Conception of the Holy Virgin
Iconography: Conception of the Holy Virgin
Date: XVII century. First half of the 17th century.
Material: Wood, levkas, tempera
Dimensions: height 97 cm, width 67 cm
The upper part of the icon shows Sabaoth and the heavenly bodies: the sun and the moon. The middle tier contains a scene depicting Joachim bringing the holy offerings into the temple where the high priest rejects Joachim’s sacrifice “who made no increase to the people of God”. On the right Anne is shown praying to God for a child and receiving a message from the angel that she would soon bear a chid. The left part of the icon shows Joachim in a desert where the angel announces him the news of the birth of his daughter. Having met the angel, Anne made for the Temple of Jerusalem to make a vow to God that she would dedicate to Him her chld. This very scene is shown in the lower part of the icon. The central part of the tier shows a scene of Joachim and Anne meeting by the Golden gates of Jerusalem.
Inv. № 0050. © The Andrey Rublyov Museum of Medieval Russian Culture and Art
General view
Saint Joachim receives message from the angel that the time of his daughter’s birth is nearing
St. Joachim brings gifts into the temple
St. Anne prays to God for a child
Scenes from the life of St. Anne
6. Joachim meets Anne by the Golden gates