Lot 226, Auction 4/3/2026: 18th C. Russian Silvered Icon – “The Unexpected Joy”

$1,040.00

In stock

Eastern Europe, Russia, Orthodox Church, ca. 18th to 19th century CE. A compelling Russian Orthodox icon depicting the miracle of “The Unexpected Joy,” rendered in egg tempera and gesso on wood with areas of silvered and coppered decoration. The composition presents the well known devotional narrative in which a sinful man kneels in prayer before an icon of the Virgin and Child, only to witness the Christ Child bearing visible wounds. The dramatic moment unfolds within an architectural interior, where the kneeling figure gestures toward the miraculous image of the Mother of God displayed in a framed shrine-like structure. According to Orthodox tradition, the story derives from a moral tale recorded in the writings of Saint Dimitry of Rostov in the late seventeenth century. The narrative describes a man accustomed to committing grave sins who nevertheless maintained the habit of praying daily before an icon of the Virgin Mary. Size: 17.3″ W x 21″ H (43.9 cm x 53.3 cm)

One day, while reciting his prayers, he saw the Child Christ within the icon suddenly appear alive, his body marked by bleeding wounds. When the man asked why the Child suffered, the Virgin answered that each human sin renewed Christ’s crucifixion. Overcome with remorse, the sinner repented sincerely and was forgiven – receiving what the tradition calls an “unexpected joy” through divine mercy.

The icon visually communicates this moment of revelation. The kneeling figure, dressed in red, occupies the left side of the scene, raising his hands in astonishment and repentance. Opposite him appears the icon of the Virgin holding the Christ Child, rendered within a secondary architectural frame to emphasize that the miracle occurs through the image itself. A painted inscription panel beneath the image recounts the moral lesson of the story, while smaller saintly figures appear along the margins. Such icons were intended as powerful reminders of repentance and the boundless possibility of forgiveness through sincere prayer.

The panel retains traces of a silvered and coppered ground typical of Russian icon frames, originally intended to enhance the sacred luminosity of the composition. The reverse bears a faint, indecipherable Cyrillic inscription and an export stamp from the Lithuanian government, indicating the work passed through official export channels in the twentieth century. Together these elements reflect the long devotional history and later circulation of Orthodox icons across Eastern Europe.

Please note that the pigments in this icon contain amounts of lead, mercury, and arsenic.

Condition: Fissure to wood on right side, as well as chipping and some losses to pigments, gesso and tempera. Otherwise, very nice presentation with good remains of pigments, silvering, and detail. Rich patina throughout. Export stamp from the Lithuanian government and old, indecipherable Cyrillic inscription on verso. Suspension wire on verso for display.

Provenance: private Thornton, Colorado, USA collection, acquired December 2016; ex-private Francis & Lilly Robicsek Collection, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, acquired second half of the 20th century

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