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61-Russian Icon
The Mother of God of Three Joys
19th century
Egg tempera, gold leaf on wood panel
12.25" x 10.25"
James and Tatiana Jackson Collection

his icon clearly illustrates the heavy influence of Western art on Russian iconography. The story regarding the prototype of this miracle-working icon states that at the beginning of the 18th century it was brought to Moscow from Italy. There a troubled woman heard a voice telling her to seek out the image and pray before it. She did so and was granted “three joys:” her husband was returned from exile; her captive son was released; and seized property was returned. Thus the title “Three Joys.” Copies of this icon, originally called “The Holy Family,” show the Mother of God, the child Jesus, and the infant John the Forerunner (Baptist) and Joseph. In many examples the icon is indistinguishable from the famous Raphael Madonna and Child painting titled the “Madonna dela Sedia,” now housed in the Pitti Palace, Florence. In this example the infant John the Forerunner holds a scroll upon which begins “Pokaitesya, Priblizhibosya….” (Repent ye: for the Kingdom of ….). This is one of only a few icons in Russian iconography in which Joseph appears. The others are “The Nativity of the Lord” and the “Meeting of the Lord.”
 

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his is an important icon subject, although it is rarely seen. It depicts Jesus reading Isaiah in the synagogue. The significance is that it is the icon of the first day of the church year. And the reason this particular type (Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth) was chosen is that it not only represents the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, but also directly connects to the topic of the beginning of the “year” through the words of Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor: he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18). In this “double” scene, Christ is depicted reading from the Torah at mid center. On the left he is shown after having read and at which time he announces, “This day is fulfilled this scripture in your ears” (Luke 4:21). Along the top border is written the title for this icon, “The Beginning of the Indiction, Which Is The New Year.” The exceptionally high quality of painting, combined with the distinctive style and pallet would strongly suggest that this icon was executed in the famous icon painting village northeast of Moscow called Palekh.