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73-Russian Icon
The Lord Almighty
Circa 1899-1908
Egg tempera, on wood panel
12.25" x 10.5"
James and Tatiana Jackson Collection

ere Christ is depicted in the standard composition known as the Lord Almighty. He delivers a blessing and holds the open book of Gospels to John 13:34 “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye also love one another…” The entire icon overlaid with an exceptional repoussé and chased gilded silver riza. The halo and corners in shaded enamel, the Gospel text and title plaque in champleve enamel. Riza hallmarked Moscow, and with date mark of 1899-1908. Also marked with Cyrillic makers mark for Ivan Aleksievich Aleksiev, a noted Moscow silversmith active from 1876-1912.Icons with such finely crafted and ornately decorated covers (riza) such as this example were extremely expensive in their time and would only have been affordable to the very wealthy.
 

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xecuted in the late 15th century style, this icon of Gabriel was once most likely placed on the Deisis tier of an iconostasis. Here Gabriel, angel of the Annunciation, is depicted turned inward towards Christ. He holds a staff and a transparent disk upon which is inscribed the abbreviation for Christ. Some sources interpret the disk as a globe, but that is misleading for two reasons: First, readers may inaccurately assume that the sphere of earth is meant. Second, in Russian iconography the object is more commonly shown as a flat, transparent disk representing a zertsalo or mirror, rather than a sphere. The object actually originated in pagan times as a spherical orb symbolizing the sovereignty of the bearer. In early Byzantine art it is held by rulers, and this usage was transferred to the Archangels as heavenly powers. Very old depictions may show a spherical orb surmounted by a cross. It represents the kosmos (universe) under the rule of Christ. In Russian iconography it often becomes, as noted, a transparent disk which acts as a sigil or seal of Christ, bearing the abbreviation of
his name.