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Exhibited 19th C. Russian Icon / Silver Oklad - Christ
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Description
Russia, ca. 19th century CE. Finely painted in egg tempera on wood and fitted with a striking silver oklad, an icon of Christ Pantokrator presenting an open Gospel in his left hand, the fingers of his right hand giving benediction, arranged to form the initials of Christ’s monogram, IC XC, and flanking his head, Mary and Joseph carrying unfurled scrolls. The silversmith who created this oklad truly outdid himself, delineating the cascading folds of Christ's vestments, the intricate patterns of the fabric meticulously detailed! Size: 15.75" W x 19.5" H (40 cm x 49.5 cm)
And let's not overlook the stunning gilded silver haloes of Christ, Mary, and Joseph, their unfurled scrolls and Jesus' open book. Surrounding the composition is an integral 'frame' comprised of floral and leaf motifs. The oklad or riza, sometimes referred to as a revetment in English, is a metal cover, in this case silver, that not only protects the icon, but also serves to honor or venerate the figure(s) depicted on the icon. Oklads are usually adorned with repousse work and pierced to reveal elements of the underlying painting. This artisan truly knew how to bring silver to life in a manner that both complements and uplifts the painted image.
The most accepted translation of Pantocrator is "Almighty" or "All Powerful" and the visage of Jesus certainly projects his omnipotence. This iconic depiction continues to be a central icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Christ gazes beyond the confines of the image, his head and hands finely delineated with graceful brushstrokes, a rendering aspiring to the naturalism sought in classical antiquity and the Renaissance, this surrounded by the gilded silver repousse nimbus, silver repousse robes and Gospel delineated on the oklad – resulting in a great contrast between naturalism and spiritual transfiguration. Similarly, the painted images of Mary and Joseph flanking Christ are also covered by the oklad that is pierced to reveal the heads and hands of the underpainting, providing another rich juxtaposition between the painted heads and hands and the gilded silver repousse haloes and silver repousse robes.
Exhibited in "Windows Into Heaven: Russian Icons from the Lilly and Francis Robicsek Collection of Religious Art" at the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina (December 20, 2003 through February 22, 2004) which presented highlights of one of the world's great artistic traditions through an extraordinary group of sixty-five 18th and 19th century Russian icons on loan from the private collection of Lilly and Francis Robicsek.
Icons (icon means "image" in Greek) are sacred objects within the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. Found in homes as well as churches, these painted images depict holy persons and saints as well as illustrate scenes from the Scriptures. Some icons are encased in precious metal covers (oklads) adorned with pearls and semi-precious stones or glass-fronted wooden cases (kiots). Icons are not worshiped, but are instead venerated for their ability to focus the power of an individual's prayer to God. As such they are truly "windows into heaven."
The “Windows Into Heaven” exhibition profiled a magnificent chapter of Russian artistry, the embrace of the Russian Orthodox faith of religious icons during the Romanov centuries. The Russian religious faith was an offshoot of Byzantine Christianity, which in 1054 parted ways from Roman Catholicism. Icons were and continue to be religious images created for veneration. As a focus for prayers and meditation for believers, icons serve as “windows into heaven.”
Provenance: Ex-Lilly and Francis Robicsek Collection of Religious Art, Charlotte, NC; exhibited at Mint Museum of Art "Windows Into Heaven", Charlotte, North Carolina (December 20, 2003 through February 22, 2004)
Condition: This icon was made from two conjoined pieces of wood. Note the x-shaped piece of wood serving to join the two planks. One is missing and over time some separation has resulted in a fissure down Christ's visage, but this could probably be corrected by a skilled conservator. Painted wood surfaces show some fissures and unevenness. The silver of the oklad has aged gracefully showing nice iridescence and expected tarnish.
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#119579
And let's not overlook the stunning gilded silver haloes of Christ, Mary, and Joseph, their unfurled scrolls and Jesus' open book. Surrounding the composition is an integral 'frame' comprised of floral and leaf motifs. The oklad or riza, sometimes referred to as a revetment in English, is a metal cover, in this case silver, that not only protects the icon, but also serves to honor or venerate the figure(s) depicted on the icon. Oklads are usually adorned with repousse work and pierced to reveal elements of the underlying painting. This artisan truly knew how to bring silver to life in a manner that both complements and uplifts the painted image.
The most accepted translation of Pantocrator is "Almighty" or "All Powerful" and the visage of Jesus certainly projects his omnipotence. This iconic depiction continues to be a central icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Christ gazes beyond the confines of the image, his head and hands finely delineated with graceful brushstrokes, a rendering aspiring to the naturalism sought in classical antiquity and the Renaissance, this surrounded by the gilded silver repousse nimbus, silver repousse robes and Gospel delineated on the oklad – resulting in a great contrast between naturalism and spiritual transfiguration. Similarly, the painted images of Mary and Joseph flanking Christ are also covered by the oklad that is pierced to reveal the heads and hands of the underpainting, providing another rich juxtaposition between the painted heads and hands and the gilded silver repousse haloes and silver repousse robes.
Exhibited in "Windows Into Heaven: Russian Icons from the Lilly and Francis Robicsek Collection of Religious Art" at the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina (December 20, 2003 through February 22, 2004) which presented highlights of one of the world's great artistic traditions through an extraordinary group of sixty-five 18th and 19th century Russian icons on loan from the private collection of Lilly and Francis Robicsek.
Icons (icon means "image" in Greek) are sacred objects within the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. Found in homes as well as churches, these painted images depict holy persons and saints as well as illustrate scenes from the Scriptures. Some icons are encased in precious metal covers (oklads) adorned with pearls and semi-precious stones or glass-fronted wooden cases (kiots). Icons are not worshiped, but are instead venerated for their ability to focus the power of an individual's prayer to God. As such they are truly "windows into heaven."
The “Windows Into Heaven” exhibition profiled a magnificent chapter of Russian artistry, the embrace of the Russian Orthodox faith of religious icons during the Romanov centuries. The Russian religious faith was an offshoot of Byzantine Christianity, which in 1054 parted ways from Roman Catholicism. Icons were and continue to be religious images created for veneration. As a focus for prayers and meditation for believers, icons serve as “windows into heaven.”
Provenance: Ex-Lilly and Francis Robicsek Collection of Religious Art, Charlotte, NC; exhibited at Mint Museum of Art "Windows Into Heaven", Charlotte, North Carolina (December 20, 2003 through February 22, 2004)
Condition: This icon was made from two conjoined pieces of wood. Note the x-shaped piece of wood serving to join the two planks. One is missing and over time some separation has resulted in a fissure down Christ's visage, but this could probably be corrected by a skilled conservator. Painted wood surfaces show some fissures and unevenness. The silver of the oklad has aged gracefully showing nice iridescence and expected tarnish.
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#119579
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Russia, ca. 19th century CE. Finely painted in egg tempera on wood and fitted with a striking silver oklad, an icon of Christ Pantokrator presenting an open Gospel in his left hand, the fingers of his right hand giving benediction, arranged to form the initials of Christ’s monogram, IC XC, and flanking his head, Mary and Joseph carrying unfurled scrolls. The silversmith who created this oklad truly outdid himself, delineating the cascading folds of Christ's vestments, the intricate patterns of the fabric meticulously detailed! Size: 15.75" W x 19.5" H (40 cm x 49.5 cm)
And let's not overlook the stunning gilded silver haloes of Christ, Mary, and Joseph, their unfurled scrolls and Jesus' open book. Surrounding the composition is an integral 'frame' comprised of floral and leaf motifs. The oklad or riza, sometimes referred to as a revetment in English, is a metal cover, in this case silver, that not only protects the icon, but also serves to honor or venerate the figure(s) depicted on the icon. Oklads are usually adorned with repousse work and pierced to reveal elements of the underlying painting. This artisan truly knew how to bring silver to life in a manner that both complements and uplifts the painted image.
The most accepted translation of Pantocrator is "Almighty" or "All Powerful" and the visage of Jesus certainly projects his omnipotence. This iconic depiction continues to be a central icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Christ gazes beyond the confines of the image, his head and hands finely delineated with graceful brushstrokes, a rendering aspiring to the naturalism sought in classical antiquity and the Renaissance, this surrounded by the gilded silver repousse nimbus, silver repousse robes and Gospel delineated on the oklad – resulting in a great contrast between naturalism and spiritual transfiguration. Similarly, the painted images of Mary and Joseph flanking Christ are also covered by the oklad that is pierced to reveal the heads and hands of the underpainting, providing another rich juxtaposition between the painted heads and hands and the gilded silver repousse haloes and silver repousse robes.
Exhibited in "Windows Into Heaven: Russian Icons from the Lilly and Francis Robicsek Collection of Religious Art" at the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina (December 20, 2003 through February 22, 2004) which presented highlights of one of the world's great artistic traditions through an extraordinary group of sixty-five 18th and 19th century Russian icons on loan from the private collection of Lilly and Francis Robicsek.
Icons (icon means "image" in Greek) are sacred objects within the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. Found in homes as well as churches, these painted images depict holy persons and saints as well as illustrate scenes from the Scriptures. Some icons are encased in precious metal covers (oklads) adorned with pearls and semi-precious stones or glass-fronted wooden cases (kiots). Icons are not worshiped, but are instead venerated for their ability to focus the power of an individual's prayer to God. As such they are truly "windows into heaven."
The “Windows Into Heaven” exhibition profiled a magnificent chapter of Russian artistry, the embrace of the Russian Orthodox faith of religious icons during the Romanov centuries. The Russian religious faith was an offshoot of Byzantine Christianity, which in 1054 parted ways from Roman Catholicism. Icons were and continue to be religious images created for veneration. As a focus for prayers and meditation for believers, icons serve as “windows into heaven.”
Provenance: Ex-Lilly and Francis Robicsek Collection of Religious Art, Charlotte, NC; exhibited at Mint Museum of Art "Windows Into Heaven", Charlotte, North Carolina (December 20, 2003 through February 22, 2004)
Condition: This icon was made from two conjoined pieces of wood. Note the x-shaped piece of wood serving to join the two planks. One is missing and over time some separation has resulted in a fissure down Christ's visage, but this could probably be corrected by a skilled conservator. Painted wood surfaces show some fissures and unevenness. The silver of the oklad has aged gracefully showing nice iridescence and expected tarnish.
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#119579
And let's not overlook the stunning gilded silver haloes of Christ, Mary, and Joseph, their unfurled scrolls and Jesus' open book. Surrounding the composition is an integral 'frame' comprised of floral and leaf motifs. The oklad or riza, sometimes referred to as a revetment in English, is a metal cover, in this case silver, that not only protects the icon, but also serves to honor or venerate the figure(s) depicted on the icon. Oklads are usually adorned with repousse work and pierced to reveal elements of the underlying painting. This artisan truly knew how to bring silver to life in a manner that both complements and uplifts the painted image.
The most accepted translation of Pantocrator is "Almighty" or "All Powerful" and the visage of Jesus certainly projects his omnipotence. This iconic depiction continues to be a central icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Christ gazes beyond the confines of the image, his head and hands finely delineated with graceful brushstrokes, a rendering aspiring to the naturalism sought in classical antiquity and the Renaissance, this surrounded by the gilded silver repousse nimbus, silver repousse robes and Gospel delineated on the oklad – resulting in a great contrast between naturalism and spiritual transfiguration. Similarly, the painted images of Mary and Joseph flanking Christ are also covered by the oklad that is pierced to reveal the heads and hands of the underpainting, providing another rich juxtaposition between the painted heads and hands and the gilded silver repousse haloes and silver repousse robes.
Exhibited in "Windows Into Heaven: Russian Icons from the Lilly and Francis Robicsek Collection of Religious Art" at the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina (December 20, 2003 through February 22, 2004) which presented highlights of one of the world's great artistic traditions through an extraordinary group of sixty-five 18th and 19th century Russian icons on loan from the private collection of Lilly and Francis Robicsek.
Icons (icon means "image" in Greek) are sacred objects within the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. Found in homes as well as churches, these painted images depict holy persons and saints as well as illustrate scenes from the Scriptures. Some icons are encased in precious metal covers (oklads) adorned with pearls and semi-precious stones or glass-fronted wooden cases (kiots). Icons are not worshiped, but are instead venerated for their ability to focus the power of an individual's prayer to God. As such they are truly "windows into heaven."
The “Windows Into Heaven” exhibition profiled a magnificent chapter of Russian artistry, the embrace of the Russian Orthodox faith of religious icons during the Romanov centuries. The Russian religious faith was an offshoot of Byzantine Christianity, which in 1054 parted ways from Roman Catholicism. Icons were and continue to be religious images created for veneration. As a focus for prayers and meditation for believers, icons serve as “windows into heaven.”
Provenance: Ex-Lilly and Francis Robicsek Collection of Religious Art, Charlotte, NC; exhibited at Mint Museum of Art "Windows Into Heaven", Charlotte, North Carolina (December 20, 2003 through February 22, 2004)
Condition: This icon was made from two conjoined pieces of wood. Note the x-shaped piece of wood serving to join the two planks. One is missing and over time some separation has resulted in a fissure down Christ's visage, but this could probably be corrected by a skilled conservator. Painted wood surfaces show some fissures and unevenness. The silver of the oklad has aged gracefully showing nice iridescence and expected tarnish.
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#119579
Important Rare Russian Icons & Religious Art
Sale Date(s)
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P.O. BOX 714
Erie
Colorado
80516
United States
For Artemis Gallery LIVE delivery information please telephone +1 7208907700.
Important Information
Featuring a superb grouping of 18th and 19th century Russian icons from the esteemed collection of Lilly and Francis Robicsek, Charlotte, NC. Acquired over the past 50 years, many of these icons were exhibited at The Mint Museum of Art?s special exhibit, Windows Into Heaven, and published in their respective catalog. Also from the same collection are incredible and rare Spanish Colonial santos from Latin America, collected by the Robiscek's in Mexico, El Salvadore and Guatemala. These large, fine and incredibly detailed examples date from the 18th to 19th century.
Terms & Conditions
The following are the TERMS OF SALE for bidding in Live Auction, Wednesday, March 23, 2017.
AUCTION will start at 8 a.m. MT, 10 p.m. EST, 7 a.m. PST - Live Online / Absentee Bidding only.
Please read the following "Terms of Sale" carefully. These terms are applicable to all bidders in this auction, collectors and dealers alike. Please do not bid in this auction if you do not agree to all of the terms listed below. Your submission of bids in this auction constitutes your acceptance of these "Terms of Sale."
1. All items in this auction have been legally acquired, are legal to sell, and guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
2. This is an auction sale, not an approval sale. By bidding in this auction, the bidder personally guarantees payment. The auctioneer has final discretion in all matters. In case of dispute, the lot(s) in question may be resold. Lots will be sold in their numerical sequence unless the auctioneer directs otherwise.
3. HIGH and LOW ESTIMATES are provided for each lot for reference only.
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7. RETURN POLICY: If our description of the item is not as described, we will accept return of the item; however, WE MUST HAVE WRITTEN NOTIFICATION OF RETURN WITHIN TWO BUSINESS DAYS FROM RECEIPT OF ITEM BY BIDDER, as shown by FedEx, UPS or USPS tracking data, and the item must be received by us within ten days in the condition received. A written letter from a recognized expert in the field pertaining to the item in dispute must be presented for refund. No lots may be returned without prior written consent. Late remittance constitutes just cause for revocation of all return privileges. Return shipping is at the bidder's expense. In no event may any lot(s) be returned after fifteen (15) days from the date of the auction. As of April 10, 2017 ALL SALES ARE FINAL.
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**For shipments outside of the USA, customs and duties may apply upon entry into said country; this fee, if any, is the buyer's responsibility. Also, please be aware that Artemis Gallery will NOT falsify customs value on any international shipments - what you pay is what we declare, no exceptions. There are a small number of international countries we cannot ship to. If you have questions about this, please inquire BEFORE bidding**
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15. If the auction invoice is not paid for in full when due per invoice terms, including any applicable credit card processing fees, the unpaid balance will bear interest at the highest rate permitted by law until paid in full. If the matter is referred to an attorney for collection, bidder agrees to pay all reasonable attorney fees, court costs and other collection cost incurred by Artemis Gallery to collect past due invoices and that the services of process by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, shall be sufficient to confer "in personam" jurisdiction over bidder.
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17. QUESTIONS? Feel free to email us at info@artemisgallery.com with questions prior to bidding or feel free to call us at 720-890-7700. Please be sure to ask all questions at least 30 minutes prior to auction start time, as we will not be able to take calls or answer emails sent to us during the auction.
Good luck!
