Joseph Asks Pilate for the Body of Jesus Christ

The Roman soldier brings to Pilate Joseph who appeals to him for permission to remove the body of Jesus from the cross. The scene is set against the chambers culminating in a tower. The icon is from the Passion tier of the iconostasis. The icon is executed in a typically Palekh soft manner of facial painting in several coats of ochre laid over olive sankir with weak rouge and dotted white after-treatment. The prevailing colors in this subdued color palette are ochre, reddish-orange and pink tones and the shadings of brown, green and blue.