Bronze Parvati Statue with Baby Ganesha

Depicted with a young face, curly hair, crowned by a halo, six radiating wings with feather detail; two holes for attachment. 33 grams, 19 cm



Acquired Brigantia Antiques, York, UK, circa 2007. Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK, formed since 1985. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The plaque represents the central applique of a riphidion, an ecclesiastic fan worn by the Deacons during the Liturgical celebration of the Orthodox Church. The iconography refers to the Cherubim, the Angelic creatures with many wings and many eyes, ‘Singing the triumphal hymn, exclaiming, proclaiming, and saying' Holy, holy, holy. Fans are appointed to symbolise the invisible presence of the angels during significant liturgical acts. They are carried in the Great Entrance while the choir sings, ‘We who mystically represent the Cherubim and who sing the thrice-holy hymn to the life-creating Trinity, now lay aside all cares of this life, that we may receive the King of All, who comes invisibly escorted by the angelic host’. The altar servers take the place of angels, and they carry seraphic fans like the ancient Roman soldiers who carry the banner of their regiment.

Representing the Hodegetria, with Mary indicating towards Jesus with her right hand, holding him with her left hand; on the right, a small image of Saint Tekla with veiled head and a long tunica talaris, holding a holy book; the cover set with pearls and semi-precious stones; dedicatory inscription plate in Cyrillic; inscriptions in Greek on the wooden background 'ΜΡ ΘΥ' for 'Mother of God', 'IC XC' for 'Jesus Christ'; over the small image of Saint Tekla Greek inscription 'Ο AΓIA TEKLA'; tempera on wood. 650 grams, 23 x 19.5 cm



Property of a London, UK, gentleman collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The icon, probably Greek in origin and later covered with beat work in Russia, shows the Virgin in the attitude of Mother of Consolation, or in that of Hodegetria. This is the iconographical type of Virgin Mary one encounters most frequently in an Eastern Orthodox church or home, Hodegetria meaning 'Mother of God Pointing the Way'. The Virgin Mary is shown with the Christ on her lap, her eyes looking at the viewer and her right hand indicating Christ, seeming to say 'Follow Him'. Later icons of the Hodegetria were adorned with gilt-silver covers and jewels like this one.

Ellipsoid panel in lead frame with heraldic arms and legend 'H[er]r Hanns Rudolf Dübe Metzger in Bern 1706' (Mr. Hans Rudolf Dübe, butcher in Bern). 127 grams, 15.2 cm



Private collection, Paris. Ex central London gallery. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.