Mythology: Archangel Michael

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11 Carvings & Sculpture from the Bible! 15 & 16th Century. With Footnote, # 9

MADONNA WITH THE CHRIST CHILD, Italy, c. 1500

Carved in wood, polychrome and gilt

H. 90 cm

Private Collection

Full-figure representation of the Virgin Mary in an S-shape; the Christ Child with a ball, on her left arm.

The Madonna and Child or The Virgin and Child is often the name of a work of art which shows the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus. The word Madonna means "My Lady" in Italian. Artworks of the Christ Child and his mother Mary are part of the Roman Catholic tradition in many parts of the world including Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, South America and the Philippines. Paintings known as icons are also an important tradition of the Orthodox Church and often show the Mary and the Christ Child. They are found particularly in Eastern Europe, Russia, Egypt, the Middle East and India. More Madonna and Child

MOTHER OF GOD WITH THE CHRIST CHILD, Flanders, 17th century

Carved in stained dark Wood

H. 76 cm.

Private Collection

Full-length and frontal representation of Mother of God, a bouquet of flowers in her right hand and the infant Christ on her left arm.

ENTHRONED MADONNA WITH CHRIST CHILD, Spain, 8th century

Carved in wood, polychrome and gilded

H. 88 cm

Private Collection

A massive state monumental representation of the enthroned Madonna. In her right hand she holds a lily on her left knee is the Blessing Christ Child with a globe.

KNEELING ANGEL ALTAR, Southern German, 17th century

Carved in wood

H. 62 cm.

Private Collection

Above a stylized cloud, a kneeling angel with folded hands, in a richly pleated garment .

ENTHRONED MADONNA WITH CHRIST CHILD, Flanders, 18- 19 century

Carved in wood, dark stained or painted in color

H. 11 cm

Private Collection

ECCE HOMO, Flanders, 17 and 18 century

Carved in wood, polychrome paint

H. 42.5 cm, W. 28 cm

Private Collection

Christ as a man in pain, sitting on a covered wall. His hands are tied, on his head he wears a crown of thorns.

Ecce homo are the Latin words used by Pontius Pilate in the Vulgate translation of John 19:5, when he presents a scourged Jesus Christ, bound and crowned with thorns, to a hostile crowd shortly before his Crucifixion. The Douay-Rheims Bible translates the phrase into English as "Behold the man!" [John 19:5] The scene has been widely depicted in Christian art. More Ecce homo

SAINT JOHN Southern German, 18th century

Carved in wood, polychrome paint

H. 75 cm

Private Collection

The disciple John, wearing a richly pleated garment.

The phrase the disciple whom Jesus loved, or the disciple beloved of Jesus is used six times in the Gospel of John, but in no other New Testament accounts of Jesus. The Gospel of John is based on the written testimony of this disciple. More disciple John

Archangel Michael Defeating the Devil, Southern German, 18th century

Carved in wood, polychrome paint

H. 100 cm.

Private Collection

Archangel Michael in full armor with a sword of fire, with the devil defeated and chained

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, is an archangel in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions, he is called "Saint Michael the Archangel" and "Saint Michael". In the Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox traditions, he is called "Taxiarch Archangel Michael" or simply "Archangel Michael".

Michael is mentioned three times in the Book of Daniel, once as a "great prince who stands up for the children of your people". The idea that Michael was the advocate of the Jews became so prevalent that, in spite of the rabbinical prohibition against appealing to angels as intermediaries between God and his people, Michael came to occupy a certain place in the Jewish liturgy.

In the New Testament Michael leads God's armies against Satan's forces in the Book of Revelation, where during the war in heaven he defeats Satan. In the Epistle of Jude Michael is specifically referred to as "the archangel Michael". Christian sanctuaries to Michael appeared in the 4th century, when he was first seen as a healing angel, and then over time as a protector and the leader of the army of God against the forces of evil. By the 6th century, devotions to Archangel Michael were widespread both in the Eastern and Western Churches. Over time, teachings on Michael began to vary among Christian denominations. More Archangel Michael

JOHN THE BAPTIST, Southern German, 18th century

Carved in wood, polychrome and gilded

H. 132.5 cm

Private Collection

John the Baptist in moving attitude, a richly pleated robe and the camel fur robe.

John the Baptist (sometimes called John in the Wilderness) was the subject of at least eight paintings by the Italian Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571–1610).

The story of John the Baptist is told in the Gospels. John was the cousin of Jesus, and his calling was to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. He lived in the wilderness of Judea between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, "his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey." He baptised Jesus in the Jordan, and was eventually killed by Herod Antipas when he called upon the king to reform his evil ways. More John the Baptist

SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA BY CHRIST CHILD, Northern Italy, 18th century

Carved in wood, polychrome

H. 49.5 cm.

Private Collection

Stylized cloud base with two putti heads. Saint Anthony with slightly bowed head in a monk's robe and holding the Christ Child.

Saint Anthony of Padua (Portuguese: Santo António), born Fernando Martins de Bulhões (1195 – 13 June 1231), also known as Anthony of Lisbon, was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. He was born and raised by a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, and died in Padua, Italy. Noted by his contemporaries for his forceful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick, he was the second-most-quickly canonized saint after Peter of Verona. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 16 January 1946. He is also the patron saint of lost things. More

SAINT JAMES, German, 18th century

Carved in wood

H. 94.5 cm

Private Collection

St. James with a downwardly head, wearing a richly pleated garment.

James, son of Zebedee ( died 44 AD) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, and traditionally considered the first apostle to be martyred. He was a son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of John the Apostle. He is also called James the Greater or James the Great to distinguish him from James, son of Alphaeus and James the brother of Jesus (James the Just). James the son of Zebedee is the patron saint of Spaniards, and as such is often identified as Santiago.

The Acts of the Apostles records that "Herod the king" had James executed by sword. He is the only apostle whose martyrdom is recorded in the New Testament. He is, thus, traditionally believed to be the first of the twelve apostles martyred for his faith. More Saint James

Acknowledgement: Hargesheimer Kunstauktionen Dusseldorf, and others

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13 Icons from the Bible, with footnotes, #8

Fiery Ascension of the Prophet Elijah with the New Testament Trinity and Saints

Greece, 18th century

Tempera and oil on panel

51 by 40.5cm, 20 by 16in

Private collection

RUSSIAN ICON, MOSCOW SCHOOL

THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST, 17TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel with a kovcheg

35 x 29 cm (13 3/4 x 11 1/2 in.)

Private collection

Christ carried by the angels is shown inside the mandorla representing the Heaven in the upper register of the icon. The lower register depicts the Holy Virgin standing along with the disciples of Christ and two angels, set against the hills of the Mount of Olives, representing the Earth.

LARGE RUSSIAN ICON, NORTHERN SCHOOL

NIKOLAI MOZHAISKY, FIRST HALF OF THE 17TH CENTURY

Egg tempera and gesso on wood panel with a kovcheg and rubchik

63.7 x 50 cm. (25 x 20 in.)

Private collection

The saint depicted holding a sword in one hand and the city of Mozhaisk, as a symbol of his patronage, in the other. The central figure of Saint Nikolai surrounded by fourteen scenes from his life.

Saint Nikolai of Mozhaisk, or Mikola Mozhaiski, is a Russian variation of the Saint Nikolaus traditions. According to the legend, during the 14th-century siege of Mozhaysk city by Mongols, the residents prayed to Saint Nicholas, who announced himself as a huge figure holding a sword in the right hand and the city of Mozhaisk on the palm of the left hand. After seeing such a frightful vision the Mongols retreated. The grateful citizen erected a wooden monument to Saint Nicholas as he was seen during his announcement. The motive became a popular plot for Russian icons and high-reliefs.

According to folklore researcher, Hele Bome,[ Saint Nikolai of Mozhaisk is remembered in an icon sculpted in high-relief. This icon became most popular as a protective image, especially favored by Setu peoples, who sometimes venerate the icon with loaves of bread or cream, and who often seek blessings on their agriculture and cattle-raising. However the main role attributed to this figure is as a protector of the crops from the cold.

Some texts specifically describe the saint as a warrior-hero (e.g., a white-bearded man who stands on top of the monastery wall and can't be touched by enemy fire). The icon stands with a sword raised, which figures in the initial legends as Nikolai appeared to during a war time, but which is explained in other stories as the Saint threatening to strike an old woman who did not believe in him. More

RUSSIAN ICON, NORTH-CENTRAL, Palekh, RUSSIA

THE NEW TESTAMENT TRINITY, FIRST HALF OF 17TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel with a kovcheg

95.8 x 78.8 cm (37 1/2 x 31 in.)

Private collection

Also known as the Fatherhood, the composition features enthroned God the Father with Christ Child and Holy Spirit.

Trinity. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity holds that God is three consubstantial persons, or hypostases—the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit—as "one God in three Divine Persons". The three persons are distinct, yet are one "substance, essence or nature". In this context, a "nature" is what one is, whereas a "person" is who one is.

According to this central mystery of most Christian faiths, there is only one God in three persons: while distinct from one another in their relations of origin (as the Fourth Lateran Council declared, "it is the Father who generates, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds") and in their relations with one another, they are stated to be one in all else, co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial, and each is God, whole and entire". More

RUSSIAN ICON

SAINT MAKARIY WITH SCENES FROM HIS LIFE, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel with a kovcheg

51.2 x 41 cm (20 1/8 x 16 1/4 in.)

Private collection

The Saint depicted holding a scroll in one hand and gesturing with the other, surrounded by four scenes from his life in elaborate architectural settings.

Venerable Macarius of the Yellow Water Lake and the Unzha, the Miracle Worker (1349–1444) is a Russian Orthodox saint. He was a elder of the church who led an ascetic life and was famed for his healing powers. In 1434, founded the Yellow Water Monastery of the Trinity on the left bank of the River Volga, not far from the Yellow Water Lake. In 1439, the cloister was burnt to the ground by Tatars from Kazan, who led Macarius off into captivity. He was released on the condition that he made no attempts to rebuild his monastery on the Yellow Water Lake. Macarius continued to preach the Gospel to the local non-Russian population of Tatars and Mordvins, baptising them in the lake. He then moved to the forests near Kostroma, where he founded a new Monastery of the Trinity on the River Unzha. St Macarius died at the monastery in 1444. The holy relics of the saint were recovered in 1671. More

RUSSIAN ICON IN A GILT SILVER OKLAD, DD, MOSCOW

THE DONSKAYA MOTHER OF GOD, c. 1830

Egg tempera, oil and gesso on a wood panel

33 x 27.3 cm (13 x 10 3/4 in.)

Private collection

Paul the Apostle and Venerable Sergius of Radonezh depicted alongside with the Mother and her Child. The oklad features chased and repousse floral motif with an intricate thin border, applied sunburst haloes and four enamel appliques. The oklad marked DD in Cyrillic, with dated assayer`s mark.

Donskaya Mother of God This Icon, known as the Donskaya Mother of God, is very similar to the Vladimir Mother of God. However there are several small differences in the composition. The most obvious difference is they way in which the child sits in his mother's arms. Other notable differences are that his legs are also bare, he holds a scroll with his left hand, and with his right hand gestures with three fingers. A more subtle difference is that the Mother of God is depicted as feeling motherly tenderness and a quiet joy; in the Vladimir icons she is shown with a sorrowful, almost grieving, expression.

The iconography of the Donskaya Mother of God dates back to the late 14th Century. It is believed that the original icon, which now hangs in the Tretyakov Gallery, was painted by the renowned iconographer Theophanes the Greek. In the late 14th Century Theophanes traveled first to Novgorod and then to Moscow, where he painted the iconostasis for the Annunciation Cathedral. He is also known as being a teacher and mentor to Andrei Rublev.

According to legend the icon of the Donskaya Mother of God was given to Prince Dmitry Donskoy, Prince of Moscow, by the Cossacks who settled along the River Don. Prince Dmitry took this icon into the Battle of Kulikovo where he fought and defeated the Tartars in the Plain of Kulikovo at the River Don. The belief in this legend was such that many Princes and Tsars, including Ivan the Terrible, carried this icon into battle and many iconographers traveled to the Donskoy Monastery where the icon hung in order to create their own versions of the miracle working icon. More

RUSSIAN ICON

Saint Paul, the Apostle

Paul the Apostle is shown wearing a cloak completely draping his left hand and leaving open his right hand. Very untypical is the saint’s gesture – he is portrayed showing the inclined Gospel book, which is put almost on the corner, instead of supporting it.

Saint Paul, the Apostle, original name Saul of Tarsus (born 4 bc?, Tarsus in Cilicia [now in Turkey]—died c. ad 62–64, Rome [Italy]) one of the leaders of the first generation of Christians, often considered to be the second most important person in the history of Christianity. In his own day, although he was a major figure within the very small Christian movement, he also had many enemies and detractors, and his contemporaries probably did not accord him as much respect as they gave Peter and James. Paul was compelled to struggle, therefore, to establish his own worth and authority. His surviving letters, however, have had enormous influence on subsequent Christianity and secure his place as one of the greatest religious leaders of all time. More

Yaroslavl, Russia

Sergius of Radonezh with scenes from his life, 17th century

176 × 113 cm

Yaroslavl Historical and Architectural Museum Preserve,

Venerable Sergius of Radonezh (Russian: 14 May 1314 – 25 September 1392), was one of the foremost Russian saints and mystics. Born to a noble family near Rostov, he was christened Bartholomew. At the age of fifteen, he fled with his family to Radonezh, near Moscow, to escape a campaign against Rostov by the rulers of Moscow. As their wealth was all but wiped out, the family became peasant farmers until 1335 when, after the death of his parents, he and his brother Stephen became hermits at Makovka. Stephen left to become a monk, and Sergius received a tonsure from a local abbot. Increasingly well-known as a profoundly spiritual figure in the Russian wilderness, he attracted followers and eventually organized them into a community that became the famed Holy Trinity Monastery. He was ordained at Pereyaslav Zalesky. Serving as abbot, he thus restored the great monastic tradition which had been destroyed some time before during the Mongol invasions of Russia. Sergius was soon joined by Stephen, who opposed his stern cenobitical regulations and caused Sergius to leave the community and to become a hermit again. As his departure brought swift decline to the monastery, Sergius was asked to return by none other than Alexis, metropolitan of Moscow. As he was respected by virtually every segment of society, Sergius was consulted by Prince flirnitry Donskoi of Moscow encouraging the ruler to embark upon the campaign against the Mongols which culminated in the triumphant Battle of Kulikovo (1380), thus breaking the Mongol domination of Russia, Sergius sought to build upon this victory by promoting peace among the ever-feuding Russian princes and building monasteries; in all he founded around forty monastic communities. In 1378 he declined the office of Metropolitan, resigning his abbacy in 1392 and dying six months later on September 25, Canonized in 1449, he is venerated as the fore-most saint in Russian history. More

RUSSIAN ICON

FEODOROVSKAYA MOTHER OF GOD, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel

36 x 29.5 cm (14 1/8 x 11 5/8 in.)

Private collection

The Holy Virgin depicted gently touching faces with Christ Child and flanked by two select saints on the borders.

The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, also known as Our Lady of Saint Theodore and the Black Virgin Mary of Russia is the patron icon of the Romanov family and one of the most venerated icons in the Upper Volga region.

Since the Feodorovskaya follows the same Byzantine Eleusa (Tender Mercy) type as the Theotokos of Vladimir, pious legends declared it a copy of that famous image, allegedly executed by Saint Luke. In Greek, Theotokos means "God-bearer". It is believed that, before the Mongol invasion of Rus, the icon was kept in a monastery near the town of Gorodets-on-the-Volga. After the Mongols sacked and burnt the town, the icon disappeared and was given up for lost.

Several months later, Prince Vasily of Kostroma wandered while hunting in a forest. He saw an icon concealed among fir branches. When he reached out to touch it, the icon mysteriously rose up in the air.

The frightened and awestruck prince informed the citizens of Kostroma about the miracle he had witnessed and returned with a crowd of people to the forest. They fell prostrate before the icon and prayed to the Theotokos. Then the icon was transported to the city and placed in the Assumption Cathedral. A conflagration destroyed the cathedral and most of its icons soon thereafter, but the Feodorovskaya was found intact on the third day after the fire.

The people of Gorodets, situated considerably to the east of Kostroma, learned about the miracle of its survival of the fire. They recognized the newly found icon as theirs and demanded it back. After a long litigation, the people of Kostroma had a copy of the icon painted and sent back to Gorodets.

Icon of St. Theodore Stratelates

Church legends differ as to why the icon was named after Saint Theodore Stratelates , not to be confused with Theodore Tyro. One explanation is that, during Vasily's absence in the forest, several people claimed to have seen the apparition of Saint Theodore walking the streets of Kostroma with an icon of the Theotokos in his hands

Theodore Stratelates is a martyr and Warrior Saint venerated with the title Great-martyr in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic and Roman Catholic Churches.

There is much confusion between him and St. Theodore of Amasea and they were in fact probably the same person], whose legends later diverged into two separate traditions.

Theodore came from the city of Euchaita in Asia Minor. He killed a giant serpent living on a precipice in the outskirts of Euchaita. The serpent had terrorized the countryside. Theodore armed himself with a sword and vanquished it. According to some of the legends, because of his bravery, Theodore was appointed military-commander (stratelates) in the city of Heraclea Pontica, during the time the emperor Licinius (307–324) began a fierce persecution of Christians. Theodore himself invited Licinius to Heraclea, having promised to offer a sacrifice to the pagan gods. He requested that all the gold and silver statues of the gods which they had in Heraclea be gathered up at his house. Theodore then smashed them into pieces which he then distributed to the poor.

Ibrahim al-Nasekh (Ibrahim the Scribe)

Agios Theodoros Pistratilatees (Saint Theodore Stratelates), 18th century

The saint saving the two sons of the widow in Euchaita (Euchetos), a town in Pontus, Asia Minor, from a raging dragon.

Theodore was arrested and subjected to torture and crucified. His servant Varos (also venerated as a saint), witnessed this and recorded it. In the morning the imperial soldiers found him alive and unharmed. Not wanting to flee a martyr's death, Theodore voluntarily gave himself over again into the hands of Licinius, and was beheaded by the sword. This occurred on 8 February 319, on a Saturday, at the third hour of the day. More

RUSSIAN ICON

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf, and gesso on wood panel

44 x 37.5 cm (17 1/4 x 14 3/4 in.)

Private collection

the Archangel depicted as a warlord and an angel of the Apocalypse on a winged horse, defeating Satan at the ruins of hell. With Jesus Emmanuel appearing at the heavenly altar in the upper left.

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, is an archangel in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions, he is called "Saint Michael the Archangel" and "Saint Michael". In the Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox traditions, he is called "Taxiarch Archangel Michael" or simply "Archangel Michael".

RUSSIAN ICON

THE CORONATION OF THE VIRGIN, LATE 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel

31.5 x 26.5 cm (12 3/8 x 10 3/8 in.)

Private collection

Depicted as Queen of Heaven, the Holy Virgin is receiving a crown from Jesus Christ and God the Father, surrounded by seven seraphims. The Holy Spirit soars above them all in the heavenly light.

The Coronation of the Virgin or Coronation of Mary is a subject in Christian art, especially popular in Italy in the 13th to 15th centuries. Christ, sometimes accompanied by God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, places a crown on the head of Mary as Queen of Heaven. In early versions the setting is a Heaven imagined as an earthly court, staffed by saints and angels; in later versions Heaven is more often seen as in the sky, with the figures seated on clouds. The subject is also notable as one where the whole Christian Trinity is often shown together, sometimes in unusual ways. Although crowned Virgins may be seen in Orthodox Christian icons, the coronation by the deity is not. Mary is sometimes shown, in both Eastern and Western Christian art, being crowned by one or two angels, but this is considered a different subject. More

Acknowledgement: Shapiro,

Images are copyright of their respective owners, assignees or others

32 Icons from the Bible, with footnotes, 5

RUSSIAN ICON

THE SAVIOUR IN A GILT SILVER AND NIELLO OKLAD, CENTRAL RUSSIA, EARLY 1700S, OKLAD CIRCA 1836

Egg tempera, gold leaf, and gesso on wood panel

37.3 x 31.8 cm (14 5/8 x 12 1/2 in.),

The portrait of Christ appears on a delicately shaded green cloth with intricately gilded acanthus leaves, held up by two angels standing on rolling clouds, the gilt silver oklad with niello details, the edges with chased borders featuring scrolling grave vines, with a gilt silver radiating halo. More

RUSSIAN ICON

SAINT GEORGE BATTLING THE DRAGON, 16TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf, and gesso on wood panel with kovcheg

68.5 x 59 cm (27 x 23 1/4 in.)

Saint George on his white steed trampling a winged red dragon coiled underfoot, meanwhile the princess Elisaba of Atalia watches from the entrance of the castle as her parents and townspeople observe from the castle`s roof, emerging from the upper left corner is the guiding Hand of God. More

RUSSIAN ICON

THE NATIVITY OF MARY, 16TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf, and gesso on wood panel with kovcheg

31.6 x 28 cm (12 1/2 x 11 in.)

Seated figure of St. Anna is presented on a bed, contemplating the miraculous birth of the Holy Virgin, she is attended by three handmaidens who bring her the symbols of fertility and life, in the lower right a midwife and a servant prepare the ritual bath for the infant Mary, in the upper right the hitherto barren Saint Anna and Saint Joachim are shown cradling the infant Mother Mary.

RUSSIAN ICON

THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, 18TH OR 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf, and gesso on wood panel

36 x 29 cm (14 1/8 x 11 3/8 in.)

Depicted as a warlord and an angel of the Apocalypse on a winged horse, defeating Satan with a spear. Surrounded by Jesus Emmanuel in the upper right, as well as four saints on the sides. More

RUSSIAN ICON

CHRIST PANTOCRATOR IN A GILT SILVER OKLAD, c. MOSCOW, 1899-1908

Oil and gesso on a wood panel

22.2 x 18 cm (8 7/8 x 7 1/8 in.)

Christ depicted holding an open Gospel and raising a hand in a blessing gesture. The oklad features an openwork halo and ornate vestments on machine-turned ground, with the border decorated with a weave pattern. More

RUSSIAN ICON

THE FEODOROVSKAYA MOTHER OF GOD, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, enamel paints, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel

66 x 50 cm (26 x 19 3/4 in.)

The Christ Child delicately embraces the Holy Virgin by her neck and presses his cheeck against the mother`s, elaborate raised beads on Mary`s omophorion accentuate the serenity of the faces. More

RUSSIAN ICON

THE LIFE-GIVING SPRING, 18TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel

35.8 x 31 cm (14 x 12 1/4 in.)

The central figure of the Holy Virgin with the Christ Child appears to spring from a water source near the Gates of Constantinople, declaring these waters, symbolic of herself, the source of life and health, in the lower register those stricken with afflictions are depicted drinking the waters and recovering from what ails them. More

RUSSIAN ICON, PSKOV SCHOOL

FOUR PRAYING SAINTS, 16TH-17TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel with a kovcheg

24 x 17.5 cm (9 1/2 x 6 7/8 in.)

The four saints shown gathered together in prayer. The foreground presents a Bishop saint holding a Gospel, on the left, and Venerable Alexander Svirsky on the right, with two saints wearing monk`s vestments behind them, all gazing at the Old Testament Trinity in the hypostasis of the Angels depicted in the upper center. More

RUSSIAN ICON

THE PROTECTING VEIL OF THE VIRGIN, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on a wood panel

36 x 31.7 cm (14 1/8 x 12 1/2 in.)

The upper register features a scene taking place at Hagia Sophia; the Virgin Orans stands opening her veil, the apostles and Church Fathers depicted gathering around her, led by Peter, Paul and the archangels; beneath them, Romanos the Melodist holds the text of his hymn, surrounded by selected saints. More

RUSSIAN FOUR PART ICON, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf, and gesso on a wood panel

31 x 27.5 cm (13 1/8 x 10 7/8 in.)

A group of four selected saints including St. Timothy and St. Matrona, as well as three depictions of the Mother of God: The Unexpected Joy, The Seeker of the Lost, Soothe My Sorrows.More

RUSSIAN ICON

THE MOTHER OF GOD OF THE UNEXPECTED JOY, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on a wood panel with a kovcheg

35.5 x 31 cm (14 x 12 1/4 in.)

The upper register features the scene of a kneeling sinner in front of the icon of the Mother of God who speaks to him in dispraise, surrounded by the selected saints, four on each side. The lower register depicts Saint Apostles Peter and Paul holding a church, with ten saints surrounding them, including evangelists, apostles and theologians. More

RUSSIAN ICON

KAZANSKAYA MOTHER OF GOD, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on a wood panel with a kovcheg

36 x 31.6 cm (14 1/8 x 12 1/2 in.)

Virgin Mary gently holds her Child in a tender embrace. More

RUSSIAN ICON

MOTHER OF GOD JOY TO THOSE WHO SORROW, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, enamel paint, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel

31 x 26.5 cm (12 1/4 x 10 1/2 in.)

Theotokos depicted in the center, surrounded by the afflicted and the crippled, with Christ Pantokrator blessing them from above. More

RUSSIAN ICON

FIVE SELECT SAINTS AND MARTYRS, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel

31.2 x 26.2 cm (12 1/4 x 10 1/4 in.)

A congregation of three saints and two martyrs including Saint Daniel of Moscow, Saint Peter the Metropolitan of Moscow, Saint Philip the Metropolitan of Moscow, and the holy martyrs Boris and Gleb, the holies are surrounded by an image of Mother Mary and the Christ Child being held up by angels. More

RUSSIAN ICON

MOTHER OF GOD HODEGETRIA, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel

29.7 x 26 cm (11 5/8 x 10 1/4 in.)

Also known as Our Lady of the Way, the figure of Mother Mary gently directs our attention to the Christ Child as the source of salvation for mankind, Jesus looks directly at the viewer, with a scroll in one hand and with the other formed in a gesture of blessing. More

RUSSIAN ICON

FEODOROVSKAYA MOTHER OF GOD, KOSTROMA SCHOOL, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel

63.5 x 49 cm (25 x 19 1/4 in.)

Holy Virgin depicted holding her son in a tender embrace, the striking contrast of the holy faces is enhanced by the vivid color of child`s himation and a restrained dark border, the ribbon along the lower edge describes the miraculous discovery of the icon by Prince Vasily of Kostroma. More

RUSSIAN ICON

RESURRECTION WITH FEASTS, 18TH OR 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel

68.5 x 61 cm (27 x 24 in.)

The central part features the scenes of the Resurrection and the Harrowing of Hell with the Last Supper above, surrounded by 26 feasts and five depictions of the saints in the lower register, as well as Christ Pantocrator and Saint John the Baptist. More

RUSSIAN ICON

CHRIST AND THE APOSTLES, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel with kovcheg

31.2 x 27.5 cm (12 1/4 x 10 3/4 in.)

the central enthroned figure of Christ Pantocrator is surrounded by the twelve apostles together with the Mother Mary and John the Baptist. More

A RUSSIAN ICON

FEODOROVSKAYA MOTHER OF GOD, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel with kovcheg

31.5 x 27 cm (12 3/8 x 10 5/8 in.)

Mother of God is shown holding up the Christ Child who reaches up to tenderly touch her face. The background and border with punched Russian Revival ornament. More

RUSSIAN ICON

MOTHER OF GOD JOY TO THOSE WHO SORROW, 19TH CENTURY

Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel

34.7 x 31 cm (13 5/8 x 12 1/4 in.)

The central icon depicting the Holy Virgin standing on a pedestal and blessing the surrounding suppliants an Guardian Angels, the figure of Christ with the golden rays of divine light appears on a cloud at the top of the icon, with a gilded polychrome border in the Russian-revival style. More

Niccolò di ser Sozzo, (1340 - 1363 SIENA)

THE CRUCIFIXION WITH THE VIRGIN MARY AND SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST

tempera and gold on panel, in an applied frame

overall dimensions, including frame: 32 x 22.7 cm.; 12 5/8 x 8 7/8 in.; painted surface: 28.4 x 18.8 cm.; 11 1/8 x 7 3/8 in

John the Evangelist is traditionally regarded as the author of the Gospel of John and other Johannine literature in the New Testament: the three Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation. More

Niccolò di Ser Sozzo (fl. 1334–1363) was an Italian painter and manuscript illuminator. Niccolo was one of the leading panel painters and miniaturists at work in Siena in the mid-14th century. His style is closest to that of Lippo Vanni and his sometime collaborator Luca di Tomme and is ultimately dependent upon the tradition of Simone Martini and, especially, the Lorenzetti brothers, in whose workshop he may have apprenticed. More

Saint John the Evangelist

Miniature from the Grandes Heures of Anne of Brittany, f. 355, (16th century)

The Grandes Heures of Anne of Brittany is a book of hours, commissioned by Anne of Brittany, Queen of France. More

Saint George, Saint Cosmas, Saint Damien and others standing, Christ above

With Cyrillic legends

18th century AD

Wooden icon with tempera paint

61.5 x 72cm (24 1/4 x 28 1/2")

Saint George (AD 275–281 to 23 April 303), according to legend, was a Roman soldier and military officer in the Guard of Emperor Diocletian of the Roman army, who ordered his death for failing to recant his Christian faith. As a Christian martyr, he later became one of the most venerated saints in Christianity.

In hagiography, as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and one of the most prominent military saints, he is immortalised in the myth of Saint George and the Dragon killing in Beirut, Lebanon. Numerous countries, cities, professions and organisations claim Saint George as their patron.

According to some sources his parents were Christians of the noble Roman family of the Anici. Other sources say his parents were Christians of Greek background; his father Gerontius was a Roman army official from Cappadocia, and his mother Polychronia was a Christian and a Greek native from Lydda in the Roman province of Syria Palaestina (Palestine). Accounts differ regarding whether George was born in Cappadocia or Syria Palaestina, but agree that he was raised at least partly in Lydda. More

Saints Cosmas and Damian (died c. ad 287) were reputed twin brothers, physicians, and early Christian martyrs. They practiced their profession in the seaport of Aegeae, then in the Roman province of Syria. Accepting no payment for their services led to them being named Anarguroi (saints who did not accept payment for good deeds); it has been said that, by this, they attracted many to the Christian faith.

Saints Cosmas and Damian

Miniature from the Grandes Heures of Anne of Brittany, f. 355, (16th century)

The Grandes Heures of Anne of Brittany is a book of hours, commissioned by Anne of Brittany, Queen of France. More

Nothing is known of their lives except that they suffered martyrdom in Syria during the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian. According to Christian traditions, the twin brothers were born in Arabia and became skilled doctors. During the persecution Cosmas and Damian were arrested by order of the Prefect of Cilicia who ordered them under torture to recant. However, according to legend they stayed true to their faith, enduring being hung on a cross, stoned and shot by arrows and finally suffered execution by beheading. Anthimus, Leontius and Euprepius, their younger brothers, who were inseparable from them throughout life, shared in their martyrdom.

Their most famous miraculous exploit was the grafting of a leg from a recently deceased Ethiopian to replace a patient's ulcered or cancerous leg, and was the subject of many paintings and illuminations. More