Crucifixion
Iconography: Crucifixion
Date: XVI century. Late 16th – beginning of the 17th century
Iconographic school/art center: Pskov icon-painting school
Origin: From the church of Nicholas the Wonderworker in Pskov
Material: Wood, levkas, tempera
Dimensions: height 93 cm, width 68 cm
In the center of the icon against the background of the landscape is shown the Cross with crucified Jesus Christ. To His Right and to His left are shown the figures of the Holy Virgin and women of Jerusalem and also John the Theologian and St. Longinus, the Centurion. Under the horizontal bar of the cross are depicted two hovering angels mourning Christ’s death, their hands covered. The composition unfolds against the background of the wall of Jerusalem with the two steeple-roofed “gothic” towers. The whole composition and interceding folks are traditional for the Russian icon painting of the 14-16th centuries. However, poses and gestures of the figures have some peculiarities, in particular the pose of dead Christ, sagging on the nailed hands. His head with the lock of hair breaking loose falls on his chest. The composition might have been influenced by the later gothic versions which were keen on depicting the emotional aspect. The depictions of Our Lady fainting on the hands of myrrh-bearers and also John the Theologian represented with his hands raised are also characteristic of the later gothic tradition.
General view