Ancient Russian Akhtyrskaya icon of the Mother of God, 18th-19th century, 20x15 in
Ancient Russian Akhtyrskaya icon of the Mother of God, 18th-19th century, 20.2x15.6 inches. Ancient icon of the 18th-19th century made on wood by an experienced iconographer of Central Russia.
The icon is made of a canvas with a levkas layer, covered in gold leaf and painted by hand with egg tempera.
The subject, in the foreground, is the Mother of God of Akhtyrskaya, a recurrent subject in ancient icons.
The original icon appeared for the first time on the 2nd of July in 1739 to a priest named Vas...
Info and features
Ancient Russian Akhtyrskaya icon of the Mother of God, 18th-19th century, 20.2x15.6 inches. Ancient icon of the 18th-19th century made on wood by an experienced iconographer of Central Russia.
The icon is made of a canvas with a levkas layer, covered in gold leaf and painted by hand with egg tempera.
The subject, in the foreground, is the Mother of God of Akhtyrskaya, a recurrent subject in ancient icons.
The original icon appeared for the first time on the 2nd of July in 1739 to a priest named Vasilij at the Church of the Protection of Danilov, in a small village in the province of Akhtyrka Kharkov. The priest, mowing his lawn, noticed the icon shining with its own light and, after making the sign of the cross, started reading prayers to the Holy Virgin. He decided then to paint an icon to honour the Mother of God.
Observing this icon, the Western influence on this painting is very clear in the pained expression of the Virgin and in the management of perspective.
Mary seams to contemplate the mistery of the Passion of her Son, represented on the crucifix with a leaning platform, symbol of Justice. Under the crucifix, a hole in the ground symbolises Evil, while in the bottom part of the icon we can see the instruments of his torment, like the shroud, the chalice, the nails, the hammer and the pliers.
On the upper part of the painting, we can see the sun, turned red, and the moon, shadowed by the eclipse, that accompanied the Crucifixion, while on the background a representation of the New Jerusalem completes the representation.
This icon is enriched by a bicoloured brass riza framing the painted face of the Holy Virgin, the crucifix and the crossed hands of the Mother of God. The riza, revealing most of the icon's elements, can be fixed on the icon with small nails. This precious riza is like a second icon that can be put side by side with the painting.
The icon is delivered with expertise and certificate of originality in an elegant velvet case.
