Artist

The artist almost appears painted into the image.

This image is taken in the grounds of the Vysokopetrovsky Monastery in Moscow, one of - I learnt today - 14 monasteries within the city.  The first written mention is in 1317;  the monastery has subsequently survived 700 years of history, including being occupied by Napoleon's troops in 1812 (they reportedly hung meat to cure in the temples) and almost total destruction during the communist era when it was stripped of everything, some of the major icons apparently burnt, monastic cells turned into communal apartments, one of the temples housed a foundry, other parts were turned into a machinery repair shop and a kindergarten.  Also fascinating to learn that the monastery was the site of one of the prominent underground churches during the  post-revolution period;  between 1918 and 1937, 9 monks and parishioners were executed or died in prison for these activities and were subsequently canonized.  Ironically, the monastery was declared an architectural monument in 1950 by the same communist authorities.  The inhabitants were evicted and restoration commenced.  It was handed back to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1992 and resumed monastic life in 2009.