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CHRIST OF THE WRATHUL EYE

Creator(s): Unknown (Painter) , Unknown (Silversmith)

On view in: Russian Sacred Arts Gallery


About this object

At first glance, this icon's fine painting and delicate metalwork would mark it as a well-preserved work from the 1600s, but in all likelihood it was painted in one of the training workshops established in Palekh, Mstera, and Kholui in the late 1800s. Boys were taught basic drawings and required to make exact copies of approved Byzantine and early Russian prototypes, such as this imposing image.

The icon represents the bust-length image of Christ Pantocrator. His face is characterized by bird-wing brows that meet over a long thin nose, deep set eyes with crescent-shaped pouches beneath, a small pursed mouth beneath a small moustache, and small ears. He has a full, silky beard and a thick mane of hair, the strands of which are painted in fine parallel lines. He wears a black hymation with an ornamental gold stripe over a red chiton with gold drapery folds. His head, halo and shoulders are outlined in gold. A light green polia and inscriptions are hidden by a silver oklad with a stamped rinceau of foliate scrolls, a beaded edge, and a chased ground with the inscription "Pantocrator." A much older green and blue enamelled vinets with dense filigree reserves bearing the inscriptions O O N covers Christ's halo.

Object name:
CHRIST OF THE WRATHUL EYE
Made from:
Tempera on wood with gilding -- silver gilt -- and enamels
Made in:
Russia
Date made:
1600-1917
Size:
34.6 × 27.9 cm (13 5/8 × 11 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
54.66
Class:
ICON
Signature marks:
INSCRIPTION ICON: [recto] "IS KHS" (on upper polia); "VSEDERZHITEL'" (on lower kovcheg); [verso] "1353 N 2" (in pencil); on one square label "34g."(in purple ink crossed out), "N 3174" crossed out in black ink); "c,19546 ivn. od N 13" (in black ink), "75 r (in purple ink crossed out) OKLAD: same inscriptions as on recto of icon
Credit line:
Gift of Madame Augusto Rosso, 1968