The Art and History of the Marfo-Mariinskaya Convent

THE MOSCOW TIMES 
By John Freedman

Mikhail Nesterov's triptych of The Annunciation.

RUSSIA---The Marfo-Mariinskaya Convent is one of Moscow's spiritual, architectural and cultural gems, although I must say I rarely see it on must-do lists for visitors. The church at the center of the convent, as well as all the outlying buildings, were designed by one of Moscow's greatest and, perhaps, most enigmatic architects Alexei Shchusev in the early 20th century. Shchusev set the tone with the gentle, understated lines of his structures. But perhaps the architect's boldest move was to invite the artist Mikhail Nesterov to provide paintings and bas-reliefs to grace the inner and outer walls of the Savior of the Mother of God Church. [link]