Dormition of the Holy Virgin and saints Vladimir, Boris and Gleb
Iconography: Dormition of the Holy Virgin, Vladimir, St., Boris, St. Prince Martyr (baptized as Roman), Gleb, St. Prince Martyr (baptized as David)
Date: XV century.
Iconographic school/art center: Pskov icon-painting school
Origin: From the church of Dormition in Butyrky in Pskov
Material: Wood, canvas, levkas, tempera
Dimensions: height 128 cm, width 70 cm
Two section icon. In the upper part of the icon is depicted the Dormition of the Holy Virgin. The Mother of God is represented lying on the deathbed, the apostles are wailing over Her. Behind the deathbed is the figure of Christ in the glorious halo holding a child in His hands – the symbol of the soul of Our Lady. Apart from the apostles against the two architectural scenes are depicted the four saints: Timothy of Ephesus, Hiertheus of Athens, Jacob of Jerusalem, Dionysius the Areopagite and also the women – the maids of the Mother of God. Before the deathbed is shown archangel Michael severing the hands of the impious Hebrew Aufonius who tried to overthrow the deathbed of Our Lady during the transfer of the body from Jerusalem to Gethsemane for entombment. In the lower part of the icon are represented the frontal figures of the saint prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, and his sons – saint princes-martyrs Boris and Gleb. The princes are depicted full-length in the princely clothes holding the swords in their left hands and with the martyr crosses in their right hands.
General view