A RUSSIAN ICON OF THE RESURRECTION FROM THE TOMB AND THE DESCENT INTO HELL, 17TH CENTURY, an example of the complex version of the Resurrection of Christ iconography, which combines two scenes "the Descent into Hell" and "the Resurrection from the Tomb," which first appeared in Russian art in the early 17th century. In both compositions Christ is shown against the background of an almond-shaped mandorla. The Resurrection scene on the right part of the panel presents Jesus standing on the closed tomb with a hand raised in a benedictory gesture and another one holding a scroll; however, unlike the Western European iconographic traditions, Christ is shown wearing vestments. The central part depicts the Descent into Hell, followed by the redemption of the just of the Old Testament. In the middle of the composition Jesus Christ, as victor of Death and Hell, is shown trampling upon the broken gates to hell. To his left is a kneeling figure of Adam rising from the dead, whom the Savior is leading by the hand. This scene illustrates the main event of the Gospel when the Savior redeemed the first man`s sin by his death and saved him. On the other side of the Savior is the kneeling Eve, dressed in a scarlet omophorion. The Savior fulfilled the Old Testament prophesies and led the righteous out of hell “having overcome death by death.†That is the reason why Adam and Eve are shown followed by the Old Testament kings, David and Solomon, and various prophets, including St. John the Baptist, who predicted this event. On the bottom of the composition are sleeping Roman soldiers uniting both scenes; they are meant to indicate the sleeping guards for "the Resurrection from the Tomb" and also convey another victory, namely that of the Christian faith: the Roman soldiers who had once arrested Jesus and marched him to Calvary now lay in Hell at Christ`s feet. Inside the cave, death in the form of an old man is chained by two angels with the same fetters to which he had chained the race of mankind. Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel with a kovcheg. One insert splint on the back. 30 1/4 x 25.4 cm (12 x 10.)