The Preserve collection has a unique photograph of the end of the 19th century. It captures a copper iconostasis of the cave church of the Annunciation of Our Lady, made by the Kyiv master Hryhoriy Chyzhevsky in 1805–1807. This is the only copper iconostasis of the six underground churches in the Lavra caves, which has not been preserved to this day.

The architectural and artistic details of this iconostasis are very interesting. After receiving the commission, Hryhoriy Chyzhevsky approached his work creatively. The temple space, where the new metal altar fence was to stand, was small. Therefore, the master, creating an iconostasis, curved its central part in the form of a semicircle and thus visually expanded the area of the nave of the church. The master Hryhoriy Chyzhevsky crafted this semicircular central part of the iconostasis, as well as iconostasis cornices dividing the Veneration and Sockle tiers, and all decorative elements - semi-columns of the Ionic order, in the style of classicism, typical to that time.

There were eleven icons in the iconostasis. They featured the scenes, connected with the dedication of the underground church accordingly to its theological program. The subject of the iconostasis program of the Annunciation Church is a reflection of the intercession of the Church for human and the purity of his soul.

The iconostasis was in the church until the beginning of the 20th century. In 1915, it was evacuated to Tambov, like many other cultural assets of the monastery, and in December 1916, together with church items, it was returned to Kyiv. However, the iconostasis was never reinstalled in the underground church. According to sources, in 1919, it was still in the monastery. The further fate of the iconostasis is unknown.

Let’s discover the beauties of the Preserve’s collection together!

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