The central panel depicts the Kazan Mother of God. The left wing depicts Saint Leo Katanskiy, and the right wing Saint Nicholas. Each image is painted on a zinc support and overlaid with a repoussé and engraved gilded silver riza with attached cloisonné enamel haloes. The images are also framed within a band of cloisonné enamel, and each set into a glazed receptacle. The riza displays the hallmark for Moscow, and indistinguishable maker’s mark. Finely crafted icon triptychs, such as this example, were quite expensive in their day and were only affordable to the very wealthy. They were often taken along on trips, and therefore are often referred to as “traveling” icons. More often than not, these icon triptychs were given as special gifts and frequently display an engraved presentation plaque.
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