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46-Russian Icon
The "Unexpected Joy" Mother of God
19th century
Egg tempera, gold leaf on wood panel
12" x 10.5"
James and Tatiana Jackson Collection

he inscription at the top gives the title for this icon, the “Unexpected Joy Most Holy Mother of God.” The image is of a man kneeling before a large icon of the Mother of God, holding the child Jesus, who bears the wounds of the crucifixion. The lettered panel below the image of the Mother of God provides a short narrative regarding the appearance of the prototype. It begins: “A certain lawless man had a daily rule to pray to the Most Holy Mother of God with the words of the Archangel’s greeting, ‘Hail Blessed One…’ ” The story is that one day, as the man prayed before going out to do more sinful deeds, he saw the image of the Mother of God begin to move. Wounds appeared on the hands, feet and side of the child Jesus, and blood poured from them. Trembling with fear, the man fell to the floor and (the words that extend in a strip from his mouth like a cartoon bubble) cried out, “Oh lady, who has done this?” The Mother of God’s reply, written on another strip is “You and other Sinners, who crucify my Son anew with your sins.” The man repented and was filled with an “unexpected joy” for having repented. On the right border is the Holy Great Martyr Procopius. On the left is the Venerable Martyr Evdokia.

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he Resurrection is the most important festival in the Eastern Orthodox Church. This icon illustrates the traditional depiction of the Easter theme. Here Christ is seen descending into Hades to free the Old Testament righteous men and women held there in captivity. Only hinted at in the New Testament (I Peter 3:19), this imagery comes largely from the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus. Christ stands atop the broken gates of Hades. He reaches down to grasp the hand of Adam; Eve kneels at lower right. Other figures rise and walk forth from bondage making their way to the gates of heaven which are depicted at upper right. Many are identified by their names which are written within their haloes. They include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Noah, King David, King Solomon, and John the Forerunner; also Rachel, Sara and Rebecca. A red six-winged seraph guards the heavenly gates. The figure wearing a loin cloth and holding a cross at the entrance to Heaven is the “Good Thief,” shown again inside meeting Elijah and Enoch. In the upper left corner is a post-resurrection scene. Peter sees the linen grave clothes lying empty, and above an angel speaks to the “Myrrh-Bearing Women.” The inscription along the top border clearly identifies the subject as “Voskresenie Khristovo” (The Resurrection of Christ).