Saint George the Victorious is one of the most venerated warrior-martyrs of the Christian world. His image—a rider on a white horse striking a dragon with a spear—has become a universal symbol of courage, steadfastness of faith, and the victory of good over evil. The composition became established in the Byzantine and Old Russian traditions and traces back to the early Christian veneration of Saint George as a heavenly intercessor and military patron.
At the heart of the iconographic subject lies the most famous episode from the saint's life—the «Miracle of the Dragon». According to legend, near a certain city (in sources, most often identified as Beirut or Seleucia) lived a terrible dragon that demanded human sacrifices. The inhabitants offered it their children by drawing lots, until the lot fell upon the king's daughter. At that moment, Saint George appeared and, through prayer and the power of the Cross, struck down the monster and delivered the city from terror. In the ecclesiastical consciousness, this image is interpreted as an allegory of the triumph of the Christian faith over paganism, fear, and death.
At the heart of the iconographic subject lies the most famous episode from the saint's life—the «Miracle of the Dragon». According to legend, near a certain city (in sources, most often identified as Beirut or Seleucia) lived a terrible dragon that demanded human sacrifices. The inhabitants offered it their children by drawing lots, until the lot fell upon the king's daughter. At that moment, Saint George appeared and, through prayer and the power of the Cross, struck down the monster and delivered the city from terror. In the ecclesiastical consciousness, this image is interpreted as an allegory of the triumph of the Christian faith over paganism, fear, and death.
Dmitry Vasilyevich Bliznyuk
(18.10.1935 - 03.10.2021)
«Saint George the Victorious»
Oil on canvas, 50х70, 2010
Saint George the Victorious is one of the most venerated warrior-martyrs of the Christian world. His image—a rider on a white horse striking a dragon with a spear—has become a universal symbol of courage, steadfastness of faith, and the victory of good over evil. The composition became established in the Byzantine and Old Russian traditions and traces back to the early Christian veneration of Saint George as a heavenly intercessor and military patron.
At the heart of the iconographic subject lies the most famous episode from the saint's life—the «Miracle of the Dragon». According to legend, near a certain city (in sources, most often identified as Beirut or Seleucia) lived a terrible dragon that demanded human sacrifices. The inhabitants offered it their children by drawing lots, until the lot fell upon the king's daughter. At that moment, Saint George appeared and, through prayer and the power of the Cross, struck down the monster and delivered the city from terror. In the ecclesiastical consciousness, this image is interpreted as an allegory of the triumph of the Christian faith over paganism, fear, and death.
At the heart of the iconographic subject lies the most famous episode from the saint's life—the «Miracle of the Dragon». According to legend, near a certain city (in sources, most often identified as Beirut or Seleucia) lived a terrible dragon that demanded human sacrifices. The inhabitants offered it their children by drawing lots, until the lot fell upon the king's daughter. At that moment, Saint George appeared and, through prayer and the power of the Cross, struck down the monster and delivered the city from terror. In the ecclesiastical consciousness, this image is interpreted as an allegory of the triumph of the Christian faith over paganism, fear, and death.
Dmitry Vasilyevich Bliznyuk
(18.10.1935 - 03.10.2021)
«Saint George the Victorious»
Oil on canvas, 50х70, 2010 г.
Awake,
Land of resonant birches!
Grant hope
To your fated descendants.
Taut,
Like strings, the stirrups –
The spear will plunge
Into the throat of treachery.
Land of resonant birches!
Grant hope
To your fated descendants.
Taut,
Like strings, the stirrups –
The spear will plunge
Into the throat of treachery.
In the same element
With the heavenly host –
All in arrows of lightning.
An eternal struggle:
For blindness
And the denial of miracles,
For idols
And false aspirations.
With the heavenly host –
All in arrows of lightning.
An eternal struggle:
For blindness
And the denial of miracles,
For idols
And false aspirations.
Awake,
Land of ringing birches!
Shield your plains with prayer,
Be steadfast, calm, and free—
Lest the silver hair of Holy Rus' be sullied!
Land of ringing birches!
Shield your plains with prayer,
Be steadfast, calm, and free—
Lest the silver hair of Holy Rus' be sullied!
***
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«Saint George the Victorious»
«Saint George the Victorious»
Awake,
Land of resonant birches!
Grant hope
To your fated descendants.
Taut,
Like strings, the stirrups –
The spear will plunge
Into the throat of treachery.
Land of resonant birches!
Grant hope
To your fated descendants.
Taut,
Like strings, the stirrups –
The spear will plunge
Into the throat of treachery.
In the same element
With the heavenly host –
All in arrows of lightning.
An eternal struggle:
For blindness
And the denial of miracles,
For idols
And false aspirations.
With the heavenly host –
All in arrows of lightning.
An eternal struggle:
For blindness
And the denial of miracles,
For idols
And false aspirations.
Awake,
Land of ringing birches!
Shield your plains with prayer,
Be steadfast, calm, and free—
Lest the silver hair of Holy Rus' be sullied!
Land of ringing birches!
Shield your plains with prayer,
Be steadfast, calm, and free—
Lest the silver hair of Holy Rus' be sullied!
***
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1935
2021
Dmitry Vasilyevich Bliznyuk
18.10.1935 - 03.10.2021.
Artist, scenographer. Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR. Member of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR.
Dmitry Vasilyevich Bliznyuk worked in oil painting. Since 1970, he served as a production designer at the Rostov Theatre for Young Spectators (TYuZ), and later as the chief artist of the Rostov Academic Drama Theatre named after M. Gorky. Collaborating with leading theaters across Russia, he developed artistic designs for over 200 productions based on plays by Russian, Soviet, and foreign playwrights and writers. He participated in All-Russian and international exhibitions.
1935
2021
Dmitry Vasilyevich Bliznyuk
18.10.1935 - 03.10.2021.
Artist, scenographer. Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR. Member of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR.
Dmitry Vasilyevich Bliznyuk worked in oil painting. Since 1970, he served as a production designer at the Rostov Theatre for Young Spectators (TYuZ), and later as the chief artist of the Rostov Academic Drama Theatre named after M. Gorky. Collaborating with leading theaters across Russia, he developed artistic designs for over 200 productions based on plays by Russian, Soviet, and foreign playwrights and writers. He participated in All-Russian and international exhibitions.