Palekh was the center of religious art in 19th-century Russia. It is where a unique iconographic tradition was developed. Icons that depicted the scene of the Resurrection — the Harrowing of Hades were especially popular with Orthodox believers of all social backgrounds at the time. Pieces created in Palekh were distinguished by the highly detailed and complex centerpiece surrounded by the border scenes with the Feasts of the liturgical year and the figures of the Four Evangelists in the corners. This particular icon also has an interesting and unusual addition to the bottom tier – the Crucifixion scene, which points to the fact that it was painted for a private commissioner. Come learn more about this icon and the Palekh icon painting tradition on our website.

The featured hand-painted Russian Orthodox icon of the Resurrection is one of the precious gems of our collection. It consists of two multi-scene cycles containing the images of the Church Feasts, Passions of Christ, the Evangelist, and the Monogenes, among others. The piece is enclosed in a silver oklad cover, which stresses the subtle craftsmanship and visual symbolism of religious artwork. It is also worth noting that the master’s paintwork is in a pristine condition, with only some fragments of restoration visible. Check out our blog to learn more about this unique icon.

The featured antique icon of the Resurrection represents the Baroque style in Russian iconography. The shapes of heavily built figures, expressive colors, and natural motifs on a silver oklad are some of the visible traits of the movement. The icon was painted in Central Russia in the middle of the 18th century when Baroque started falling behind under the pressure of the Classical era. In some sense, this invaluable part of our collection is the remnant of the past glory. Find out more about its composition and the secrets of its oklad in our latest blog post.

The given Russian icon of the Resurrection consists of several tiers, including the Feast and Passion cycles with 28 border scenes in total. The implementation of popular iconographic schemes and highly-standardized painting style make it clear that the piece was created by masters of the icon-painting villages of the Vladimir region – Kholuy and Mstyora. The icon dates back to the end of the 19th century and features a complex iconographic composition that you can explore in greater detail on our blog.

The Orthodox icon in the featured picture is distinguished by the inclusion of “The Only Begotten Son” scene, also known as Monogenis. It is enclosed in the medallion in the uppermost tier. What you see is the illustration of the troparion (a short hymn of one stanza) to the Church dedicated to the Economy of Salvation. Traditionally, the scene of the Resurrection is the centerpiece surrounded by the Great and Minor Feasts and images of the Four Evangelists. The work was created in the 1840s in Palekh.

The hand-painted icons depicting the Resurrection of Jesus constitute a principal part of our collection. In the picture, you can see one such antique treasure made in the second half – the end of the 19th century. The centerpiece of the panel is dedicated to the scene of the Resurrection of Christ, which consists of two parts: the “Rising from the Tomb” and “Harrowing of Hades.” It is surrounded by the images of the Four Evangelists: John the Theologian, Mark, Matthew, and Luke. You can also see 12 border scenes of the main Church Feasts of the liturgical year, which make the entire composition even more complex.

The Resurrection of Christ is depicted on the 14th-century gilded wooden framework that originally housed the main altarpiece of the Catedral-Basílica de Santa María in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. In the early 20th century it was hung on a cathedral wall.

"The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?" - Luke 24:5 #HeIsAlive #HeHasRisen #HeOvercameDeath #resurrectionofchrist