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LOT 0317
Greek Icon with Virgin and Saints George and Demetrius on Horseback
17TH CENTURY A.D.
17 1/4 x 13 3/4 in. (2.4 kg, 44 x 35 cm).
An exquisite tempera with gold ground on wood icon depicting Mary surrounded by saints and holding the Divine Child in her arms; Mary seated on an elaborate throne and crowned as the Queen of the Universe with two angels supporting her crown, Greek inscription 'MP' and 'ΘΥ' for Mother of God to each side of the crown, wearing a scarlet red maphorion embroidered with gold and a long dark blue tunica talaris; Jesus dressed in a linen tunic and a yellow cloak, affectionately gazing up and making the sign of blessing with his right hand; four saints flanking the throne, three of whom dressed in Bishop's attire, far left Saint Basil with his name written in Greek, and the others possibly saints Elias, Nicholas and Gregorius Nazianzus; the lower part of the icon with Saint George on horseback killing the dragon and Saint Demetrius on horseback killing the king of Avars, both saints dressed in pseudo-Roman armour and armed with a spear.
ProvenanceProperty of a London lady, part of her family's collection.
Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11570-198597.
Cf. Vassilaki, Images of the Mother of God, London-New York, 2016, fig.25.7, p.318, for similar icons; Tourta, A. (ed.), Icons from the Orthodox Communities of Albania, Thessaloniki, 2006, p.130.
FootnotesThe representation of the icon is centred on the image of the Mother of God as ‘The Sovereign’ (Vasilissa, Queen of the Universe). Here, Mary assumes the function of the protector of the believers, reinforced by the presence of the angels. Due to her earthly origin, Mary always maintained an intermediary position in the heavenly realms, becoming an indispensable intercessor on behalf of humans before the Lord. The protection offered by her is reinforced by the presence of the two major protectors of the humans against evil: Saint George and Saint Demetrius.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0317
Greek Icon with Virgin and Saints George and Demetrius on Horseback
Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,860
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Life-Size Draped Statue of Venus
19th century A.D.Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,400
A life-size marble upper body of a young female figure, likely the goddess Venus, shrouded in a palla mantle worn over the robe and draped over the head as a hood; the left arm bent to form folds and gatherings in the cloth, the right arm shown beneath the cloth held bent to the right breast. 133 kg, 84 cm high
French collection, 1960s-early 2000s. From an important Paris gallery, France. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11687-199355.
In Roman mythology, Venus was the goddess of love, sex, beauty and fertility. Married to the god Vulcan, Venus' principal divine lover was Mars, with whom she was famously trapped in bed with a net by Vulcan. The goddess also had numerous mortal lovers - Adonis for example. The earliest known appearance of a temple dedicated to Venus was founded on the Aventine Hill in 295 B.C. She is most closely associated with the month of April, the beginning of the season of spring. -
Italian Virgin of Tenderness Icon
Circa 19th century A.D.Estimate: £700 - 900 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £300
A painting on wood of the Virgin of Tenderness, copying an earlier work, depicting Mary dressed in blue robe ornamented with gold stars with an off-white veil delicately framing her face; gently supporting the Child dressed in red tunic; both figures nimbate and affectionately leaning towards each other with their cheeks touching; the scene enclosed in a gilt pseudo-Gothic crenelated frame, an inscription in new Gothic uncial style to the bottom reading 'AVE GRATIA PLENA' for 'hail full of grace'; mounted on a 19th century crenelated wooden pedestal fitted with candle holder to each side in the shape of a flower. 279 grams, 29.5 cm high
Property of a London lady, part of her family's collection.
The panel has many stylistic similarities with that of Icilio Federico Joni (1866-1946) assigned to the style of Sano di Pietro. Compared to that, the head of the Virgin has been realised in a more archaic Gothic style. With their faces gently pressed together, the interaction between the Virgin and the Child evokes a tender intimacy. This motif appears in numerous works by Sano di Pietro and his workshop (for example, in another painting in the Lehman Collection in MET, 975.1.39). The particular manner of concealing the Child’s right cheek behind the Virgin’s face was probably inspired by Madonna painted by the Sienese master Ambrogio Lorenzetti (Pinacoteca Nazionale, Siena). -
Post Medieval Apollo Gemstone
19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
A carnelian intaglio bust of Apollo in profile with chlamys to the shoulder, diadem to the brow. 4.54 grams, 26 mm
Acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s. Important North West London collection.
