85 - Holy Great Martyr Parasceve (Paraskeva Pjatnica) - Early 19th century

Holy Great Martyr Parasceve (Paraskeva Pjatnica) - Early 19th century Egg tempera on panel Height x width: 30.5 x 26 cm One of the most venerated and beloved figures in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, she is especially revered as the protector of the home and of women’s work. The composition strictly adheres to the triumphant iconographic canon for this saint, who is depicted in a half-length, strictly frontal pose. Her head is encircled by a magnificent and imposing royal crown, held and placed upon her by two angels hovering on clouds at either side—a testament to her spiritual victory and her status as the “Bride of Christ” in the Kingdom of Heaven. With her right hand, the martyr performs the traditional gesture of blessing, her fingers extended to proclaim the Trinitarian and Christological faith; in her left hand, she holds an unrolled scroll of Scripture, which clearly displays the opening of the Creed (Simvol Very) in Old Church Slavonic: "Верую во Единаго Бога Отца Вседержителя, Творца..." (“I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator…”). In terms of color and style, the work reflects the sophisticated flourishing of late 19th-century workshops, blending ancient, hieratic austerity with a decorative sensibility akin to the art of a goldsmith. The saint wears a maphorion and mantle in vivid shades of vermilion and cinnabar—hues that, in the iconography of martyrs, explicitly symbolize the blood shed in witness to the faith—layered over a tunic of a deep, bluish-green color. The extraordinary, distinctive quality of this piece lies in the complex ornamentation of the background and the thick border, both of which are entirely crafted using punch-tooling and repoussé techniques to create a faux-relief effect. The design features geometric lozenge patterns and rosettes in a Neo-Byzantine style—evoking the precious metal riza (icon covers) of the period—and is further enriched by painted enamels in shades of green and burgundy at the four corners. Calligraphic inscriptions along the sides unequivocally identify the subject as “СТЛА. МЧН. ПРАСКОВІЯ” (Saint Paraskeva the Martyr). The face, characterized by large, expressive eyes and lips set in an expression of austere, serene steadfastness, displays a meticulous rendering of light and shadow across the skin tones. 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 wear.