The Resurrection of Christ and the Harrowing of Hell 17th century

This small icon of "The Resurrection of Christ and the Harrowing of Hell," now in the Met, was produced in Russia at an unknown date. The image is organized with an upper register depicting Christ's last supper, and a lower section showing Christ descending into hell. Icons like this one functioned in both a religious and a social capacity. As devotional objects they provided a visual focus for prayer and contemplation and, within the domestic space, they could also signal the wealth and status of their owners. But how do we know what social function this object played? Historians look to social context to understand art. They use sources such as church records, trade documents, and inventories of household goods. This kind of research reveals the role of art as something bound up in networks of economic exchange and systems of belief. By understanding that history, we can see beyond the simple image.