Russia, ca. 1900 CE. A lovely traveling icon encased in a gilded silver hinged case representing the Mother of Kazanskaya in the central panel, flanked by archangels, the figures presenting finely painted visages and hands (the Virgin's hands are not visible) and extensively delineated vestments. The central image is a version of the Virgin Hodegetria ("She who shows the way") depicting the Mother of God holding the Christ child in one arm, as he makes a blessing gesture. The exterior of the case is engraved with a pair of seraphim on the front panels and an inscription beneath a cross on the backside. Also visible are hallmarks: the symbol for Moscow (St. George killing the dragon), 84 indicating sterling silver, and an assayers marks - on the front and back of each panel. Size: 2.25" W x 3.875" H (5.7 cm x 9.8 cm) closed; opened 4.25" H (10.8 cm)

Curatorial scholar Jeanne Marie Warzeski writes of the Mother of God of Kazan version of the Russian Theotokos, "Per tradition, the prototype of this icon came to Russia from Constantinople in the 1200s. It disappeared after the Tatars besieged the city of Kazan in 1438, and then was dug up in Kazan in 1579 by a girl named Matrona and her mother after the Virgin appeared repeatedly in the girl's dreams, telling her of the buried icon. The Kazan Mother of God later became Russia's symbol of national unity. The icon accompanied soldiers freeing Moscow from the Poles in 1612, and traveled with the troops fighting Napoleon in 1812." ("Windows into Heaven: Russian Icons from the Lilly and Francis Robicsek Collection of Religious Art" catalogue pamphlet, 2014, p. 15)

Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection

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#124542

Only very minor areas of surface wear. Near choice.