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Icon of Christ Holding Orb
![](thumbs/p-524.gif)
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Russian, ca. 1831
8 1/16" by 9 3/16"
Oil on wood panel with silvered metal okhlad
Allegheny College Collection No. 524
Provenance: Hulmer Estate No. 513
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This icon of Christ is a delicate yet powerful evocation of Christ's essence both as
embodied flesh and divine spirit. His robes are red and blue, the red symbolizing earthly
humanity and the blood of his Passion and the deep celestial blue his humility and the
mystery of his Divinity. The pose is that of Christ the Ruler of All holding an orb that
is topped with a cross to represent God over Earth, supporting Earth, and on Earth. But
where the traditional Byzantine images emphasized Christ's authority, the soft, westernizing
style of this icon exudes a soulful serenity.
Christ blesses with his right hand. In 1666, the Orthodox Church adopted the sign of the
cross or the blessing gesture, formed by placing the ring finger on the thumb and bending the
middle finger below the index finger. The index and middle fingers represent the two natures
of Christ: the index is humanity; the middle is divinity. The middle finger, or divine nature,
is bent below the human nature to show how the divine humbled himself to save us from our sin
by taking human flesh. The positioning of the fingers symbolizes the Holy Trinity and also
spells CC, the Greek abbreviation for Jesus Christ
Christ with Open Book
![](thumbs/p-525.gif)
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Russian, Nineteenth Century
8 9/16" by 10 5/8"
Oil on wood panel with silvered metal okhlad
Allegheny College Collection No. 525
Provenance: Hulmer Estate No. 514
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This icon utilizes the popular imagery of the book as in the Pantocrator icons and
mosaics. Christ is blessing the observer and is holding an open book which contains the
inscription: "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden" (Mt 11:28). Whereas the
Pantokrator image traditionally stresses the divine authority, this message seems
directed toward a sentimental, middle-class laity. The flat and uninspired execution of
this icon denotes a provincial style, while the incomplete painting under the okhlad is
another indication of its low quality.
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