Description in Icons, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 2004, cat. no. 160:
The Fiery Ascent of the Prophet Elijah to Heaven
Late 17th - early 18th century, Karelia or Obonezh district,
region of Novgorod
NMI 164

Wood: Spruce (Picea sp.), egg tempera
on canvas. Panel made of two boards
with two splines inlaid across the
panel.

PROVENANCE: Olof Aschberg;
Gift of O.Aschberg 1933
EXHIBITIONS: Gothenburg 1970, no 22;
Helsinki 1970, no 22; Stockholm 1988, no 39
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Kjellin 1933, no 164; Kjellin
1956, pp 112, 113, 264; Abel 1978:1, fig. 23;
Abel 1989:1, p 38
CONSERVATION: Restored prior to entering
NM: various damage and retouchings,
especially along the edges (the inscription
on the upper border is secondary) and the
background while the figures are relatively
intact; NM 1950: conservation of serious
blistering: 1962: cracks right through in the
central joint and on the edges, with consid -
erable paint losses, especially in the upper
half, remedied (B. Titov); 1970–71: conservation
of blisters and impact damage.
Damage and paint losses along the edges;
signs of paint layers coming loose in an
old crack

As frequently found in depictions
of Elijah, different stages of his life
have been brought together: here, the
raven bringing food (I Kings XVII:4);
the angel waking him (I Kings XIX:5),
the prophet crossing the river with the
aid of his mantle (II Kings II:8) and,
on the upper part of the icon, Elijah
being taken up into heaven (II Kings
II:11–13).
This icon formed part of a church
iconostasis, probably as a place icon in
a church dedicated to the prophet Elijah,
whose cult was widespread in
North Russia.
[slut]