Extended Deesis, The

Name/Title

Extended Deesis, The

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.109

Description

Tempera on curved wooden panel with cursive script written in pencil on the back. The panel is bordered in red, brown, and gold before the lowered portion with the focal image. Gold Cyrillic script labels the bottom followed by a four digit Cyrillic number translated to (7 x 1,000[indicated by the line with two horizontal marks]) + 400 + 2+ 10= 7,412. The focal image shows Christ with full head of brown hair sitting on a golden throne with the three finger blessing sign and an open gospel. Above him, a man with white/grey hair and full beard is shown with both hands outstretched in blessing in the clouds over a white dove symbol. On the left are various angels and worshippers, two of them women, and on the right a small child clothes in white sits with a woman in a pink head veil and additional male worshippers.

Type of Painting

Panel

Artwork Details

Medium

Tempera

Collection

Betsy Scheuring Icon Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2005.02

Source or Donor

Betsy Scheuring

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of Betsy Scheuring

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Icon

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Symbol, Religious

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Religious Objects

Nomenclature Class

Ceremonial Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Dimensions

Height

8-3/4 in

Width

7 in

Depth

1-1/4 in

Exhibition

Spirit Made Tangible: The Scheuring Icon Collection (2006)

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

In this version of “The Extended Deesis,” Christ is again enthroned in majesty in the center making a sign of benediction and holding an open Gospel book. To the left and right are the Mother of God and John the Forerunner, who both carry open scrolls. Behind Christ are the Archangels Michael and Gabriel as well as other saints. Immediately above Christ is the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, above which appears God the Father, with all three forming the Holy Trinity. Four more saints appear at the feet of Christ, notably St. Oulitta and her son Kirik at the bottom right. The scene uses rich browns, and the forms are crisply painted.