Transfiguration of our Lord icon

The earliest surviving image of the Transfiguration is from St Catherine’s monastery in Sinai,. Christ is the centre and focus of the image, his hand held in a blessing, eyes directed at us. His clothes are depicted “white as light” as the Gospel writers describe, and the glory of God overshadowing the scene is shown by the mandorla around his body. From His body, shafts of light are shown striking each of the five others present: to Christ’s right, the Prophet Elijah; to His left Moses; scattered about His feet, the Apostles John, Peter, and James. The three Apostles are show with confusion on their faces, whilst Christ stands serenely in the centre above them, flanked by Moses and Elijah, who appear to be blessing Him.
Theophanes the Greek (ca 1340 – ca 1410) was one of the greatest iconographers in Muscovite Russia. His icon is divided in two: Christ and the Apostles on Mt Tabor, whilst Moses and Elijah are removed to separate, but adjacent, peaks.
What Theophanes emphasizes though, is the distinction between the two Old Testament saints on the one hand, and the Apostles of Christ on the other. Through three beams of light, he draws the three Apostles, and us, into the dazzling light that surrounds Jesus. By doing so, Theophanes is presenting us with the already ancient teaching that the Transfiguration was not only an event for us to witness, but a process that we should ourselves partake in.
In later icons, the Apostles are shown in the same “ordered disarray” of the first Sinai mosaic, but their facial expressions are changed from fearful to sleepy according to St. Luke's account. (Iconreader)

St. Catherine Monastery, ca. 565 A.D.

Theophane the Greek icon late 14th century

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Rybinsk State Historical Architectural Museum (early 19th century)