133 - Saint Nicholas of Myra (Nikolaos tòumata) with a silver riza - Late 19th century

Saint Nicholas of Myra (Nikolaos tòumata) with a silver riza - Late 19th century Egg tempera on panel with riza Height x width: 31.2 x 26.5 cm One of the most widely venerated figures throughout the entire Christian and Orthodox world. The holy bishop is depicted in a half-length, frontal view, bearing the canonical physiognomic traits of the Byzantine tradition: a high, receding forehead—signifying theological wisdom—a short, grizzled beard, and a gaze that is stern yet profoundly compassionate, directed toward the viewer. He wears solemn episcopal vestments, most notably a broad omophorion (the Orthodox pallium) adorned with large, geometric black crosses. With his right hand, he makes a gesture of blessing, while his left hand solemnly holds an open Gospel book, its pages inscribed with liturgical text in Cyrillic characters, rendered in black and gold ink. The composition is dominated by an opulent metal covering—likely crafted from silver or silver-plated metal—which leaves only the painted portions of the face, hands, and texts visible. This riza (covering) is intricately chased in relief with an exquisite design of vegetal scrolls and Baroque-style flourishes. Flanking the saint’s face, set within two shaped medallions integrated into the riza, is a depiction of the “Council of Nicaea”—or, more precisely, the iconography of the episcopal commission: on the left, a smaller figure of Christ the Savior offers the Gospel book to Nicholas, while on the right, the Holy Mother of God presents him with the episcopal omophorion, thereby visually legitimizing his spiritual authority and doctrinal orthodoxy. H.E. Most Rev. Francisco-Javier Lozano Sebastián, Titular Archbishop of Penafiel and Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus. Condition rating: *** fair. The lot is in fair condition, with wear and defects commensurate with its age and use over time; there are evident restorations and missing sections of the riza.