142 - Triptych of the Deesis - 19th century

Triptych of the Deesis - 19th century Champlevé Height x width: 14 x 37.5 cm This portable triptych consists of three hinged, folding panels. The artifact is a superb example of devotional metal micro-casting, closely associated with the patronage and specialized workshops of the Old Believers (*Staroobrjadcy*) communities. Artifacts of this type met the specific spiritual and practical needs of a population often forced into hiding or frequent displacement due to Tsarist persecutions following the Schism (*Raskol*) of the 17th century; the choice of bronze or brass ensured the physical preservation of the sacred images, protecting them from wear and fire. The work is characterized by very fine lost-wax casting with surface gilding, enhanced against the background by a dense, geometric, openwork vegetative decorative motif, brought to life by the application of polychrome enamels in shades of white and blue. The iconographic composition develops the theological theme of the *Deesis* (Intercession) across the front of the three panels, representing the deepest doctrinal core of Orthodox liturgy. In the central panel, the hieratic figure of Christ Pantocrator (Lord of Creation) dominates, portrayed in a rigidly frontal and solemn pose while making the gesture of blessing with His right hand and holding the open book of the Gospels with His left, upon which the abbreviations of the sacred texts in Old Church Slavonic are engraved. The two side panels are arranged symmetrically around the central axis, featuring the supreme figures of Christian supplication directed toward the Divine Judge for the salvation of humanity: the left panel depicts the bust of the Mother of God (*Theotokos*), depicted in a delicate posture of prayer as she holds an open scroll bearing intercessory texts between her hands, while the right panel features the figure of Saint John the Baptist (the Forerunner), faithfully depicted in a reverential bow. The outer surface of the traveling triptych, visible when the side panels are folded over the central panel, features a monumental and elaborate relief depiction of the Cross of Golgotha. At the center of the composition stands the characteristic eight-armed Orthodox cross enclosed within a large circular frame. The canonical symbols of the four Evangelists are skillfully incorporated into the spandrels located between the central circle and the surrounding square frame. The scene is enriched by the traditional instruments of the Passion (the lance and the sponge), set against a stylized architectural background evoking the walls of the city of Jerusalem. At the base of the cross, inside a cavity symbolizing the mountain cave, Adam’s skull is visible, bathed in the redeeming blood of Christ. The structure is enhanced by the polychrome enamel background, where characteristic glass inserts in shades of white and deep blue stand out, imparting chromatic dynamism and brilliance. 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.