The Ascension of the Prophet Elijah

55 x 45 cm

Date: second half of the 13th century
Medium: tempera on wood panel

Intro

The theme of the Ascension of the Prophet Elijah into heaven is extremely popular in early
Christian and early Byzantine art. Very common in funerary contexts, this subject was interpreted symbolically as an anticipation of the future resurrection of Christ. It can be found in Russian iconography as early as the second half of the 13th century, as evidenced by the iconography in the Intesa Sanpaolo collection, one of the oldest examples of the Byzantine area with this subject that has come down to us, from Novgorod. The monumental figure, the absorbed gaze with the large wide-open eyes, takes us back to the particular and extraordinary cult enjoyed by the prophet Elijah in the Slavic world. In medieval Slavic literature, he was in fact described as a lord of the natural elements, a zealous defender of the faith, an intercessor and rescuer of the afflicted, whose intervention is comparable to the intervention of Christ.

The work is located at Gallerie d'Italia - Vicenza.

The theme of the Ascension of the Prophet Elijah into heaven is extremely popular in early
Christian and early Byzantine art. Very common in funerary contexts, this subject was interpreted symbolically as an anticipation of the future resurrection of Christ. It can be found in Russian iconography as early as the second half of the 13th century, as evidenced by the iconography in the Intesa Sanpaolo collection, one of the oldest examples of the Byzantine area with this subject that has come down to us, from Novgorod. The monumental figure, the absorbed gaze with the large wide-open eyes, takes us back to the particular and extraordinary cult enjoyed by the prophet Elijah in the Slavic world. In medieval Slavic literature, he was in fact described as a lord of the natural elements, a zealous defender of the faith, an intercessor and rescuer of the afflicted, whose intervention is comparable to the intervention of Christ.

The work is located at Gallerie d'Italia - Vicenza.

The fundamental characteristic of the Novgorod iconography is the imposing figure of Elijah - considerably enlarged compared to the Byzantine prototypes - and his frontal, symmetrical position with his hands raised: in one of them he holds the reins with which he guides the
horses, in the other the miraculous cloak.

The scene is constructed in a diagonal that runs from the bottom left-hand corner to the opposite peak, conveying a tension of upward movement to the entire depiction.

Ascensione profeta Elia sul carro di fuoco

Prophet Elijah, the main character of the illustration, is standing on the chariot drawn by three horses that lead him into the heavens, and is placed along the diagonal that ideally unites the small figure of Elisha with that of the Lord. Elijah is wearing a long robe, his large black eyes are wide open, his beard and long grey hair, his arms raised.

The chariot, horses and clothes are red, according to the biblical narrative in which the prophet Elijah ascends to heaven enveloped in a cloud of fire.

Elisha, younger than his master, has dark hair and beard, his simple blue robe is covered by a dark red cloak. Since ancient times great importance was attached to Elijah's handing over the mantle to the disciple Elisha, who, together with it, also received the gift of prophecy from the master's hands.

The River Jordan has been painted in the bottom right-hand corner with a simple strip of blue paint between two strips of dark red soil, creating a kind of triangle; this detail allows the biblical scene to be set geographically.

The surface of the iconography is prepared using the "incamottatura" technique, in which a linen cloth is glued onto the wooden panel and covered with a mixture of alabaster powder and natural glues.

The few colours are composed of coloured pigments and natural binders: the fundamentals were used, such as cinnabar red and blue, obtained from a precious pigment such as lapis lazuli.

Because the iconography is very old it had been 'restored' in the manner well known to the so-called 'old believers': the board cut off and the best preserved pieces applied to a new board. This is particularly evident near the upper edge of the icon where, in the corners,
within two dowels wedged into the main wood, are the archangel Michael on the left, and on the right the figure of the Lord blessing the scene from above, within a portion of the celestial globe.