23. Anastasis

Details

Russian, mid-17th century
32.2 x 28.2 cms

Provenance:
Private collection, Germany.
Private collection, The Netherlands.

Literature:
J. Heutink & M. Loerke, ‘Et Resurrexit. Passie en opstanding op ikonen.’, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2016, p. 97, ill. 79.

Catalogue Tóth Ikonen 50 Years, Tóth Ikonen, Huizen, The Netherlands, 2024, ill. p 19.

Description:
The Easter feast is depicted with a double theme of the Descent into hell and the Resurrection of Christ. The texts in the border refer to the depicted scenes.

The Descent into hell is depicted in the middle, more emphasized than the Resurrection of Christ in the lower left corner. Christ is portrayed centrally in a mandorla. He kicks in the doors of the hades and takes Adam by the wrist. Eve is standing in a sepulchre at Christ’s left hand side. Christ awakens the line of believers to eternal life and takes them to heaven (top middle). The repentant thief is at the heavenly gate and is greeted by Enoch and Elijah, the symbols of eternal life.

Next to the Resurrection of Christ lower left and in the lower middle part angels are conquering evil.

In the left top corner Christ’s Crucifixion is portrayed. The scene underneath depicts the Entombment of Christ. In the right top corner we see the Ascension of Christ and underneath the Incredulity of St Thomas. The right lower corner shows the women bearing myrrh to the empty sepulchre.