Lot number 1625 - Auction 131
A VERY FINE ICON OF THE ANASTASIS OF CHRIST SURROUNDED BY THE NARRATIVE OF HIS PASSION AND

A VERY FINE ICON OF THE ANASTASIS OF CHRIST SURROUNDED BY THE NARRATIVE OF HIS PASSION AND MAJOR FEASTS Russian, Palekh, 18th century Tempera on wood panel. The main scene illustrating at the lower part the Descent of Christ into Hades, the latter depicted as a rocky gorge, Christ shown in a contrapostal posture against a mandorla, trampling on the broken gates and raising Adam from his sarcophagus, behind him the Just People of the Old Testament Trinity in a procession lead by an angel and St. John the Baptist out of the Underworld, in the foreground and at the far left, the archangels Gabriel and Michael killing the personifications of the Devil, the upper part showing Christ emerging from his Tomb, blessing and holding a closed scroll, surrounded by twelve scenes each narrating an episode of the Passion cycle and 16 major feasts. The events identified by the inscriptions on the border, the detailed composition executed delicately with saturated colours, on gold ground. Framed by a border of foliate scrolls. 52.8 x 43.3 cm.