Tre Tree of Jesse
- Artist: Uidentifisert, ionisk skoleArtist - uncertain
- Creation date: Siste halvdel av 1700-tallet
About
- Collection catalogue icons
Tre Tree of Jesse
The title of the icon is indicated on the sky towards the upper edge with the Greek inscription Η ΡΙΖΑ ΤΟΥ ΙΕΣΣΑΙ (HE RIZA TOU IESSAI); in English: The Tree of Jesse. Growing from the lower edge of the picture is a tree that supports an imposing golden throne. This is occupied by the Mother of God, depicted as Queen of Heaven, with the infant Jesus on her left knee, whom she is blessing. Christ is holding an open book of the Gospels displaying the text “I am the light of the world […]” (John 8.12). The Virgin Mary is surrounded by 26 prophets, forefathers and -mothers, sitting on the branches of the tree, with scrolls and, in some cases, also attributes in their hands. Lying asleep at the foot of the trunk are Isaiah, Isaac, Jacob (with the ladder), and Abraham. In an aureole surrounded by clouds above the Virgin Mary is God the Father, represented as the “Ancient of Days” with a triangular nimbus and hands outstretched in blessing, and below him the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Against the green-blue sky are small cherubs with golden wings. Two angels with the initials of Michael and Gabriel holding palm fronds are crowning the Mother of God. The highly varied use of colour, the skilfully executed gilding of the garments, the meticulous inscriptions, and the carefully painted faces all indicate an exceptional artist who has clearly been influenced by Western baroque painting.
- Creation date:
- Siste halvdel av 1700-tallet
- Other titles:
- Jesse rot (NOR)
Wurzel Jesse (GER) - Object type:
- Icon
- Materials and techniques:
- Tempera på treplate
- Material:
- Wood
- Dimensions:
- Height: 62.1 cm
- Width: 43.1 cm
- Depth: 1 cm
- Keywords:
- Visual art
- Classification:
- 532 - Bildende kunst
- Motif:
- Biblical
- Motif - type:
- Religious scene or person
- Inventory no.:
- NG.M.00332
- Cataloguing level:
- Single object
- Acquisition:
- Testamentarisk gave fra Adolph Tidemand, innkommet 1887
- Owner and collection:
- Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design, The Fine Art Collections
- Photo:
- Børre Høstland
- Fleischer, Jens, et al. Byzans : senantik og byzantinsk kunst i nordiske samlinger :: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek 1.juni-31.august 1996. [København]: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, 1996.
- Østby, Leif, red. Katalog over utenlandsk malerkunst : med 153 illustrasjoner. Oslo: Nasjonalgalleriet, 1973. kat.nr. 983
Nasjonalmuseet's collection catalogue is a living resource of information gathered since the 1830's. Some records may contain language or ideas that today could be perceived as outdated, offensive or discriminatory with regard to for instance gender, sexuality, ethnicity or disability, and that may be at odds with the museum's values regarding equality and diversity.
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