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CHRIST PANTOCRATOR

Creator(s): Unknown

On view in: Icon Room


About this object

The softened outlines, naturalistic highlights, and rounded forms of the Savior (depicted as Christ as Ruler of All) reflect the impact of greater realism in iconography--a trend that had been developing in icon painting from the seventeenth century.

Christ is depicted half-length, his right hand raised in blessing and his left holding an open gospel with the text "I give unto you a new testament." His face is carefully modelled with greenish shadows, he has red lips and long reddish hair. He wears a green hymation over a red chiton with gold border. A faint light emanates from Christ's head onto the tan-colored ground. A fine gold line delineates his halo and separates the kovcheg from the darker brown polia. All but the face and hands are covered by a silver gilt riza. Christ's draperies are in repousse engraved with a variety of patterns against a ground engraved with a damask type design. The attached venets is of red, white, dark and light blue filigree enamel with a palmette motif on the border and floral motifs between the arms of the stippled gilt cross behind Christ's head. The border is engraved with a strapwork pattern set with enamel plaques at each corner and in the center of three sides. The inscription "Lord Pantocrator" in blue cloisonne enamel on silver gilt is set on the lower border and the gospel text is rendered in blue on silver.

Object name:
CHRIST PANTOCRATOR
Made from:
Tempera on wood with silver and enamels
Made in:
Moscow, Russia
Date made:
ca. 1875-1900
Size:
26.7 × 22.5 cm (10 1/2 × 8 7/8 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
54.39
Class:
ICON
Signature marks:
MARK; INSCRIPTION ICON: recto: on upper corners of kovcheg: "IIS" "KHRS"; on gospel "ZAPOVED' NOVUIU DAIU VAM DA LIUBITE DRUG DRUGA"; verso: "No 8" (on label) OKLAD: on bottom edge: 1) double headed eagle (in circle) KHLEBNIKOV for Imperial Warrant and maker Ivan Khlebnikov 1870- (P-L #2983); inscription on the gospel "ZAPOVED' NOVUIU DAIU VAM DA LIUBITE DRUG DRUGA IAKOZHE VOZLIUBI? VY DA I VY LIUBITE SEBE O SEM RAMU LIUBIUT VSE"; on lozenge in center of bottom border "GD' VSEDERZHITEL'"
Credit line:
Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973