Eastern Europe, Russia, ca. 19th century CE. A half-length depiction of Saint Matthew the evangelist and apostle, in egg tempera and gold leaf on a wooden roundel. Saint Matthew, depicted as an elderly sage with a white beard donning autumnal golden robes, holds his open gospel, his eyes looking outward as if he has been interrupted from his reading and/or writing process or is engaged in deep thought. Size: 8.5" W (21.6 cm)
Although we can only see Matthew’s head and torso, one can imagine the evangelist seated in his scriptorium, surrounded by shelves filled with volumes and scrolls, parchments, quills, erasing knives, and inks. Images of the evangelists derived from miniatures of illuminated Gospel books and Gospel lectionaries showing them at work in their scriptoria. These portrayals were oftentimes painted on the outside of the royal doors. Here of course, his likeness is cropped to a circular formate, the pristine form echoing the orb-like halo around his head.
The writings of Matthew are typically shown to be inspired by an angel, or after the 14th century, by Sophia Wisdom, the wingless female figure with a scepter and crowned by a double star halo. The Church Fathers assigned each evangelist one of the four living creatures of the Apocalypse, and Matthew’s symbol was the “son of man” since his writings begin with the human genealogy of Christ. According to Irenaeus of Lyon, “The Word of God made its home among men and became the Son of Man to accustom man to understanding God, and to accustom God to making His home among men.”
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 worshiped, 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."
Provenance: ex-Francis & Lilly Robicsek Collection, Charlotte, North Carolina USA
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#119466
Condition
Wood is convex, possibly intentional but possibly due to aging. Small area of loss at periphery near Gospel. Tiny nicks here and there, but overall very good.