ARCHANGEL MICHAEL

Creator(s): Unknown

Currently in storage

About this object

The full-length frontal figure of Archangel Michael stands on a crescent of greenish clouds above a rolling landscape dotted with small plants. He wears a suit of armor over a short tunic and striped hose, with a thickly painted red? sash fluttering from his left shoulder. In his right hand he holds an unsheathed sword and an ornamented scabbard hangs from his left. Directly above his head and intersecting with the upper edge of his halo is the bust-length figure of Christ Emmanuel framed by green clouds. The entire upper half of the kovcheg is filled by the span of his wings, the feathers of which are painted in careful detail. A variety of decorative motifs (hatching, dotted lines) is used in the painting of the figure. The polia of the icon is separated from the kovcheg by a carved luzga and defined by a low-relief gesso moulding of foliate scrolls within a beaded border, that extends onto the kovcheg to frame the curve of the archangel's wings in the upper corners. The hem of the Archangel's short stiff cloak is also decorated with a gesso border. The coloration of the icon is dark brown, relieved by chrysography and white highlights on the face, hands and clothing.

Object name:

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL

Made from:

Tempera on wood

Made in:

Russia

Date made:

18th c.

Size:

31.4 × 26.8 × 3.5 cm (12 3/8 × 10 9/16 × 1 3/8 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:

54.59

Class:

ICON

Signature marks:

LABEL on verso: .11 (on label)

Credit line:

Gift of Madame Augusto Rosso, 1975