Doubting of Thomas / The Myrrh-Bearers at the Holy Sepulcher (A double-sided tablet icon)
Iconography: Myrrh-bearers standing by the Lord’s Tomb ((The Angel presents himself to the Myrrhbearers), Proofing of the Apostle Thomas
Date: XV century.
Iconographic school/art center: Greek school (Athos?)
Origin: From the collection of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Donated by cellar Velyamin (Veniamin) Pleshcheev.
Material: Levkas, tempera, canvas
Dimensions: height 23 cm, width 18 cm
A double-sided tablet icon depicting The Doubting of Thomas on the one side and the The Myrrh-Bearers at the Holy Sepulcher on the other. The icon is made of two bonded pieces of very thin flaxen fabric covered with chalk ground on the both sides. The icon background is golden-colored; the images are cased in small cinnabar oklads: The Doubting of Thomas in a blue fame, The Myrrh-Bearers… in a cinnabar one.
The Doubting of Thomas. In the center, on a low step stands Jesus Christ with a folded scroll in his left hand. At left is the figure of the Apostle Thomas stepping towards Christ, leaning over and touching the wound on the naked right side of Christ. Christ is flanked by two groups of apostles. In the background is a house with closed doors and a semi-circle wall bridged by a red velum.
The Myrrh-Bearers at the Holy Sepulcher. On the foreground, cornerwise, is an open sarcophagus with a white swaddling cloth of Christ. At left, on the round table sits an angel dressed in white vestments with a golden assist. His right hand is outstretched over the tomb in a blessing gesture; in his left hand the angel holds a rod. To the right is a group of three women, one of them holding an alabaster vase. In the background are two rocks.
Registration number 2766/3 ИХО. © The Sergiev Posad State History and Art Museum
Bibliography:
Русский музей. Государственная Третьяковская галерея. Святая Русь. Альманах. Вып. 302. СПб., 2011. 303. С. 484.
General view
General view