The icon depicts the legend of George, a warrior saint who saved the king’s daughter and all citizens from a dragon dwelling in a nearby pond.

Saint George is depicted in a windblown red cloak and gold armor, astride a rearing white horse. In his left hand, he holds the reins, and in his right, a long black lance with a cross on the end. With this lance, he strikes the dragon as it emerges from the depths of the water. On the right side of the icon, there are palaces, with the King and Queen at the top, and their rescued daughter, Elisava, in the archway at the bottom. The icon’s color palette consists of red orange, gold, and white. The gold background seems to illuminate the icon from within, adding a special luminosity to the red orange, and a certain warmth and matte quality to the white. There are several iconographic types of the “Miracle of the Dragon, ” all likely derived from an ancient oral tradition in Asia Minor.

In Russian icons, there are two depictions of the legend. In one of them, the events take place during St. George’s life, and in the other, after his death. In the latter case, the miracle of the dragon is accompanied by a scene from his life.

There are two images of St. George as a dragon fighter. In the minimalist version, George the Victorious is shown on horseback, striking a dragon with a lance. In the more detailed version, besides St. George, the fictional city of Laosia or Lacia is also included, as well as the princess using a girdle to lead the dragon to the city, and King Selevinus.

The image of the saint on horseback can be traced back to the late antique and Byzantine tradition of depicting triumphant emperors. The earliest examples of the “Miracle of the Dragon” can be found in the paintings in rock-cut churches of Cappadocia. In ancient Russian art, it can be seen in 12th-century church painting. The earliest icons of St. George and the Dragon were painted in the 14th century.

The story has a folklore origin. Researchers note that the legend of defeating the dragon dates back to ancient times and is linked to pre-Christian beliefs. Dragon-slayers include Marduk, a god from ancient Mesopotamia, and Indra, a deity in Hinduism. Similar legends can be found in classical mythology, such as Zeus defeating Typhon, Apollo defeating Python, and Hercules defeating the Hydra.