The artwork titled “The Last Judgement: Isaiah” is a fresco created by the artist Andrei Rublev in 1408. It is a part of the series of paintings intended for the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, Russia, and it continues to be located there. The medium of the artwork is a fresco, an art technique that involves applying paint to plaster on walls or ceilings. This piece is a representation within the Byzantine and Moscow school of icon painting tradition, embodying the religious painting genre.
In the image, we observe a religious figure presumed to be the Prophet Isaiah, as indicated by the traditional iconographic elements and the inscriptions. The figure is shown within a round frame, with a depleted gold halo surrounding the head, signifying holiness or sanctity according to Christian iconography. Isaiah is depicted holding a scroll, which likely bears a scriptural text or prophecy, a common attribute for prophets in such paintings. The image shows significant degradation and loss of paint, suggesting the great age of the artwork and the delicate nature of frescoes, especially those that have not been fully restored.
The figure’s garments are rendered with a sense of volume and draped fabric, using muted earth tones and highlights to provide a sense of three-dimensionality. The fresco’s overall condition appears weathered, with noticeable cracks and surface wear that testify to its historical journey through time.
The language on the scroll is Church Slavonic, which was used for liturgical texts in the Orthodox Church and was common in Russian iconography of that era. The script itself underscores the religious and historical context of the painting, serving as a testament to the spiritual and cultural efforts of that period in Russian history.
