MacDougall's Russian Art Auctions 8-9 June 2011
8 June 2011
614. AN IMPORTANT ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD OF JERUSALEM WITH SELECTED SAINTS IN A SILVER OKLAD
35,000-50,000 GBP
ARMOURY CHAMBER MASTER (KIRILL ULANOV?), 1701, OKLAD'S HALOES STAMPED VOLOGDA, 178(?).
37 by 31 cm.
This unique and historic example of Russian icon painting of
around 1700 is a striking example of the Kremlin Armoury
School, possibly by the outstanding icon painter, Kirill Ivanov
Ulanov (d. 1731).
The Jerusalem Mother of God is a Hodegetria type, characterised by the pose of the infant Christ, half-turned towards
the Mother of God holding him on her right arm. He
makes a blessing gesture with his right hand and holds
a scroll in his left.
The ancient icon of the Jerusalem Mother of God, brought
from Novgorod by Ivan the Terrible, was greatly revered at
the Cathedral of the Dormition in Moscow until 1812, when
it vanished without trace during the Napoleonic invasion.
In spite of the lost ancient relic, we can reconstruct its distinctive iconography thanks to a detailed description preserved in
the 1701 Cathedral Inventory which matches our icon exactly.
Around the same time, 1701, the icon was restored and a
large replica made by the master craftsmen of the Kremlin
Armoury, which eventually replaced the lost original.
An exceptional feature of the ancient image, reproduced on
the replica and our icon, are the figures of apostles and evangelists on the borders. Peter, John, Luke, Andrew, Simon and
Philip are on the left, with Paul, Matthew, Mark, James,
Bartholomew and Thomas on the right and the warrior martyrs, Procopius, George, Demetrius and Mercurius on the lower border. These saints are depicted in the same order on our
replica; only George and Procopius have changed places, the
apostles on the side borders have earth beneath their feet (a
detail absent in the Kremlin replica) and inscriptions with elements of Greek have been replaced by Russian.
Thus, our historic artefact is beyond any doubt a smaller
replica of the ancient miracle-working icon of the Jerusalem
Mother of God.
Researchers have suggested that the restoration of the ancient
image and the large replica (circa 1701) was directed by the
leading Kremlin Armoury master, Kirill Ulanov. Several years
later, he expressed his attachment to the Jerusalem Mother of
God by painting two more replicas that we have to this day, as
well as four that have not survived.
Therefore, there are grounds to suppose that our icon was
painted by Ulanov and that in iconographic terms it was an
exact copy of the ancient relic, probably produced at the
same time as the large replica, circa 1701.
It is noteworthy that a fragmentary inscription survives on the
lower left-hand border: “...holy image according to a promise...” A feature of Ulanov’s works is that they were commissioned “according to a promise” and these words are very
close to those on an icon by him of the Vladimir Mother
of God: “This holy image was painted according to a promise
of Irina Klementieva Obukhova”.
The obvious similarity between the icon painting techniques
used on our icon and those in other works by Ulanov may
provide further grounds for its suggested attribution. It is
relevant that the faces are rendered in the long-standing
Ushakov tradition – smoothly, with no abrupt separation of
light and shade and a striking softness. Neither is it difficult
to detect the similarity in the modelling of the lips, shape
of the ear and almost almond eyes.
The artefact presented at auction is one of two exact replicas
known today copied from the lost ancient miracle-working icon
of the Jerusalem Mother of God. Painted around 1701, it is a
striking piece, characteristic of the Armoury Chamber School
at its height. With a fair degree of justification it may be
attributed to the eminent Russian icon painter, Kirill Ulanov.
The subsequent veneration paid to the image is evident from
its late 18th century rich silver oklad. This very rare artefact is
of exceptional artistic, historical and spiritual value.
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.