Zhdan Dementiev, 1630

Copy

Forefather Jacob is depicted full-length and is turned to the central image. He is holding an open scroll in his hand. The margins, the halo and the background of the icon are decorated with a copper cover with stamping. 

Jacob (meaning ‘heel-catcher’, ‘leg-puller’, ‘he who follows upon the heels of one’ in Hebrew) was the second son of Isaac. He was born holding on to the heel of his twin brother Esau and was named Jacob. Jacob means ‘heel-catcher’. The father gave him the birthright. Jacob lived in Egypt during his last years. According to the legend, he had 13 children: one daughter and 12 sons who became the progenitors of twelve ‘Tribes of Israel’. He died at the age of 147 years.

Special emphasis in the Christian tradition was laid on the vision of Jacob that was interpreted as the first archetype of the Incarnation of God: once, not far from that place when Christ was born, Jacob experienced a vision of a ladder, or staircase, reaching into heaven with angels going up and down it. He heard the voice of God, who repeated many of the blessings upon him, coming from the top of the ladder.

The icon was restored by the team of I.P. Yaroslavtsev in the Inter-Regional Special Scientific Restoration Workshop of the Rosrestavratsiya Association in the Ministry of Culture of the RSFSR in 1978-1979.