Composite Icon with the Crucifixion, Christ, Saints and Gospel Scenes 1050

This composite icon, made by Orthodox Icons, presents the crucifixion of Christ alongside saints and scenes from the Gospels. Its existence speaks to a complex interplay of faith, culture, and artistic tradition. Created within the sphere of influence of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the icon served as a visual tool for religious instruction and contemplation, designed to connect the faithful with the divine. The rigid, symbolic representation of figures, the use of specific colors, and the hierarchical arrangement of scenes are all visual codes deeply rooted in Orthodox theology and cultural practice. The prevalence of such icons highlights the Church's power as a social institution. The study of theology, social history, and the archives of religious institutions provides a more complete understanding of the cultural work this icon performed in its own time.