'''Theophan the Greek''', also '''Theophanes the Greek''', (Russian: Феофан Грек, Greek: Θεοφάνης), was one of the greatest iconographers [[iconographer]]s of the [[Church of Russia]]. He lived in the fourteenth century. He also is noted as a teacher and mentor of the renowned iconographer [[Andrei Rublev]]. He was described in his day by [[Epiphanius the Wise]] as a renowned wise man, expert philosopher, famous book artist, and among all the iconographers as the best artist.

Theophan was of Greek origin. He was may have been born in Constantinople about the year 1340, although a Crete birth place has also been noted. Little is known of his early life, although he probably learned and developed his art in Constantinople and may have worked there and in the Crimea. In 1370, he arrived in [[Novgorod]] where he worked for many years. In Novgorod he painted frescos in over forty churches of the cityHowever, most none of which have not these paintings has survived. Theophan was an accomplished painter. He has been noted for his style of painting from inspiration and not copying from prototypes.

Theophan moved to [[Novgorod]] in Russia in 1370 and, then, on to Moscow in 1385. Theophan is among the few fourteenth century artists in Russia about whom there is reliable documentary evidence. Chronicle sources note his painting the Church of the Transfiguration (Spaso-Preobrazheniye) on Elijah Street in Novgorod in 1378 and, in the Moscow Kremlin, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin (Rozhdestvo Bogoroditsy) in 1395, the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael (Arkhangel'sky) in 1399 and, with [[Andrei Rublev]] and Prokhor of Gorodets, the [[Cathedral of the Annunciation (Moscow Kremlin)|Cathedral of the Annunciation]] (Blagoveshchensky) in 1405.  His frescos survive now only in the Church of Our Savior of the Transfiguration-in-Elijah Street in Novgorod. He has been noted for his style of painting from inspiration and not copying from prototypes. His style is considered unsurpassed in expression achieved by almost mono-colored painting. His paintings have great intensity that captures the spiritual essence of each figure. Among the best preserved images in the church are the magnificent image of the [[Pantocrator ]] in the dome, the frescos of the Forefathers Noah, Melzhizedek , and Seth, and the panel icon of the [[Old Testament ]] [[Holy Trinity|Trinity]].

In 1395, he moved to Moscow where he painted in the Church of the Nativity of Mary in the Kremlin. In 1399, he worked on the frescos of an earlier structure of the Cathedral of Archangel Michael in the Kremlin. In 1405, he painted the frescos of an earlier Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Kremlin in a team with Andrei Rublev and Prokhor of Gorodets.  Theophon is noted also to have painted panel [[icon]]s, but in recent academic debate his authorship of many of these icons have been questioned. He reposed in the Lord in the year 1408.

*[[w:Theophan_the_GreekTheophanes_the_Greek]]