Russian travel icon - early 20th centurya three-leaf hinged brass travelling icon with religious ...

Russian travel icon - early 20th century

a three-leaf hinged brass travelling icon with religious narratives.
In the left wing the iconography of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary: the domestic setting is essential, on a bed is stretched Anne, the mother who has just given birth to Mary, who is in the hands of a handmaiden. Standing at the edge of the bed is Saint Joachim.
In the central scene we meet four figures, the iconography suggests it is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, i.e. the veneration of the relic of the Orthodox Cross by the Empress Helena on the left, Bishop Macarius, a deacon and finally the figure of Constantine I. The cross is presented as the place and source of the salvation that comes to us from Christ. On the right wing is the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The scene takes place inside the courtyard of the Temple, showing Mary with her hands towards the high priest, identified by tradition with the same Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, who will be destined to welcome the Saviour in the same place. Joachim and Anne enter the courtyard with Mary to deliver their child into the hands of the priest: in their gestures one can guess their determination to offer their daughter in the Lord's service.
All the scenes are accompanied by inscriptions on the heads of the characters identifying them.
The dimensions of the doors are 8.30 x 10 cm. The small size suggests the functionality of this type of icons, which were used during journeys, pilgrimages and military campaigns. The first hinged icons were introduced into Medieval Russia by Byzantium in the 10th century, together with crosses and panagias.
On the outer verso engraving of the Orthodox cross surrounded by a frame with concave corners.
Item condition grading: **** good (small colour falls).