Indus Valley Style Terracotta Vessel Group

Each with a shallow circular bowl and sturdy stem, six with a stamped X-motif within pelletted border to the bowl, and two with three stamped rosettes above letters(?). 839 grams total, 16.5 cm



Acquired in the Netherlands in the 1990s. Ex Cambridgeshire, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

With veiled head and wearing a fringed golden maphorion mantle over a dark blue robe with gold cuffs, inclined towards the infant Jesus supported by her right hand; monograms and titling, on each side of her head 'ΜΡ ΘΥ' (Μήτηρ (τοῦ) Θεοῦ = Mother of God), over the child inscription in Greek letters 'ΙϹ ΧϹ' (ΙΗϹΟΥϹ ΧΡΙϹΤΟϹ = Jesus Christ), three letters (only two visible) inside the nimbus of Christ representing the continuous divine self-existence of Christ as God ('O ѾN' = The Only One who always exists); rectangular wooden board with mounting bar to reverse; Moscow School; old label on the back with inscription in Dutch 'A209 Moeder Gods van Wladimir'. 1.3 kg, 35.7 x 31 cm



Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, London, UK.

The original icon prototype of these smaller icons was the icon of the Virgin Mother of Vladimir with the infant Jesus (the original preserved in the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow), probably the most famous icon of Russia, which was thought to have been created in Constantinople in the early part of 1100s. This image is sometimes referred to as the ‘tenderness icon’, with artists attempting to show the close relationship of mother and son with their cheeks touching as they embrace.

Mild-steel blade with incised foliage to each face; hilt with applied bone scales to the grip; copper shell to the wooden scabbard with impressed rosettes and other motifs. 439 grams, 63.2 cm



From a private Tyneside collection, formed since the early 2000s.