213 - FOUR-PART ICON WITH THE PROTECTION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, THE PRESENTATION OF THE VIRGIN IN THE TEMPLE AND SELECTED SAINTS. MSTERA, RUSSIA, MID-19TH CENTURY.

FOUR-PART ICON WITH THE PROTECTION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, THE PRESENTATION OF THE VIRGIN IN THE TEMPLE AND SELECTED SAINTS. MSTERA, RUSSIA, MID-19TH CENTURY. A refined four-part icon painted in Mstera in the mid-19th century, combining Marian subjects with images of selected saints. The work is distinguished by the delicacy of its miniature painting, clarity of draughtsmanship, rich palette and exceptionally elaborate ornamentation of the gilded backgrounds and borders. The upper left section depicts the Protection of the Mother of God. The Virgin is shown at the centre of the heavenly assembly, surrounded by angelic hosts and a multitude of saints. The lower register includes the participants in the earthly scene, among them Saint Romanos the Melodist and saints traditionally associated with the iconography of the Protection. Architectural settings, numerous figures and meticulous attention to detail lend the composition a solemn narrative character. The upper right section represents the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple. The young Virgin Mary is shown before the High Priest Zacharias, who receives Her at the steps of the Temple; to the left are Saints Joachim and Anna, accompanied by maidens. The scene unfolds against a stylised architectural setting rendered in soft green, blue and reddish tones. The lower register is divided into two independent groups of selected saints. On the left are depicted Saint Peter the Apostle, Saint John the Baptist and Saint Paul the Apostle. On the right are Saint Catherine the Great Martyr, Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker and Saint Paraskeva the Martyr. Such a selection of saints was most likely of personal patronal significance and suggests that the icon was commissioned as a devotional image for private use. All four compositions are unified by gilded backgrounds with finely executed ornament and broad borders decorated with stylised vegetal motifs enriched with polychrome details. The precision of the facial features, garments, architectural elements and calligraphic inscriptions is characteristic of the high artistic standards of the Mstera icon-painting tradition of the 19th century. Material: Wood panel, gesso, tempera, gilding, ornamental decoration over gold. Inscriptions: Church Slavonic identifying inscriptions and tituli accompanying the principal compositions and figures of saints. Dimensions: Height 53.5 cm; width 44.5 cm. Width: 44.5cm, Height: 53.5cm, Depth: 7cm, Condition: Good, Material: Wood, ID: ID-ANTQ-16566