20 - Hagiographic triptych depicting the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, with scenes from their lives—19th century

Hagiographic triptych depicting the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, with scenes from their lives—19th century Egg tempera on panel Height x width: 47 x 44.5 cm A rare and exceptional example of an openable altar structure in the hagiographic style (zhitie), entirely dedicated to the liturgical commemoration, the preaching, and the martyrdom of the supreme apostles of the Church, as solemnly and explicitly stated by the dense calligraphic inscription in Old Church Slavonic in the lower margin of the central panel (“Житие Святых Апостолов Петра и Павла” —Life of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul). The visual architecture of the triptych unfolds from the large, pointed central panel, dominated by the imposing standing figures of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, depicted facing each other in their characteristic ochre-orange and reddish-brown cloaks, holding the Scriptures and sealed scrolls in their hands, surmounted high up in the clouds by a medallion depicting Christ the Savior bestowing his blessing. Below this central focal point and along the two hinged side doors (also surmounted by Attic cusps that enclose scenes of hermit saints in prayer), the pictorial surface is divided into a rigorous geometric grid comprising a total of fourteen peripheral and lower subsidiary panels dedicated to the hagiographic account of their lives. The individual panels illustrate, with extraordinary narrative vividness and dogmatic rigor, the main stages of the Gospel and the miracles of the two saints: their calling on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, their long preaching journeys through the territories of the Roman Empire against backdrops of dense neo-Byzantine architecture with turrets, the theological disputes with pagans and heretics, the dramatic arrests and imprisonments; the story culminates dramatically in the panels of the lower register dedicated to their martyrdom in Rome, among which the lower central panel stands out for its exceptional compositional power, illustrating with raw realism the upside-down crucifixion of Saint Peter, flanked on the right by the beheading of Saint Paul carried out by Roman soldiers. From a stylistic and technical standpoint, the work reveals the hand of a miniaturist of the highest caliber and consummate expertise, likely trained in the renowned centers of excellence in Pskov or within the most cultured and rigorous workshops associated with commissions from the Old Believers (Starovery), evident in the ability to render dozens of micro-figures with a clean, very clear brushstroke rich in dynamic expressiveness. H.E. Most Rev. Francisco-Javier Lozano Sebastián, Titular Archbishop of Penafiel and Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus. Item condition rating: **** good. The lot is in good condition, with normal wear and defects commensurate with its age and use over time.