Antique Russian icon, 19th century, The Three Patriarchs, 13.9x12.2 in
Antique Russian icon, 19th century, The Three Patriarchs, 13.9x12.2 in.
Antique Russian icon depicting the Three Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, originating from Vetka and datable to the 19th century. The work measures 13.9x12.2 in and is executed in egg tempera on wood with levkas.
The subject represents one of the oldest and most significant motifs of Christian tradition: the so‑called Bosom of Abraham, an image evoking the state of peace and eternal communion reserved for the righteous af...
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Antique Russian icon, 19th century, The Three Patriarchs, 13.9x12.2 in.
Antique Russian icon depicting the Three Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, originating from Vetka and datable to the 19th century. The work measures 13.9x12.2 in and is executed in egg tempera on wood with levkas.
The subject represents one of the oldest and most significant motifs of Christian tradition: the so‑called Bosom of Abraham, an image evoking the state of peace and eternal communion reserved for the righteous after death. While present already in medieval Christian art, between the 18th and 19th centuries this theme also began to appear as an independent subject.
At the centre of the composition stands Abraham, flanked by Isaac and Jacob, seated in Paradise. The three Patriarchs receive in their arms the souls of the righteous, depicted according to the Eastern canon as small children clothed in white, symbols of purity, rebirth and eternal life.
The pictorial background reinforces the work’s theological meaning: the light ground recalls the otherworldly dimension and divine radiance, while the luxuriant vegetation alludes to Eden and the blessedness of Paradise. The whole composition communicates an image of welcome, serenity and hope in eternal life.
Symbolically the icon also admits an ecclesiological and eschatological reading: Abraham, father of many nations, becomes a figure of the Church welcoming the faithful, and the scene as a whole points to the promise of eternal communion with God.
The work belongs to the devotional production of the Vetka area, a centre noted for its narrative icon painting closely connected to the Old Believers communities. The composition renders a complex theological theme in an immediate and accessible representation while preserving the traditional language of Russian iconography.
The icon is supplied with an expert appraisal and presented in a velvet case, which complete its documentation and presentation.
Provenance: Vetka, Old Believers' tradition
Period: 19th century
Technique: egg tempera
Materials: wood and levkas
Dimensions: 35.3x31 cm
Subject: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with the souls of the righteous
Contents: expert appraisal and velvet case.
Vetka is currently located in Belarus, which became an independent state in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. At the time the icon was painted the locality belonged to Russia, which is why Russia is indicated as the place of origin.