LOT 1861

Russian Wooden Icon with Virgin Donskaya with Silver Basma

CIRCA 1700 A.D.

12 3/8 in. (1.05 kg, 31.5 cm high).

With slots and mounting panels to the reverse; sheet silver basma composed of decorative impressed strips trimmed to the outline of the painted image; icon of 'Virgin Donskaya' (Our Lady of the River Don), Mary wearing a dark purple veil and mantle with jewelled trim and tasselled fringe to the crook of the arm, infant Jesus supported by her right arm; rectangular panels with monograms flanking Mary's head; 'ΜΡ' and '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).

Ex property of a London lady, part of her family's collection.

Cf. lyanov, O.G., "Deesis of Andreev's letter of Rublev" from the Annunciation Church of the Moscow Kremlin (on the 575th anniversary of the repose of the venerable icon painter, in Russian) in Monuments of Culture: New Discoveries: Yearbook. 2006-2008 (in Russian), Moscow, 2008, pp.364-394.

The original of this icon (Our Lady of the Don) is a 14th century icon, with the characteristics of the Eleusa (Virgin of the tenderness), by the great painter Theophan the Greek, circa 1382-1395, held in the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.