Deisus row
Icons
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Jesus Christ enthroned with the Archangels, the Holy Virgin and bystanding John the Baptist. The upper row shows two scenes: the Descent into Hell - The Ressurection of Christ and the Trinity. -
The icon depicts a half-length figure of Saint Nicholas in a benedictory position, wearing full bishop’s toggery, with Gospel in his hand. He is surrounded by selected saints in the upper and side borders of the icon. In the upper part is a half-length apostle row, with the Archangels Michael and Gabriel at the head, who stand on both sides of the prepared throne. On the side borders, in pairs, from top downward are the Figures of the saints Basil the Great and George the Theologian, John the Chrysostom and Hipatius of Gangra, Cyrill and Athanasius of Alexandria and saint princes, passion-bearers Boris and Gleb, the Martyrs George and St. Demetrius of Solun, Florus and Laurus. The saints’ row is tailed by half-figures of the healers Cosmas and Damian in the lower parts of the icon -
The icon is divided horizontally into two equal registers (the heavenly and the worldly areas). In the first register are the seven-figured Deesis with a figure of the Savior enthroned in the center. In the lower register are the figures of prayers divided into two groups. -
The centerpiece represents shoulder-length depiction of saint Nicholas, above him there is Deesis. To his left, to his right and underneath are the Selected Saints. -
The centerpiece represents shoulder-length depiction of the Mother of God keeping the Divine Child close to her (iconographic depiction of Our Lady of Vladimir). They are surrounded by the waist-length saints. Above is depicted the Deesis composition with the Savior Not Made by Hands. -
In the center is Jesus Christ seated on the throne, blessing with his right hand and holding a closed Gospel book lying on His lap. He is flanked by the Mother of God and John the Baptist with their hands raised in blessing; behind them, in the second row, are the martyrs Barbara and Parasceva. -
The first tier portrays full-length frontal figures of saint Alfanov brothers: Clement, Kirill, Nikita, Nikifor, Isaac. In the upper part is the Deesis in the clouds. -
The composition consists of three separate parts, located in the pictorial “window” border panels, with the square board being entirely bound with silver gilded plates of different sizes with large grass ornamentation. In the center is an image of the Holy Trinity with the Eternal God, Christ wearing royal clothes and a crown and the Holy Spirit depicted as a pigeon, with the Eternal God and Christ seated on the same throne. This image is inside a nimbus, composed of a circle with the six-winged cherub and a rhomb with symbols of the four Evangelists in the corners. On either side are the figures of the Mother of God dressed in royal clothes and John the Baptist. Both are portrayed having wings or wearing crowns. -
The icon with the shoulder-length images of Christ, the Mother of God and John the Baptist belongs to the simplest iconographic variant of the Deesis tier. -
In the central part of the icon is the figure of the Savior represented in a frontal pose. He is flanked by the shoulder-length figures of the Mother of God and John the Baptist whose faces are turned to the Savior. -
The centerpiece shows the shoulder-length depiction of saint Nicholas against the red background. He is represented in a frontal pose in the attire of hierarch, dark ochroid phelonion with the hem decorated with pearls near collar and omophorion are partially visible. Borders of the icon represent Deesis and waist-length figures of the selected saints. -
This type of icon (with the Deesis in the upper register and en face figures of the saints in two lower registers) is very rare, even though it looks like a festival tablet icon. The icon was possibly painted using an icon-painter’s manual, from which the iconographer might have copied rare iconographic details such as the backless throne of the Savior and a closed Gospel in His hands. The color scheme with traditional “Novgorod” colors (dark-green, reed and ochre), energetic outlines of clothes and square-built figures betray the influence of Novgorodian icons. And yet, the simplicity of painting, the execution of faces, noted for transparent layers of ochre, and dull colors indicate a provincial origin of the icon. -
Seven figures of the row painted on a long horizontal board. -
In the center is the scene of the Descent of Jesus Christ into hell. On either side of the scene are the figures of saints standing in a pose of prayerful intercession. -
Nicholas the Wonderworker, St., with the Deesis and the Selected Saints
The centerpiece shows the waist-length depiction of St. Nicholas. On the upper border of the icon is represented Deesis with the image of Savior Not Made by Hands in the centre. At the sides of the Savior are represented waist-length depictions of the Mother of God, John the Forerunner and archangels Michael and Gabriel. At the sides of the central image of Nicholas the Wonderworker are shown the half-figures of great forefathers Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian, apostles Peter and Paul , healers Cosmas and Damian. In the lower part of the centerpiece are the depictions of protomartyr archdeacon Stephen, great martyrs Parasceva, Catherine and Barbara and also martyr Menas. -
Yaroslavl icon of the Mother of God, with the Deesis tier and the Selected Saints
In the centerpiece is shown the Mother of God with the Divine Child Whose right hand seems to support the chin of Our Lady and His left hand is holding a folded scroll which makes this icon different from the other Yaroslavl icons of the Mother of God where the left hand of the Divine Child holds the edge of Her omophoion. On the upper border of the icon is depicted Deesis with the Savior Not Made by Hands in the centre – the feature of many northern icons. Deesis includes the depictions of saint Nicholas the Wonderworker (instead of the Holy Virgin), prophet John the Forerunner, archangels Michael and Gabriel. On the left and on the right borders below and on the lower border are shown the waist-length frontal depictions of saint John the Goldenmouth, Apostle John the Theologian, great martyrs Parasceva named “Friday” and Barbara and great martyr Demetrius.
