LOT 79
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Lot 79
A FINE RUSSIAN ICON OF ST. JOHN THE FORERUNNER, MSTERA, CIRCA 1890. Here John is shown as a winged angel of the wilderness holding a salver which contains his head. He delivers a blessing with his right hand, and in his left hand he holds a scroll which begins "Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," (Matthew 3:2). The wings derive from the double meaning of the Greek word used to describe him in Mark 1:2 - Angelos, meaning both messenger and angel. John is often called a "Heavenly Man" and "Earthly Angel" in Orthodoxy. At his feet is shown a small tree with an ax cutting into it, illustrating Luke 3:9, "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the tree..." The distinct landscape with highly stylized vegetation and stippled background are all classic elements of icons created in the village of Mstera or those Moscow workshops that employed iconographers trained there. The upper border with gilt Slavonic inscription reading, "Holy John the Forerunner." 12.25 inches x 10.6 inches (31 x 27 cm).
Estimate:
$2,000 - 3,000
€ 1,400 - 2,100
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