The icon depicts two of the major events in Christianity, that is, the triumphant descent of Jesus Christ into Hell to bring salvation to all of the righteous who died since the beginning of the world, and the resurrection of Christ. This icon pursues the tradition of the Yaroslavl school of icon-painting of the late XVII century, the period when the school was at its zenith. This ceremonial icon is painted in bright colors, the vestments and trees are trimmed with gold.
Resurrection – Descent into Hell
Creation period
late XVII c.
Dimensions
163x116,5 cm
Technique
Tempera
Collection
Exhibition
5
Open in app#1
Feodor Ignatiev
Resurrection – Descent into Hell
#3
The subject of Christ’s descent into Hell gained popularity in icons in the second half of the XIV century. Its iconography in Moscow-based icon-painting schools was finally established in the XVII c. It was the time when icon-painters took to painting the episodes of the Resurrection of Christ and his descent into Hell one above another. The iconography was based on the narrative of the Old and the New testaments, the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, and other sources.
#2
The centerpiece of the composition is Jesus Christ in an almond-shaped aureole of light, the mandrola.[1] He rises from his coffin surrounded by a cohort of warriors in golden ornamented armor. In the lower fragment of the icon, Jesus also has a mandrola. He treads the gate of Hell under his feet the gate of Hell and lead Adam out holding him by his hand. The two fragments connect with each other with the golden diagonal flows formed by the nimbi of the righteous rising from the abyss of Hell to Paradise.
#4
The composition of the icon is explained by the narrative line running across the lower part: ‘God descends into Hell…and tells his angels to rope Satan … for a thousand years’. This line also attributes to the miniature in the lower left part: angels in bright vestments decorated with gems and pearls, pummel the roped Satan.
#5
The lower part of the icon shows one of the miracles, that of Jesus appearing to his apostles by the Sea of Galilee. The men had no catch that day, and Jesus ordered them to paddle away from the shore and throw the net again, and the net filled with fish immediately. The icon-painter elaborated exquisitely on the littlest details of the miniature: the boat, the paddle, the fishing net, and the fire with fish being fried over it.
#6
This icon, Resurrection – Descent into Hell, exhibited at the museum, used to be part of the interior of the Church of Prophet Elijah erected in mid-XVII c. It was presumably painted by icon-maker Feodor Ignatiev. In his icon, the master pursued the example of older icons and West-European etchings.
#7
Yaroslavl Museum Reserve
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Resurrection – Descent into Hell
Creation period
late XVII c.
Dimensions
163x116,5 cm
Technique
Tempera
Collection
Exhibition
5
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