Russian icons are a discovery of the twentieth century. In fact, it is only after an important season of restorations that these works, cleaned of the dark layers of paint and subsequent coats of paint, have revealed their intrinsic value to scholars and art lovers. It was thanks to this period of extraordinary impulse in the study of the artistic tradition of Russian icons that the public gradually learned to know their beauty, their harmonious compositions and their exceptionally eloquent figures. One of the first artists who adequately appreciated the beauty of Russian icons was Matisse, who was able to visit several collections of icons in Moscow in 1911 and immediately became a passionate admirer of this art. Later, especially after the exhibitions of 1913, 1927 and 1967, the Russian icon began to attract ever more attention. Not being able to transform itself into realistic painting, as was the case with painting in Western Europe, the icon survived by transforming itself into an eclectic phenomenon. Viktor Lazarev's work is an unsurpassed classic, embellished with a very rich section of color plates. The volume analyzes the history of Russian icons from their origins to the early sixteenth century with a deliberate choice to focus on the "golden age" of this art. Written in a clear and eloquent style, Lazarev's work describes the birth of panel painting in Russia, the technique, aesthetics and the main schools of icon production, as well as introducing the reader to the most important artists of this tradition and to the their works.