Antique Russian icon, Menologium of November, 12x10 in

Antique Russian icon, Menologium of November, 12x10 in. Antique Russian icon depicting the Menologium of November.
The Menologium (Mineja, from the Greek word for "month") is a liturgical book that gathers prayers, hymns, and texts dedicated to saints and festivities celebrated every day of the year. Icons with this name represent saints and feasts mentioned in liturgical menologia.
This icon displays the sequence of saints commemorated in the liturgical calendar of November. The saints are depicted in five equal-height registers, arranged chronologically according to their liturgical memory. Unlike other menologium icons, the saints are not portrayed frontally but in natural poses facing each other, giving the composition a more dynamic aspect.
The Synaxis of Archangels Michael and Gabriel (November 8, centre of the second register), and the Presentation of the Mother of God at the Temple (November 21, fourth register) stand out among the depicted feasts. The traditional scene of the Burial of St. Varlaam of Khutyn (November 6) is replaced by the figure of the saint himself.
The festive scenes depart from the typical iconographic reduction of menologia, presenting complete and detailed representations. In the Synaxis of Archangels, the bowing angels are disposed according to the supplicating Deesis attitude, while in the Presentation of the Mother of God at the Temple, Mary's parents and one of the virgins form a veritable ritual procession.
Origin: Central Russia.
Technique: egg tempera on wood with levkas preparation.
Measures: 12.2x10.4 in.
Period: late 19th-20th century.
This icon, with its wealth of details and accurate compositional structure, represents a precious example of the Orthodox iconographic tradition.
The icon is accompanied by the expertise of an expert, certifying its authenticity and historical value, along with a description of the meaning of the Menologium in the Orthodox Christian liturgy.