MacDougall's Russian Art Auctions 8-9 June 2011
8 June 2011
615. THE SMOLENSKAYA MOTHER OF GOD IN A SILVER-GILT BASMA WITH CROWNED HALO AND TSATA
25,000-30,000 GBP
YAROSLAVL, END OF THE 17TH CENTURY.
29 by 24.5 cm.
The icon represents the most widespread recension of the
Mother of God of Smolensk revered in Rus. This half-length
version of the Hodegetria Mother of God was made more
emotionally expressive in the 16th century by turning the
Mother slightly towards the infant, who holds a scroll in his
left hand, which rests on his knee and makes the gesture of
benediction with two fingers of his right hand. A rare detail
is the green colour of the infant’s himation, instead of ochre.
The professional painting techniques used for the faces and
the skilful arrangement of the garment folds and chrysography indicate that the icon was produced in a major icon
painting centre. The fine oklad helps identify the place of
production as Yaroslavl.
When we examine this particular artefact, we find all the
characteristic devices used by the master craftsmen of
Yaroslavl. The icon is adorned with a large, chased, pendant
“tsata” neck-piece with a keel-shaped, scalloped bottom edge
and a central round medallion of Christ Pantocrator.
Especially revered icons of the Mother of God were
decorated with tall, five-pointed open-work crowns, in the
shape of an upturned keel, known as “koruna”. These became taller in the latter half of the 17th century with pairs
of cherubim and seraphim and chased floral ornamentation
covering all parts of the halo. This developed form of the koruna is displayed on our icon.
The eye-catching silver-gilt revetment literally overshadows
the icon and is the most noteworthy feature of this artefact.
The power and richness of the oklad, in its material and
decorative sense, vividly illustrates the special qualities of
Yaroslavl as a cultural centre, with its church-building, love
of church decoration and joyous expression of icons.
The Smolensk Mother of God icon, as an integral piece by
Yaroslavl masters, is a valuable and historic work of art of
this school, which in every way was comparable to that of
the capital.
Notes on symbols:
* Indicates 5% Import Duty Charge applies.
Ω Indicates 20% Import Duty Charge applies.
§ Indicates Artist's Resale Right applies.
† Indicates Standard VAT scheme applies, and the rate of 20% VAT will be charged on both hammer price and premium.