"The Incarnation of God"

A three–dimensional egg with Christian images on an ornamental shaft combines two ancient Russian traditions of Easter and Christmas eggs. "The Christmas egg is a symbol of the origin of earthly life, and the Easter egg is a spiritual origin" (Vladimir Mikhailov). The iconostasis of the twelve feasts, which preserve the full history of the Incarnation, is represented in the open image of the fold. Rotating the central icon, the accent of the composition can be the image of Holy Christmas or Easter, reflecting the idea of the product and showing the most important events of Christianity. The central icon "Descent into Hell" has retained the main meaning of the feast of the Resurrection of Christ since early Christian times and tells how the crucified Christ descended into hell to bring out the righteous of the Old Testament. The iconographic rendering of "Descent into Hell" depicts Christ leading Adam and Eve out of Hell. Under the feet of the Savior are fragments of a crushed gate, and in the upper part of the icon is an image of angels surrounding a cross - a symbol of the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God and the beginning of a new age. The central image of Christ, embraced by divine light, is surrounded by figures of kings David and Solomon and hosts of the righteous. On the back of the central icon is an image of the Nativity of Christ, made according to one of the most ancient iconographic canons. In the center is the image of the Virgin Mary and the Virgin Child in a manger. On the sides are shepherds who were the first to learn about Christmas, and the magi who came to the Savior. The composition is completed by the scenes of Christ's ablution and Joseph's doubts. The festive iconostasis begins with the image of the "Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos" on a bright day, at the turn of the Old and New Testaments, the birth of the Virgin Mary, represented from time immemorial by Divine Providence to serve the mystery of the incarnation of God the Word - to appear as the Mother of the Savior of the world. The following icon is dedicated to the feast of the entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple. The history of this holiday is based on a Sacred Legend, where the parents of the Virgin, fulfilling a vow to dedicate their child to God, brought their daughter Mary to the Jerusalem temple. The festive icon of the Annunciation depicts the Blessed Virgin with the Archangel Gabriel, who was sent from God to announce the good news of the birth of the Savior of the world from Her. The icon of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord depicts the Baptism of the Savior in the Jordan by John the Baptist, and three angels bowing down to Christ and, like recipients from the font, holding veils in their hands. A dove descends on the Savior standing in the water, a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is one of the twelve feasts, when many people came out of Jerusalem to meet Jesus Christ. Some took off their clothes and spread them on the road, others cut palm branches, carried them in their hands or threw them on the road, paving the way for the Savior, and all shouted loudly: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest"! The Ascension of the Lord icon depicts Christ in the glory and triumph in which he will come to judge the world. Christ Pantocrator is depicted sitting on the throne of glory in the rays of light. The heavenly sphere with the Savior has two Angels, who are depicted as carrying the heavenly circle and the Savior Almighty. In the central part of the icon there is an image of the Virgin among the angels and a number of apostles, who together with the Mother of God created the image of the Church founded by Christ on earth. The feast of the Presentation of the Lord is depicted on the icon in the form of a joyful meeting with the Christ child in the church of the Old Testament saints. The icon "Transfiguration of the Lord" depicts the feast of the appearance of the Divine majesty and glory of Jesus Christ in front of his three closest disciples Peter, James and John during prayer on Mount Tabor. The Holy Trinity icon depicts the story of Abraham's hospitality when he received Holy Pilgrims in his home, whose arrival was a visit from God and a symbol of the Holy Trinity, reflecting the hypostases of God, one in essence and threefold in Persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The following icon is dedicated to the memory of the Dormition of the Mother of God. The Son Jesus Christ himself appeared in an extraordinary light and accepted Her soul. On the icon at the bed of the Virgin are images of the holy apostles gathered from different cities on the day of the Assumption. A burning candle at the bedside symbolizes prayer to the Lord. The lower part of the icon depicts a plot widely used in iconography of the 15th century - the cutting off of hands by an angel from a wicked Jew. This is the story of the priest Affonia, who, running ahead of the procession, grabbed the bed on which the most pure body was being carried with both hands and wanted to knock it to the ground. The angel cut off his hands invisibly. Affonius repented, believed in Christ, and was immediately healed by the apostles. Many ancient Russian artistic traditions are intertwined in this egg, and Baroque motifs can be traced in the design and composition. The egg is mounted on an ornamental shaft, reminiscent of the decorations of Novgorod liturgical vessels of the 12th century, the so-called "craters". The shaft, decorated with "pearls" and curlicues (symbols of the Savior and the Garden of Eden), has a handle in the form of an acanthus, symbolizing a branch of the Paradise Tree. The voluminous motifs of the lily-crine transform the upper part of the composition into the capital of a miniature column: such columns once decorated the biblical temple of Solomon, becoming a metaphor for the Heavenly Jerusalem. The top of the composition resembles the dome of an ancient Russian temple crowned with a cross in the shape of an onion: "The image of an onion or bud is a symbol of the origin of earthly life – the harmonious completion of the earthly composition and the transition to the heavenly" (Vladimir Mikhailov). The focus of the composition is the egg itself, "sitting" on the branch. The composition of the external images embodies a three-dimensional interpretation of Deisus: the images of the Mother of God and John the Baptist on the side doors are connected by the image of the Savior Not Made with Hands, brought forward and placed on the lock that closes the egg.