Zhdan Dementiev, 1630

Copy

Forefather Joseph is depicted full-length and is turned to the central image. He has a tsar’s dress on and a crown on his head. He is holding an open scroll with his prophecy in his left hand. The margins, the halo and the background of the icon are decorated with a copper cover with stamping. 

Joseph was the elder son of forefather Jacob and Rachel. She was his second and favourite wife who gave birth to a son after many years of infertility. Joseph was preferred by his father of all the sons. His brothers were jealous of him and they sold him into captivity to Egypt. Joseph could interpret dreams and found favour with the Pharaoh reaching the position of the vizier. During the years of famine, at the behest of the Pharaoh, Joseph started to sell bread from the granaries. People from all countries came to Egypt and Jacob also sent his sons to buy goods. There the brothers were reconciled and Jacob, having leant about it, decided to go to Egypt to his son Joseph together with the whole family, property and livestock. Joseph patronized his family all his life long.

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.