Icon - Wood - Praise of the Prophets

Ancient Russian icon Praise of the Prophets, 19th century, 44x37 cm. The icon of the Praise of the Mother of God depicts the Virgin surrounded by the prophets of the Old Testament, each of whom holds on a scroll the content of his own prophecy. This iconographic type, already attested in the 12th century on Mount Sinai, expresses an ancient tradition that links biblical prophecies to the mystery of the Incarnation. At the center of the composition the Virgin is seated on a throne inside a mandorla, while above her appears the Emmanuel blessing, creating a vertical line that unites heaven and earth. Around them stand the prophets — among them Moses, Isaiah, David, Solomon and Daniel — who hold the symbols of their visions, such as the ladder, the burning bush, the ark or the gate, all symbolic references to the Mother of God. This complex theological representation reveals the fulfillment of divine promises: what the prophets announced is fully realized in the Virgin, making the icon a visual synthesis of salvation history and an invitation to contemplate the mystery of the Incarnation. Provenance: Central Russia Egg tempera Levkas wood 43.5X37 cm. 18th-19th century Minimal restoratio

Estimate:£1,251.42

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