20th C. Russian Icon - Life of Prophet Elijah

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Ancient & Ethnographic Art Through The Ages

By Artemis Gallery

Feb 10, 2022

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• Lot Description
  Eastern Europe, Russia, ca. 20th century CE. Finely rendered in egg tempera and gesso on wood, a breathtaking icon showing scenes from the life of the Prophet Elijah. Delineated in vibrant hues, the icon shows the prophet 4 times. At the center, he is sitting in a desert cave after predicting a famine as a crow approaches to feed him. In the lower left corner, Elijah is shown when an angel appeared to him, after he won the challenge against the priests of Baal in the king's court and fled to the desert once again. He appears a third time in the lower right corner, in a scene from his departure when he splits the waters of the Jordan River for him and his disciple Elisha (Eliseus) to cross on dry land. Finally, the prophet is depicted during his ascension in the upper right corner, where he rides a chariot and horses of fire to join God - who is seen in the upper left corner - in heaven, while Elisha watches from below, catching Elijah's mantle as it falls to the ground. Size: 9.2" W x 12" H (23.4 cm x 30.5 cm)
  
  In Russia, according to scholar Alfredo Tradigo, Elijah replaced Perun, the Slavic deity of thunder, who also rode into heaven on a chariot of fire drawn by otherworldly horses. During the reign of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, in the decade between 860 and 850 BCE, Elijah told his prophesies. Following his prediction of a famine, Elijah took refuge in a desert cave. There, a crow fed him, by order of the Lord, bread in the morning (visible in the bird's talons) and meat at night. He then returned to the king's court and won a challenge putting 400 priests of Baal to the sword. Following this, he fled to the desert and prayed for death. However, an angel appeared and brought him food. The bread he ate strengthened him (Church Fathers interpreted this as a prefiguration of the Eucharist) and he walked for forty days until reaching Horeb, god's mountain. Here, he miraculously found God, "not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire, but in a 'small voice.'" (Alfredo Tradigo, "Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church," J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 2006, p. 81.)
  
  Icons (icon means "image" in Greek) are sacred objects within the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. Found in homes as well as churches, these painted images depict holy persons and saints as well as illustrate scenes from the Scriptures. Icons are not worshipped but are instead venerated for their ability to focus the power of an individual's prayer to God. As such they are truly "windows into heaven."
  
  Icons were some of the first religious artworks brought to Russia from Byzantium. These sacred pictures reached a high point in the Byzantine era, however, the Russians brought their own style to the art of the icon. Icons were initially created for use in churches and processions. In time they became smaller and were used increasingly within households. To this day they remain an important form of visual culture in Russia's orthodox religious community.
  
  Provenance: private New Jersey, USA collection
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
  
  Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
  
  #169039

  Condition

  Vertical break line down center of front and verso with restoration and repainting on front and infill on verso. Possible other areas of repainting. Otherwise, excellent with nice pigment and great craquelure. Side slats on top and bottom to protect wood from warping.
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