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19th Century Religious Russian Menaion Icon, Saints of the Month of March
€1,500
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Meulebeke, BelgiumOn Whoppah since August 2022 • 7 sales
Product description
Russia / 19th Century / Religious Icon / Egg tempera and gilt on wood panel / Antique
A beautifully detailed 19th-century Russian Menaion icon depicting the saints commemorated in the month of March, meticulously arranged in multiple horizontal registers. Each scene portrays groups of holy figures — martyrs, bishops, monks, and apostles — set against a luminous gilded background that radiates spiritual warmth and devotion.
Executed in egg tempera and gilt on a gessoed wooden panel, the icon exemplifies the traditional Russian Orthodox canon, with delicate facial modeling, rhythmic composition, and fine inscriptions identifying each saint. The border, in a rich sienna-brown tone, elegantly frames the central field and retains traces of its original red edge.
Menaion icons, representing the calendar of saints month by month, were often used in monastic or parish settings for liturgical veneration. This example captures both the artistry and the devotional purpose of such works — a sacred calendar in visual form, celebrating the continuity of faith across generations.
The surface displays a fine craquelure and an aged patina consistent with its 19th-century origin, enhancing its authenticity and historic charm.
A remarkable piece of Russian Orthodox religious art, this Menaion icon combines iconographic complexity with meditative harmony, making it a distinguished addition to any collection of icons or ecclesiastical antiques.
The word Menaion (Gr: Μηναίον; Slavonic: Минея) comes from the Greek word meaning “of the month”. It is used to describe a way of grouping together liturgical texts, prayers and stories based on the order of Saints’ days and other feast days in the Church calendar. In their time, the Hermitage icons formed a series of twelve separate panels, one for each month of the year. Menaion icons started to appear in Byzantium around the time of emperor Basil II (963-1025).
Ref. 25-0428
Specifications
ConditionGoodColorsMulti ColorMaterialWoodNumber of items1OrientationPortraitArt sizeSmallHeight32 cmWidth25 cmSigns of usageScratches
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About this seller
Meulebeke, BelgiumOn Whoppah since August 2022 • 7 sales