The Annunciation (top left), the Nativity (top right), Christ's Baptism (bottom left), and the Transfiguration (bottom right) 1320

This icon, of uncertain date, presents four key scenes from the life of Christ. Dominating the composition are symbolic gestures, deeply rooted in Christian iconography: The Virgin's receptive pose during the Annunciation, the infant Christ in the Nativity, Christ's submission to baptism, and the divine light enveloping the Transfiguration. Consider the mandorla, the almond-shaped halo surrounding Christ in the Transfiguration. This motif appears as early as the medieval period, signifying divine glory, echoing earlier Roman imperial art where it symbolized power and apotheosis. Here, it embodies Christ's divine nature revealed to his disciples. The cyclical nature of these scenes – birth, baptism, revelation – speaks to a continuous unfolding of the divine plan. This non-linear progression invites viewers to contemplate these scenes, allowing them to resurface and evolve within our understanding of faith and humanity.