566 East Boston Post Road
Mamaroneck, NY 10543
United States
Our auctions feature an impressive selection of fine art, decorative art, rare books, icons, militaria, and other objects from antiquity to the present. Shapiro Auctions advertises globally and has clients all over the world, while providing a rare combination of personal service and the ability to ...Read more
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Oct 18, 2017 - Oct 19, 2017
A RUSSIAN ICON OF THE SAVIOUR OF SMOLENSK, 18TH CENTURY
Christ represented standing in a frontal position, his right hand raised in a blessing gesture and his left hand holding the Gospels, to either side of Him in all probability St Varlaam Khutynski and St. Sergius of Radonezh, kneeling in prayer at his feet. Egg tempera and gesso on wood panel with kovcheg. Two insert splints on the back. 31.2 x 26.4 cm (12 1/4 x 10 7/16 in.)
LOT NOTES
During the 1920s and 1930s, the new Soviet government was in desparate need of hard currency. One of the ways that they achieved this goal was to sell religious icons (which had no place in a newly atheistic society) to wealthy westerners visiting the new country. These icons would be sold in commission shops and the "MOSGOSTORG" antiques and art shops to diplomats and other visitors. Countless treasures left the country, and in this way, some of the best known collections of Russian icons and works of art in the West were formed. One of the main businessman to take advantage of this opportunity was the especially shrewd Armand Hammer, who exported the icons and works to the United States and began marketing them to the American public starting in 1931 in exhibitions such as Fine Russian Icons and Relics from Royal Russia at their "L"Ermitage Galleries", and later through numerous wildly successful department store sales across the country.
PROVENANCE
MOSGOSTORG label circa 1930s on the verso stating that the icon is dated from the XVI-XVII centuries
Acquired by the descendants of Alexander Ivanovich Nelidov (1835-1910), Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Italy and France
Collection of the Nelidov family to the present day
• All items must be paid for before they can be released.
• For shipments to domestic and international locations, while we do not ship directly, we can recommend some shippers who are local to us, and can pick-up your items from our office with your authorization. Clients are free to choose their own shippers, and these recommendations are provided only for your convenience. We will not accept liability for any recommendations of shippers.
• The purchaser is responsible for insuring his or her items in transit. Once items have been picked-up or released to a shipper, they are no longer covered under our insurance.
• Payment for shipment and arrangements for shipment, must be made with the shipper directly.
• Once you have made arrangement with a shipper, please email or fax us authorizing us torelease your property to that person or company.
Our primary recommended shipper is:
Fine Art Shippers Corp.
30 West 47th St.
Suite 505B
New York, NY 10036
Services Provided: Boxing, Crating, Domestic and Worldwide Delivery via Fedex, UPS, DHL, and other carriers, local van and truck deliveries in New York City, Long Island, the Tri-State Area.
Contact Information
email: info@fineartshippers.com
Telephone: +1 (917) 658-5075
Please reference the sale date and lot number(s) if you would like delivery quotes before or after purchase.
n.b. Clients are free to choose their own shippers. If you would like a list of additional recommended shippers, please contact us at (212) 717-7500 or info@shapiroauctions.com. We are not liable for the actions of any outside shippers and these recommendations are provided only for convenience.