69 - "Mother of God of Kazan" (Kazanskaya) - Late 19th century

"Mother of God of Kazan" (Kazanskaya) - Late 19th century Egg tempera on panel Height x width: 36 x 30.5 cm One of the most venerated Marian images in Russian Orthodoxy and a historical protector of the nation. The Virgin is depicted in a half-length, narrow-shouldered pose, her head deeply bowed—with an air of both protection and tender melancholy—toward the Christ Child, who stands on the right, facing the viewer and in a strictly vertical posture. Mary wears a characteristic brownish-purple maphorion (veil) with pronounced folds highlighted in gold; on her shoulders, it is adorned with a star—rendered in punched metalwork—symbolizing her perpetual virginity. The Christ Child is shown standing, visible down to the knees; his right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing, while his left hand and the rest of his body are draped in the golden folds of a chiton and himation. The faces of the sacred figures are rendered with refined, nuanced brushwork, featuring amber-toned complexions and intense gazes directed straight at the viewer. Flanking the central composition, within two arched niches set into the golden border on the left and right, are full-length depictions of two significant devotional figures: a guardian archangel dressed in white on the left, and Saint Agrippina—who was martyred in 258 AD under Emperor Valerian for refusing to renounce her faith and for having consecrated her virginity to Christ. At the bottom of the Marian scene, a blue-enameled cartouche bears a clear inscription in Cyrillic characters, identifying the icon by its specific title. 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. Minor losses.