Russian
late 18th cent.
53.5x43x3cms
This large impressive icon of three of the most important figures of Judaic- Christian traditions dates from the late 18th century but has many of the elements of the Novogorod icons of three centuries earlier. The bodies are tall,slim and willowy in style. In disproportionately small heads, the eyes, nose and mouth are cramped together in the centre of the face. The dominant colour of the robes of St Elijah and St Peter is vermillion offset by the blue-green himation of St Paul.
The unusual combination of Saints strongly suggest the icon was the result of a special commission. It may well have been an Easter gift as the icon's message is clearly the fulfillment of God's eternal promise to redeem mankind. At the top of the icon is a Blessing Christ Emmanuel representative of the enduring love of God. Beneath Emmanuel, in the foreground and the central figure in the icon, is the prophet Elijah who witnessed Christ as the union of the temporal and eternal at the Transfiguration. Surrounding the Prophet is the inscription " Elijah whose word is firm and whose spirit is the source of our peace". St Peter, who stands to the Prophet's right hand, was also not only a witness to The Transfiguration, but a witness to the three year earthly ministry of Christ. That the Christian message of redemption is for all mankind is encapsulated by the missionary work of St Paul whose image is on the left.
Since purchase from a private U.S. collector, a split in the icon's board has been repaired and the paint loss in the damaged are restored. The halos have been re-gilded sympathetically. The icon has been cleaned and re-varnished.
