4 Russian Brass & Enamel Travel Icons, Life of Christ & Pantokrator

Eastern Europe, Russia, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A finely cast group of four traveling brass icons, traditionally used by the faithful for private devotion. Three are arched rectangular panels of enameled brass, their relief scenes heightened with traces of blue and white enamel. Each is divided into five registers depicting episodes from the life of Christ, beginning with the Annunciation and Nativity and continuing through the Crucifixion and Resurrection. The use of enamel both emphasized the sacred imagery and added a luminous quality to the miniature narratives. The fourth example, square in form, depicts Christ Pantokrator shown half-length, his right hand raised in blessing and his left holding the Gospels, framed by an intricately chased foliate border with remnants of rich blue enamel. Size of largest: 4.25" W x 6.9" H (10.8 cm x 17.5 cm); 7.1" H (18 cm) on included custom stand. The combination of Christ as universal ruler with the surrounding narrative icons would have provided the traveling worshipper with both an image of divine intercession and a visual meditation on the Passion. Such icons were popular among pilgrims and itinerant devotees in Imperial Russia, offering a portable focus for prayer. Their compact size, durable brass construction, and tactile relief imagery allowed them to be used in both visual and physical devotion, reinforcing the link between the earthly and the sacred. Item # 197223

Estimate:£113.42

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