Innovative museum displays hundreds of Russian artifacts

Clinton, MA. – Towards the end of last year, I had the opportunity to visit the Museum of Russian Icons located in Clinton, Massachusetts.  The museum, which was founded in October, 2006 by Gordon B. Lankton, is the only museum in the United States dedicated to Russian iconography.  The museum is also home to the largest collection of Russian icons in North America.

The museum is located at 203 Union Street adjacent to Clinton’s Central Park – the oldest public park in the United States.  Within the museums walls are over 500 Russian icons and artifacts spanning from the 15th century to the present.  Lankton selected a 19th century building as the location for the museum.  The building, which has 3 separate exhibit levels, was renovated and is equipped with advanced technological equipment.  
Lankton – an avid collector of Russian icons chose Clinton, Massachusetts as the location for the museum because of his longstanding relationship with the town.  He moved to Clinton in the 1960’s to work for Nypro, an international plastics injection molding company.  Lankton eventually became president of the company and on a business trip to Russia in 1989 he developed an interest in Russian iconography.
An icon is created by an iconographer who follows the teachings of the Orthodox Church.  Religious icons are images of a holy person or an event.  They serve as reminders of the sacrifices made by martyrs, prophets, and saints.  For centuries, icons were kept in nearly all Russian households.   In addition to serving as mementos, Russian icons tell the story of the intricate history of Eastern Europe and Asia and Byzantine and Roman cultures.   

Two banners displayed outside of the Museum of Russian Icons.
During my visit to the museum, I was able to gather some information.  One of the museum brochures describes how icons are created: “The icon’s front panel is covered with a smooth surface of gesso, a mixture of plaster and glue… The painting is executed directly on this prepared surface using egg tempera paint.  Finally, the artist adds a hard, top coat of clear lacquer to protect the finished work.”
The Museum of Russian Icons is one the newest museums in Massachusetts.  It is a spectacular place to visit for anyone interested in art, Asian and European history, or religious studies.  The museum website is: www.museumofrussianicons.org.

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