Description:

Russia, ca. 19th century CE. A finely painted religious icon on wood depicting the evangelist Saint Matthew, the apostle and author of the first gospel. As one of the evangelists his attribute is a winged man or angel who we see depicted looking over Saint Matthew's shoulder. Matthew is shown with his hand to his bearded chin, a thoughtful gesture, as he reviews the text of his open gospel. The composition is painted in hues of jewel tones with golden highlights. Surrounding the figures is a border of a geometric pattern of pale blue, pink, green, black, and gold hues. A brilliant example that displays the artist's command of line and form. Size: 9" L x 7" W (22.9 cm x 17.8 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. M. Reiniger collection, 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.

#111187

  • Condition: Attractive aged surface with wear as shown. Some paint loss and fissures, a fine example nonetheless.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

December 7, 2015 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 22% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000