Assumption of the Mother of God / Savior Not Made by Hands (A double-sided tablet icon)
Iconography: Savior Not Made by Hands, Dormition of the Holy Virgin
Date: XV century.
Iconographic school/art center: Greek school (Athos?)
Origin: From the collection of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Donated by cellar Velyamin (Veniamin) Pleshcheev.
Material: Levkas, tempera, canvas
Dimensions: height 23 cm, width 18 cm
A double-sided tablet icon depicting The Assumption of the Mother of God on the one side and the The Savior Not Made by Hands on the other. The icon is made of two bonded pieces of very thin flaxen fabric covered with chalk ground on the both sides. The icon background is golden-colored; the images are cased in small cinnabar and blue oklads
The Assumption of the Mother of God. In the central part of the icon is a couch with the reposed Mother of God lying thereon. Jesus Christ stands behind the couch and holds a swaddled baby – symbol of the Holy Virgin’s soul - in the hands covered with his garment. The figure of Christ is surrounded by a double almond-like blue aureole depicting four angels, two of which hold candles. On either side of the couch are two groups of the apostles leaning over the Mother of God’s body. The Apostle Peter burns incense with his golden censer on long chains. Behind the apostles are the figures of the holy hierarchs and groups of weeping women – “the daughters of Jerusalem.”
The Savior Not Made by Hands. The icon depicts the Savior’s face against a golden background, without the Sudarium, and a halo. His look is directed to the right. His hair is divided into two long wavy locks; the left lock is slightly split at the end; a small beard is divided into multiple wavy locks, it is slightly split leaving the chin open.
Registration number 2766/1 ИХО. © The Sergiev Posad State History and Art Museum
Bibliography:
Русский музей. Государственная Третьяковская галерея. Святая Русь. Альманах. Вып. 302. СПб, 2011. 303. С. 484.
General view
General view