About 1497.

Copy

The iconography of the image ‘In Thee Rejoiceth’ is based on the hymn to the Virgin ascribed to St. John of Damascus. In the upper part of the icon, there is a church against the background of the white gloriole with trees — this is an image of paradise. The Mother of God with the Child is depicted on the throne surrounded by archangels and angels. St. John of Damascus is to the left of the throne, he is holding an open scroll with the words of the hymn in his hands. ‘Human kind’, including Old Testament forefathers, prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs, holy monks, kings and women are depicted below. The words of the hymn are written in the upper corners of the icon.

This iconography appeared in Russia in the late 15th century. The most ancient extant icon ‘In Thee Rejoiceth’ was painted in about 1481 for the local tier of the iconostasis from the Dormition Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. The new iconography had been already formed. This very icon was used as a model for other panels that were created later, including the one painted for the Dormition Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery.

The icon was restored in the All-Russian Art Scientific and Restoration Centre named after Academician I.E. Grabar in 1965-2001. The covering consisting of the fragments made at different times was removed during restoration. Stamped silver adornments covering the saints’ halos were donated by Mikhaylo Korovaev and were a part of the original decoration.