Icon - Large triptych (Skladen) depicting Saint Nicholas...

Large triptych (Skladen) depicting Saint Nicholas and scenes from his life. Russia, late 19th century. Material/Technique: Tempera on wooden panels, gilded ground, original metal hinges. Condition: Signs of age and use, old restorations as well as sporadic losses (primarily along the outer edges, corners, and in the wing joints), which do not impair the readability and the deep spiritual expressiveness of the overall work of art. Dimensions (open): 71 x 43 cm. The central panel shows a ceremonial and majestic bust-length portrayal of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker (Svjatoj Nikolay Chudotvorets) before a radiant gold ground symbolizing divine light and eternity. The Saint, rendered with the piercing gaze typical of the fine Russian late-imperial period and with meticulously worked beard, raises his right hand in a blessing gesture and holds in his left hand the opened Gospel. He wears the episcopal Omophorion, decorated with contrasting geometric crosses. The depiction is flanked by two nimbus medallions: on the left Christ hands him the holy book, on the right the Mother of God presents the pallium (strap), sealing his rightful dignity as Bishop of Myra. The lower cartouche bears the name inscription in Church Slavonic script. Side wings (Hagiography / Vita scenes): The two fold-out side wings are divided into two registers each and illustrate in fine graphic execution the traditional key scenes from the Saint’s Vita: * Left wing: the upper and lower fields show his early call, his theological instruction, and his solemn priestly ordination. * Right wing: the upper register shows Nikolaus receiving ecclesiastical honors. The lower register depicts one of his most famous miracles—the Miracle of the Stratelates (the rescue of the three innocently condemned to death), in which the Saint intervenes at the last moment and halts the executioner’s sword. Each scene is overarched by a precisely black-ink calligraphied Church Slavonic explanation. This type of folding wooden triptychs is traditionally called a Skladen in Russia and served both as a private devotional altar and as the central centerpiece of the home icon corner (the so-called “Beautiful Corner”). Works of this monumental scale (over 70 cm wide when opened) are extremely rare on the art market, as most surviving skladens are smaller travel or military icons. The richness of architectural details in the Vita scenes and the masterful execution of the inscriptions testify to the high level of Russian workshops of the late 19th century, which rigorously continued the Orthodox Byzantine canons.

Estimation:€3,000

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