Icon of the Way of the Cross

16th century, School of Novgorod
Russian Museum, St Petersburg.

This splendid icon was painted during a transitional period, in which the old iconographic tradition no longer prevailed so strongly. The fact that the tsarina was a Byzantine princess with an Italian education, and the arrival of a group of Italian architects in Moscow, created a new artistic awareness.
The style of this icon is closely related to that of the mural paintings of Dionysius in the monastery of Therapont in Novgorod. It is quite possible that the icon was done by the master himself, who lived from about 1440 to 1505. At any rate, it is from his workshop. The figures of the Virgin and Mary Magdalen strongly remind us of his work. Here too we notice the elongated proportions of the figures, symbolising the intense longing to reach heaven, the saint standing on tiptoe to bridge the distance, the dramatic element of the scene, the draped lively garments and the realistic background.
Dionysius combined all this into splendid and impressive images.
The colours of this icon are typical of Moscow rather than of Novgorod and again point to the influence of Dionysius.

Source: Iconen - Kunst en devotie - T. Talbot Rice

The religious picture has been fixed on a solid oak panel in accordance with the original Russian technique of iconography: with egg tempera and champagne chalk by Ank Landwier-Boonekamp, in 1998.