Travel icon depicting Saint Nicholas of Myra - 19th century

Height × Width: 10.5 × 9.5 cm Weight: 300.5 g.
Bronze casting with polychrome enamels
depicted as a half-length figure (4th century), he is dressed in the mantle and the omophorion, symbols of his episcopal authority and pastoral responsibility. His right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing, while his left holds the Gospel, emphasizing his role as a spiritual guide and intercessor for the faithful. On either side, within two clouds, appear miniature figures of Christ and the Virgin, witnessing the scene and symbolizing divine protection, while two saints are depicted below on either side. This icon belongs to the group of Russian Old Believers’ icons, which were mass-produced from the seventeenth century onward and are characterized by their strict adherence to the canons of the Byzantine tradition. These objects, often cast in bronze and sometimes enriched with polychrome enamels, were generally small in size and intended for private devotion. Their portability made them easy to carry and, when necessary, to conceal, thereby meeting the religious needs of a community that, following the schism known as the Raskol, endured periods of persecution by the official Russian Orthodox Church.



Item condition grading: **** good.
The icon is in a good state of preservation with the normal wear and defects commensurate with its age and use over time.