Interest in early Russian art has increased noticeably of late, both in the Soviet Union and abroad. Works of art are being collected, restored, exhibited and studied, and many books on the subject are being published1. Such activity is not confined to a narrow circle of connoisseurs. On the contrary, people of the most diverse professions are involved. Until quite recently not much was known about early Russian art and it was of little interest to the general public; now people know almost as much about it as of other aspects of world art2.
