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Guardian Angel. Ivan Leonidovich Lubennikov (Minsk, Belarus, May 14, 1951 - Moscow, Russia, October 3, 2021). Date: 2001. Medium: Oil on canvas.

In the upper right corner of the painting, two words written in red ink in Cyrillic script sit: Ангел Хранитель - Guardian Angel.

In Orthodox iconography, a guardian angel is typically depicted standing with wings spread, holding a cross in its right hand and a sword in its left. It’s a powerful, dynamic, and active being.Lubennikov does the exact opposite, portraying the angel seated. Weary and pensive, he sits at a table with empty hands. There’s a thin, circular halo around his head. In Orthodox theology, the halo isn’t merely ornamental; it symbolizes the reflection of God’s uncreated light upon humanity and the saint’s communion with divine radiance. Yet here, despite possessing this light, the angel is just as weighed down as a human.

The painting’s focal point is the golden chalice resting on the table. In Orthodox iconography, the chalice is sacred as the vessel of the Eucharist; it represents both the blood of Christ,as well as sacrifice and salvation. The angel doesn’t touch the chalice.

The right side of the canvas, however, is an entirely different world. A corner of a studio, filled with brushes, tubes, jars, and paint stains, emerges from the darkness. These are a painter’s tools - messy, used, and real. The floor is similarly covered in paint splatters.