Museum of the History of Orthodoxy in Siberia
The Old Testament story of Jonah was a rare thing to encounter in Russian religious art. But there are some examples.
The Old Testament describes how the prophet Jonah disobeyed God and went on a voyage to the wrong place. As a result, a terrible storm breaks out. To save the other sailors, he asks them to throw him into the sea. Then a large whale (or giant fish) swallows Jonah. The prophet spends three whole days in the mouth of the huge animal, without losing his faith. Eventually, he comes out unharmed and ends up exactly where God had sent him.
In New Testament times the story of Jonah was also popular, because it was a prophecy of how Christ resurrected on the third day after his death.
This story was extremely rare in Russian Orthodox iconography (in contrast to Western art).
Sometimes, images of whales (or rather some fish) do occur, for example, in icons depicting the life of Jonah.
Stroganoff School. Acts of the Prophet Jonah. The first quarter of the 17th century — The Russian Museum
There are some rare icons focused on Jonah's miraculous “eruption” from the monster's mouth. One such icon of the 18th century is housed in Tobolsk's Museum of the History of Orthodoxy in Siberia.
Unknown author. Jonah in the Belly of the Whale. The 18th century — Museum of the History of Orthodoxy in Siberia
And another icon of the same time, but presumably from Central Russia, is kept in a private collection.
Unknown author. The miraculous emergence of the prophet Jonah from the mouth of the whale. The 18th century — F. A. Kopelevich Collection
In both cases, the author is unknown, but, curiously, the whales are depicted very similarly and look like some incredible monster fish.
Source: rtbh
Great is our Lord God in His Saints !!!