Lot 103
Eastern Europe, Russia, ca. 19th century CE. Finely delineated in egg tempera and gold leaf of wood, an icon depicting Constantine donning sumptuous regal vestments and holding a golden cross-topped scepter in the center, his mother Saint Helena holding the cross to his left - a nod to her role in the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross - and to Constantine's right, the martyr Alexandra, possibly the wife of the persecuting emperor Diocletian, who was secretly a Christian, and who hence fits the royal theme here. Above is the Mandylion Christ. The composition is finely painted in jewel tone hues with gold leaf halos and border. Size: 12.875" L x 10.5" W (32.7 cm x 26.7 cm)
The imagery of this icon is very western, given Alexandra's uncovered head and palm frond and Constantine and Helena's regal clothing - note the ermine trim and bejeweled, cross-finial crowns. Although this icon references the Exaltation of the Cross, it is not an icon of that scene which typically tells the story of finding three crosses during the construction of a church over the site of the Crucifixion. One of these crosses is the True Cross, and Constantine ordered the building of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre over the site where it was built.
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-Francis & Lilly Robicsek collection, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
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#119425
- Condition: Wear and losses to the gold leaf border and haloes as shown. The main painted composition shows areas of wear and slight losses/scratches, but is overall very good.
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