Description in Icons, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 2004, cat. no. 98:
The meeting of Joachim and Anna
Second quarter to middle of 17th century, Yaroslavl
NMI 273
Wood: Linden (Tilia sp.), egg tempera
on canvas. Panel made of three boards
with two new splines inlaid from op po -
site sides with the old ones mounted
on top; back painted dark brown.
Inscriptions: Paper labels with handwritten
text: 1.a t. in black ink in Cyrillic
letters: g 12028 / Noo – Sn’’; 2. on the
top corner edge in brown ink : R.T. 12 /
an Stelle v. M (instead of M)
PROVENANCE: Antiquariat no r/12028
(”Jaroslaver Schule, Anfang 17. Jahrh.”);
Olof Aschberg 1935; Gift of O. Aschberg
1952
EXHIBITIONS: Gothenburg 1970, no 20;
Helsinki 1970, no 20; Herzogenburg 1977,
no 153; Stockholm 1988, no 22
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Kjellin 1956, pp 54–55, 177;
Abel 1978:1, fig. 20; Abel 1981, pp 259–260;
Abel 1984; Bjurström 1984, p 201-02; Ekelöf
1986, p 21; Abel 1989:2, p 13; Ekelöf 1991,
p 268; Abel 1992:2, pp 12–16; Abel 1992:3,
pp 20–21; Abel 1995, p 115; Fryd 1999, pp
41–44; Moberg 1999, pp 78–79
CONSERVATION: Restored prior to entering
NM: right joint mended with clip (now
lost) on upper edge with retouching; paint -
ing cleaned and partly retouched; NM
1962: crack reappearing at top, right of
centre, mended, darkened retouches, overpaintings
and varnish removed, retouches
(B. Titov); 1977 : new splines fitted with
the old ones glued on top, stopping and re -
touch ing of joints (U. Kullander); 1988:
conservation of paint layer (R. Lundvall).
Damage, with loss of wood, in bottom left
corner; paint layer losses along the outer
edges; old nails along the corner edges, possibly
from lost textile cover on back; gilding
on halos, background and borders partly
abraded; remains of original cinnabar
inscription above angels and in halos of
central figures; panel warped
The three episodes connected with the
Nativity of the Mother of God, (the
angels appearing to Joachim and Anna
respectively, and their meeting before
the Golden Gate of Jerusalem) are here
depicted in a way which is both canonical,
i.e. entirely in accordance with
tradition, and at the same time highly
personal. The painter convincingly
describes the tenderness with which
these two persons have just met, and
the image, through its colour and the
lavish architecture, is charged with
optimism. This is a congenial interpretation
of the joyful message. In one
detail, however – Joachim clearly tread -
ing on Anna’s foot – it deviates from
the canon. Kjellin takes this detail to
be a token of affection.1 It is more
likely, however, a token of power, re -
presenting a tradition both of biblical
texts and of the imperial court in Constantinople,
as well as at Jewish and
Orthodox weddings.2 The embrace as
a sign of impending childbirth occurs
several times in Byzantine iconogra -
phy.3 In Russian, the ”meeting” of
Joachim and Anna is often called zacatie,
meaning conception. The text on
this icon is unusual in the context:
Zacatie Ioakima i Anne (sic) presvyatyya
(Joachim’s and Saint Anne’s intercourse).
The emphasis on the architecture
and its elaborate ornamentation
suggest a connection with Yaroslavl.
This icon has come to occupy an
important place in Swedish cultural
history, as it was portrayed in a poem
by the Swedish poet Gunnar Ekelöf
(1907–1968). The poem ”Joachim
and Anna”, an ekfrasis, a description
of this icon, is included in ”The Tale
of Fatumeh” (1966), one of Ekelöf ’s
last collections of poems and with
Byzantine elements.4
1 Kjellin 1956, p 54.
2 Abel 1984, pp 55–57.
3 Grabar 1968:2, p 130.
4 English translation : G. Ekelöf, Selected Poems,
New York 1971
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