantine and his mother Helena, dated from the end of the 15th to the ^beginning of the ^16th century. There are also eight Nessebar icons from the ^16th century, works of the masters of the post-Byzantine Cretan school, which are among the most valuable and remarkable in the museum. The ^17th century is particularly well represented with a number of Byzantine icons by Rakitovo, whose work is distinguished by its elegance and respect for a certain classicism of Balkan art. Bulgarian pilgrims who went to Jerusalem, to the monastery of St. Catherine of Sinai and to the Holy Mountain (Mount Athos) have a plaque affixed to them as a testimony of their journey.
Among the most valuable and interesting icons are copies of the miraculous icons of Mount Athos, including the Holy Mother Troeruchitsa (Three Hands) from the monastery of Hilandar, the Holy Mother Portaritsi from the monastery of Iviron and the Holy Mother Immaculate from Vatopedi. These were made in the ^19th century from the original miraculous icons by the best masters of Bulgarian iconography. Periodic exhibitions enrich the permanent iconography.