**Originally Listed At $2200**

Eastern Europe, Russia, ca. 19th century CE. Finely painted in egg tempera, glass and paste beads stones, metal, cloth, and gilt on wood, a beautiful icon depicting the Mother of God of Kazan. The Virgin holds the Christ child in her left hand and directs the attention of worshippers with her gaze as he makes a blessing gesture. On her shoulders and head, Mary wears a triple, star-shaped cross, which is an ancient symbol of her virginity - before, during, and following the birth. Characteristic of a Mother of God icon, this piece presents the intensely expressive visages of Mary and Jesus, the Virgin's protective, maternal gaze revealing a bittersweet awareness of her son's fate, returned by Jesus' sweet, trusting innocence. Size: 15" W x 18" H (38.1 cm x 45.7 cm)

The icon is fitted with a thick cloth cover, the Virgin and Child's cloaks and halos are delineated via tightly-wrapped gold-hued embroidery cords; their vestments are intricately embellished with glass beads, stones, and pearls. Surrounding the image is a network of translucent white glass beads providing a nice border. According to Curator Jeanne Marie Warzeski, curator of the "Windows into Heaven" exhibition in which this piece was featured, "Beaded rizas such as this example ar most often attributed to craftmanship of peasants." (Warzeski, p. 19)

This is a fine example of the Mother of God of Kazan version of the Russian Theotokos. According to the catalogue accompanying the exhibition in which this piece appeared, "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 Mothr 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." (Warzeski, p. 15)

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) and the North Carolina Museum of History (October 4, 2013 through March 5, 2014) 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. Published on page 19 of the catalogue accompanying the North Carolina Museum of History exhibition by curator Jeanne Marie Warzeski.

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-Francis & Lilly Robicsek collection, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; 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) and the North Carolina Museum of History (October 4, 2013 through March 5, 2014). Published on page 19 of the catalogue accompanying the North Carolina Museum of History exhibition by curator Jeanne Marie Warzeski.

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#119520

Painting shows some wear, darkening, and craquelure. Expected losses to beaded decoration. Losses to edges of linen around the peripheries. Some nails to attach linen are missing or have been replaced. Back slats present.