The icon shows a composition illustrating the evangelical hymn of the Holy Virgin, sung during the evening church service. Yaroslavl artists would often turn to the subjects of church chants, colourful and attractive.
My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord
Creation period
mid-17th century
Dimensions
116x88 cm
Technique
tempera
Collection
Exhibition
6
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My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord
#2
#6
At the root of the image iconography, there is the following text of the Gospel According to St. Luke: ‘And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour’. The colour pattern of the icon is typical of Yaroslavl icon painting in the second half of the 17th century: the contrasting red and dark green, the golden background, the brown and ochre shades impart a solemn character to the image. The icon was painted on three pieces of wood fixed together with two inset splines.
The centre of the picture shows the Holy Virgin with a halo above. She sits on the throne with two angels by her side. To the left of the central characters, there are saints; to the right, members of the peoples praising the Most Holy Virgin. Above the Virgin, the artist depicted Jesus Christ; in the upper part of the panel, angels holding the heaven scroll. In the scroll, one can see the celestial bodies and stars; in the centre, the Lord of Sabaoth.
#5
The right-hand upper part of the icon hosts a miniature showing Annunciation, where the archangel announces good news to the Virgin Mary: she will give birth to the God’s Son. The left-hand upper part is a picture of the paradise to which angels raise meek and heavenly-minded monks, the Jerusalem of Above. It is separated from the other subjects by the green clouds.
#7
The central miniature at the bottom illustrates a line from the Gospel: “He hath put down the mighty from their seats…” Two angels are casting to hell unholy rulers, whose attire looks like that of Russian tsars and princes.
#8
In an expressive scene in the right-hand lower part of the icon, heads in dark headwear emerge from the abyss of hell. They are monks punished for the sin of arrogance. It is a peculiarity of the Yaroslavl icon: sinful monks were quite rarely to be seen in such pictures.
#9
The icon used to be held by the Yaroslavl Church of St. Nicholas in the Woodcut City, which was built due to local tradespeople’s contributions. In 1930, it was discovered by the Igor Grabar All-Russian Art Research and Restoration Centre when the uppermost coat of paint was removed and the original author’s painting outcropped.
#10
Yaroslavl Museum Reserve
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My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord
Creation period
mid-17th century
Dimensions
116x88 cm
Technique
tempera
Collection
Exhibition
6
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