The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Artist: Moscow School
Title: The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Date: 16th Century
Culture: Russian
Medium: Tempera on wood panel
Dimensions: 42.9 x 35.2 cm (32-1/8 x 26-3/4 in.)
Accession Number: 1981:001
Credit Line: Moscow School,The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ,16th century, tempera on wood panel, 42.9 x 35.2 cm (32-1/8 x 26-3/4 in.), Putnam Foundation, Timken Museum of Art

Description

The Ascension of Christ took place on the Mount of Olives, and in this icon the figures are set against a hilly landscape studded with olive trees. The Virgin is flanked by the twelve Apostles. Behind her stand two angels, dressed in white, pointing toward Christ, who is carried heavenward. The concentric circles bearing Christ symbolize the holy world that he is about to enter. The title of the icon is printed in Cyrillic characters in the upper corners.

Related Information / Media

Provenance

Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow; U.S.S.R. Central Art Collection Warehouse, 1936; George R. Hann, Sewickley Heights, Pennsylvania, his sale,

Christie’s, New York, April 15, 1981, lot 56; Acquired by the Putnam Foundation, 1981

Exhibited

Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute, 1944, Collection of George R. Hann, no. 68; Syracuse, N.Y., Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts; Columbus, Ohio, Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts; Indianapolis, John Herron Art Museum; and Oberlin, Ohio, Allen Memorial Art Museum, 1944-45, Collection of George R. Hann, no. 33; The Art Institute of Chicago, 1944-45, Art of the United Nations; The Saint Louis Art Museum, 1945, Russian Icons and Objects of Ecclesiastical and Decorate Arts.

Literature

Russian Icons, intro. By Phillipp Schweinfurth (new York and London, n.d.), p. 45, ill.; Heinz Skrobucha, Meisterwerke der Ikonenmalerei

(Recklinghausen, 1961), pl. p. 233; Robert Wallace et al., Rise of Russia (New York, 1967), pl. p. 109; The Horizon Book of the Arts of Russia

(New York, 1970), pp. 72, 73, ill.

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Note

This record has been reviewed by Timken Museum of Art staff and may be incomplete or contain errors. Our records are constantly revised. Inquiries about provenance are advised to contact the Director of Curatorial Affairs: curator@timkenmuseum.org.