Icon Triptych

Description The left panel, an endemically Russian composition, depicts a church hymn entitled "In Thee Rejoiceth," in which all of creation praises the Virgin. The Virgin is shown enthroned in heaven with the infant Christ in her lap and God the Father behind her. She is surrounded by angels. Legions of saints, led by John the Baptist, offer her their praise. The central panel depicts the Resurrection, depicted in two complementary compositions: above, Christ emerging triumphantly from the tomb, and, below, the Descent of Christ into Hell. On the sides are twelve scenes of church holidays, arranged in order of their dates: the Birth of the Virgin, the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, the Baptism of Christ, the Entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), the Transfiguration, the Ascension, the Holy Trinity (Gen. 18:1-15), the Dormition of the Virgin, and the Elevation of the Holy Cross. The right panel depicts the Last Judgment. Christ, as the Ruler of All, sits in judgment on the last day, rewarding the faithful, to his right, with salvation, and the sinners, to his left, with damnation, represented here by the gaping mouth of a horrible beast.

Conservation

Date	Description	Narrative
7/20/1959	Treatment	cleaned
10/01/1959	Treatment	cleaned
9/21/1965	Examination	examined for exhibition

Exhibitions

• Realms of Faith: Medieval and Byzantine Art from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville. 2001-2002.
• Realms of Faith: Medieval and Byzantine Art from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville. 2002-2005.

Provenance Henry Walters, Baltimore [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Inscriptions [Transcription] In the frame round the central image, clockwise from the top right corner: Приïде разбоиникъ къ вратамъ с(вя)таго рая; Ï связа сатану на ,a лѣтъ; Извѣде Г(оспо)дь праωтца Адама ïзо аду и вся праведная с нимъ; [По]вѣле Г(оспо)дь аггеломъ своимъ плѣнити адъ; [Translation]The Thief has come to the gates of Holy Paradise (cf. Luke 23:43) And He tied down Satan for a 1000 years The Lord has led Forefather Adam our of hell, and all the righteous ones with him The Lord has commanded His angels to conquer hell

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters