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71-Russian Icon
Saint Nicholas
Circa 1899-1908
Egg tempera, on wood panel
12.25" x 10.5"
James and Tatiana Jackson Collection

n this standard depiction of Nicholas, he is shown with the key characteristics ascribed to him. He wears a bishop’s stole about his neck. With his right hand he delivers a blessing. With his left hand he holds an open book of Gospels revealing a variant of Luke 6:17 “At that time Jesus stood on the plain, and a multitude of his disciples…” In a small circle to the left of his head is Christ presenting the Gospels to Nicholas. On the right, the Mother of God presenting him with the bishop’s omofor (stole) which she is said to have given him when he was imprisoned. The entire icon is overlaid with a finely crafted silver-gilt repoussé and chased riza. The corners with decorative multi-color cloisonné plaques. The head of Nicholas encircled with an elaborate cloisonné halo. The Gospel text and title plaque in champleve enamel. The robes of Nicholas overlaid with finely crafted silver filigree. The enameled title plaque on the lower margin identifies the subject, in abbreviated Old Church Slavonic it reads “The Holy Nicholas Wonderworker of Myra.” The riza is hallmarked Moscow, with date marks for 1899-1908, and Cyrillic makers mark “S.Zh.,” probably for noted silversmith Sergiy Ivanovich Zharkov.
 

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his icon takes its name from the Iveron (Iberian) monastery located on Mount Athos. It is one of many icons attributed to Saint Luke. It is said that the prototype for this icon was once in the hand of a Constantinople widow who hid it in her home during the iconoclast period. In a desperate attempt to save it from desecration, she threw it into the sea where it stood upright and floated away. Some seventy years later it appeared out to sea in a pillar of fire off Mount Athos, but the monks were unable to retrieve it until a voice came from the icon saying that only the hermit Gabriel of Ribera could bring the icon to land. It was eventually rescued and placed in the Iveron Monastery of Athos, from which it derives its name. It became particularly famous in Russia after Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich had a copy made and sent to Russian in 1648, where a chapel was built for it. To ensure the effectiveness of the icon, 365 fathers of the Iveron Monastery held an all-night service. Both the original icon (called the Portaitissa in Greek) and the Panel on which the replica was to be painted were washed with holy water blessed with the relics of saints. Then the wash-water was given to the iconographer to mix with his paints. The Iverskaya Mother of God is an Odigitria variant distinguished by the bleeding wound on her cheek. It is said to be the result of a cut inflicted by a soldier. The entire icon is overlaid with a finely crafted gilded silver repoussé and chased riza with shaded enamel halo and corners. The riza is hallmarked Moscow, circa 1899-1908 and with Cyrillic makers mark of Qrest Fedorovich Kurlyukov. Kurlyukov was a noted dealer and silversmith active in Moscow from 1884-1917. In the year 1895 he won the Finance Ministry’s Medal of Honor. His works enjoyed widespread interest including Tiffany of New York, for whom he produced works.