Russia, ca. late 19thc. CE. An icon of Christ Pantokrator, Lord of the Universe, in egg tempera, gold leaf and enamel, holding 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. The painted image is set behind a silver oklad. On the underside of the oklad is a maker's mark (MK), an assayer's mark comprised of backwards N followed by E, the year 1889, the number 84 indicating a sterling value of 875, and the St. Petersburg city hallmark. Size: 15" W x 18.25" H (38.1 cm x 46.4 cm)

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 visage finely delineated with graceful brushstrokes, a rendering aspiring to the naturalism sought in classical antiquity and the Renaissance, this highlighted by the sculptural, three-dimensional, silver nimbus, cascading robes, open Gospel, surrounding medallions, and integral frame detailed with bead and leaf motifs of the oklad – resulting in an amplification of the naturalism via the concept of spiritual transfiguration captured in the metalwork.

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.

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)

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 to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#119598

Crossbar back slats missing. Abrasions and inactive insect holes visible on verso. Painted image appears excellent. Silver oklad shows some fissures/punctures to the peripheries and repousse medallions, areas of bending, and tarnish.