Russian School of Old Believers, late 17th century. "Resurrection... Lot 17

Russian School of Old Believers, late 17th century. "Resurrection of Christ, Christ's Descent into Hell, and His Life in 16 hagiographic scenes". Tempera on panel. Measurements: 35 x 30,5 cm. Descent of Christ to hell is one of the most important representations in Christian iconography. This passage has been known in Ancient Rus since the 11th century, although it became most popular in the second half of the 14th century. Iconography of this New Testament passage finally developed in the 17th century in Moscow workshops. In this period, the icon reached its maximum complexity, combining the New and Old Testament passages, and at the same time composing the scenes of the Resurrection and Christ's descent into hell into one. The icon of interest attracts the viewer's attention in a spiral, concentrating maximum attention on the central register, where, by means of a complex and dynamic composition, the resurrection and the descent into hell are narrated simultaneously. In both cases the figure of Christ in a golden mandorla is surrounded by various saints, apostles and Old Testament characters, such as Adam, who is recognised as a bearded man holding Christ's hand. This scene, in turn, is surrounded by a frame of 16 hagiographic scenes, which recount different passages from the New Testament, mostly of Marian content, although there are some scenes that recount the life of Christ. Each scene is accompanied by an inscription located on the border of the icon, where in turn, in the corners of the icon, are the four evangelists. The composition of the icon closes with a curious representation of the Trinity from the New Testament, located in the upper central register. This type of representation has different versions, in the case of the auctioned lot, it is in the form of the Father, God, the Son and the dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit. This type of representation is typical of painters from the workshops of the Old Believers. Other features, which indicate that the icon belongs to this particular Orthodox group, are the inscriptions on the outer border of the icon, the blessing with two fingers, the eight-pointed crosses, and the name of Christ written as "ICXC", which is the abbreviation of his name in Greek.