The “Removal From the Cross” depicts Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus taking the body of Christ down from the cross, while The Mother of God (Mary) and other women look on. This beautifully executed painting is an exact copy of one produced by Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). His painting, titled “Descent from the Cross” was executed for the Antwerp Cathedral between 1610 and 1611. Were it not for the Slavonic inscription at the top of this icon, it would be difficult to ascribe it to the Russian school. Increased numbers of Russians traveling abroad, along with the influx of foreign travelers, brought illustrated bibles and prints into a formerly isolated Russia. Subsequently Western art became popular quickly. One could speculate that this icon was commissioned by a wealthy patron who had seen the original while traveling in Western Europe.
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