The artwork titled “Elijah Raises the Widow’s Son (from Hagiographic cycle of detail of ‘Prophet Elijah in the desert’)” was created between c.1275 and c.1325 by an artist associated with Orthodox Icons. This piece, rendered in tempera on wood, belongs to the Pskov school of icon painting and is influenced by the Romanesque art movement. Classified under the genre of iconography, it forms part of a series depicting Saints, and it is currently housed in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.
The artwork depicts a profound biblical scene in which the prophet Elijah resurrects the widow’s son. The composition is characterized by its vibrant yet somber palette, common to tempera on wood iconography. The cracked surface of the panel bears witness to its age and the rich tradition it represents. Elijah is positioned to the left, bending over the revived child who lies in a simplistic yet symbolic sarcophagus-like bed. The widow, on the right, stands in a gesture of awe and reverence. The background features a minimalistic architectural context, with gold leaf accents suggestive of divine intervention. The distinct use of line and color not only fulfill religious storytelling but also adhere to the stylistic conventions of the Pskov school of iconography.