Russia, ca. mid-19th century CE. A large and impressive Russian icon depicting the crowned Theotokos, the blessed mother of God, standing in a mandorla of light above the waters of paradise, holding the crowned Christ child on her left arm, holding a sceptor in her right hand. Above her upon a seat of clouds is the Ruler of heaven and Earth, her Son. Along both sides are suffering suppliants asking for her intercession as well as angels. All is finely painted in jewel tones of red, green, and blue with gold leaf. The title of this piece comes from a miracle working icon known by that same name “The Joy of All Who Sorrow” (sometimes "The Joy of All Who Suffer"). On the bottom of this composition we see a slight variation of the Russian form of this title. There are also many banners with writing on them. The texts for these is usually from the Akathist to the Joy of All Who Suffer, most often from Kontakion 2 which translates:

"Beholding the streams of wonders which pour forth from your holy icon, O most blessed Mother of God, in that you are the good helper of those who pray, the support of the oppressed, the hope of the hopeless, the consolation of those who grieve, the nourisher of the hungry, the clothing of the naked, the chastity of virgins, the guide of strangers, the assistance of those who labor, the restoration of sight to the blind, the clear hearing to the deaf, and the healing of the sick, in you we thankfully sing to God: Alleluia!"

The icon that served as inspiration for this example was first believed to create a miracle in the year 1688. A woman named Evfimiya, who was the sister of Patriarch Loachim, suffered from an incurable disease. One day as she was praying, Evfimiya heard a voice who proclaimed, “Evfimiya! Go to the Church of the Transfiguration of my son. There is the image called “Joy of All Who Suffer.” The church was in Moscow where Evfimiy lived. She listened and followed the instructions of the mysterious voice and soon was cured.

A wonderful example with an elaborate and meaningful composition. Some versions of this icon are relatively simple, depicting the Virgin Mary alone or Mary with the Christ Child. Here by contrast, we have an example that also includes the suffering along with angels, and possibly a saint or two on the lower right. The back slats or cross members used to prevent warping indicate that this example dates prior to 1880/1890. A lovely piece that has aged quite gracefully! Size: 14" L x 12.25" W (35.6 cm x 31.1 cm).

Icons were some of the first religious artworks brought to Russia from Byzantium. These sacred pictures of the Greek Orthodox church reached a high point in the Byzantine era, however, the Russians brought their own style to the art of the icon. Icons were initially created for use in churches and processions. In time they became smaller and were used increasingly within households. To this day they remain an important form of visual culture in Russia's orthodox religious community.

Provenance: Ex-Estate of M. Reiniger, Chicago, IL

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.

#111487

One back slat detached. Paint and gold leaf are in overall excellent condition with only minor losses here and there.