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RUSSIAN
- OLD BELIEVER ICONS
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The 'greshnik', Micha's, collection consists
of small icons and cast bronze crosses bought in Russia. We dedicate this
exhibition to the ladies of Kostroma Church of the Nativity who would not let
us sinners into their church. Shown here is a 4.4 by 3.9 bronze icon depicting
the Virgin with Child Jesus.
Such icons were ordinarily shown on church iconostasis or in a special place in
the home. They were frequently nailed to wooden graveposts and crosses in
ceneteries. They were frequently given by a father to a young man being
conscripted into the military and worn by the soldier around his neck until his
safe return (retirement). When worn down they were disposed of reverently by
burial, usually wrapped in a cloth.
The design of icons was strictly regulated by theological considerations.
Castings of copper alloy or bronze were made right from the beginning of
Orthodoxy in Kyivan Rus before 1000 AD. With the introduction of the Nikon
"Reforms" in the late 17th century the "Old Believers" who
dissented from these reforms became especially active in preserving their
theological position by the casting of small icons for personal use. They
established a factory at their settlement at Vyg, between St Petersburg and the
White Sea far to the north of the more populated part of Russia. The icons and
crosses were cast in one sided moulds engraved in slate or impressed in clay.
After being cooled and cleaned the cast icon was often gilded and/or enameled.
In the 'champleve' method a vitreous white or blue power was poured into small
depressions on the surface of thee casting and then heated until it melted and
bonded with the metal. Over the years of use the crosses and icons would be
worn down exteensively. Worse, the bronze would suffer from 'bronze disease' or
impurities in the metal would corrode. All this would result in loss of the
enamel as well as deterioration of the metal itself.
Here we show photographs of many of the items in this collection. Because the
colors of the icons seem to be greatly affected by the lighting and manner of
photography, we show several different views of some of these icons.
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Four part icon in bronze with white and blue
enamel with engraving on the outside and also gilding- each section 6.4 by 4
inches - the sections are shown at 254a, 254b, 254c,
254d, and with different lighting at 255a, 255b,
255c, 255d.
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Bronze four section panels with scenes from
the gospels - the individual sections are shown in three versions in different
light at 211a, 211b,
211c, 211d, 212a, 212b, 212c, 212d,
212e, 213a,
213b, 213c, 213d.
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Bronze tryptich icon with some remaining
enamel - 8 in. by 6.4 inches, depicting Mary,
St Nicholasand St John the
Baptist. The lighting has made this look more bluish-silver than it really
is. It is more bronze color. Another view with different lighting is Mary, John,
Nicholas.
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Large crucifix on a plaque with Mary and St
John standing below and scenes from the gospels in sections like on an
iconostasis surrounding the central crucifix. - another detailed view at
309 and at 310.
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Bronze crucifix with blue and white enamel -
8 by 5.5 inches - another view here
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Bronze crucifix, silver plated with
inscription on the reverse - two figures are standing on either side, above the
central cricifix are scenes from the gospels - 8.5 by 4.5 inches - another view
here - and here and
here.
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Bronze cross with blue enamel - 8.8 by 5.75
inches - Two persons standing on each side of the criss with landscape of
Jerusalem in the background - very much detail in excellent condition. Another
view is here.
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Bronze cross with blue enamel - 3 horizontal
bars - engraved reverse is shown here.
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Bronze cross with blue enamel - 6 by 3.5
inches
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Bronze cross with pale blue enamel - engraved
inscription on the reverse. - 6 by 3.75 inches
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Bronze cross with colored enamel - 11 by 6
inches - another view here.
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Bronze cross with yellow and green enamel -
6.7 by 4.5 inches - another view here.
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Three cast crosses. The top left one is 4.4
by 2.5 inches and has inscription on the back - the large one on the right has
leaves and flowers on the back. The cross at bottom left also has an
inscription and is 4.5 by 2.75 inches. They are shown
here.
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Bronze crucifix with blue enamel - 7.5 by 4
inches - the back is shown at pic 22.
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Four bronze crosses mounted on a wooden icon
holder - they are shown individually at 221a,
221b, 221c, 221d.
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Bronze icon depicting Virgin
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Different lighting on same icon of Virgin
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Reverse side of Bronze icon of Virgin -
depicting four evangelists
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Different lighting on same icon depicting
four evangelists
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Bronze icon depicting the Virgin with Child
Jesus
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Same Bronze icon depicting the Virgin with
Child Jesus with different lighting
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Same Bronze icon depicting the Virgin with
Child Jesus with different lighting
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Same Bronze icon depicting the Virgin with
Child Jesus with different lighting
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Same Bronze icon depicting the Virgin with
Child Jesus with different lighting
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Bronze icon with blue and green enamel
depicting St Nicholas the wonder worker - 4.5 by 3.8 inches - different view is
here.
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Bronze icon with blue enamel depicting St
George slaying a dragon - 2.5 by 2 inches
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Bronze icon with warrior and archangel
protector - 2.5 by 2 inches
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Bronze icon with four enamels showing Mary
and Child Jesus - 2 by 2.25 inches
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Bronze Icon with white, blueand yellow enamel
depicting the Virgin with child Jesus and in four courners the evangelists,
Mark, Mathew, Luke and John. - 2 by 2.25 inches
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Bronze icon with white, green and blue enamel
showing lovely architectural structure - 2.25 by 2 inches
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Bronze icon with blue, green and dark blue
enamel depicting the Resurection - 2.4 by 2.1 inches
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Bronze icon with blue enamel depicting Mary
with child Jesus - 2.3 by 2.2 inches. another view here.
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Bronze icon with pale blue enamel - central
part of a tryptich - It depicts Christ, Mary nd St John - 2.5 by 2.3 inches
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Bronze icon depicting Virgin with child Jesus
- 2.4 by 2.1 inches - worn from useage
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Bronze icon with blue and white enamel of
Christ's resurection - 2.2 by 2.12 inches
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Bronze icon with blue enamel of Christ's
resurection - 2.25 by 2.12 inches - somewhat worn.
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Bronze icon of St Nicholas the wonder worker
- 4.5 by 2.5 inches. Another version with different lighting is here.
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Bronze icon of Virgin with elaborate top
section and blue enamel - 5 by 3.1 inches
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Bronze icon with enamel navy blue and white -
center shows St George killing a dragon.- 5.6 by 4.75 inches
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Bronze Icon of St John the Baptist holding
the infant Jesus - a panel of a tryptich, now alone. - 5.5 by 4.9 inches. Same
icon as shown here.
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Bronze icon of St George killing dragon -
enamel worn. - 2.5 by 2 inches - there is engraved inscription on the reverse
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Bronze icon with blue enamel depicting
resurection
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Bronze icon with blue enamel depicting the
Assumption of Mary - 2.3 by 2.2 inches
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Bronze icon with blue enamel depicting St
John the Baptist with Child Jesus - 2.75 by 2.4 inches
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Bronze icon - tryptich with blue and white
enamel depicting Resurection in center, Assumption on left and Baptism of
Christ on rightl - 6.5 by2.25 inches. - reverse side is
here
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Bronze icon with white and blue enamel
depicting the Virgin with Child Jesus - 3.8 by 2.4 inches - well worn by use
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Bronze icon with enamel - The Mother of God
in center with God the father on the top part - 4.8 by 3.2 inches
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Bronze icon with Virgin May and Christ in the
center. - 3.75 by 3.65 inches
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Bronze icon "Prevsta Bogoroditsa
Rodosti"
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Bronze cross with inscription on the reverse
- 2.6 by 1.8 inches
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Bronze cross in form of an angel with
inscription on the reverse. - 2.6 by 1.8 inches
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Bronze Icon depicting 'prepodobnyi Nifon' -
another view is shown here
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Bronze tryptich depicting St Antipa - 4 by 2
inches
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Bronze cross with white and blue enamel - 2.5
by 1.6 inches with inscription on the back, shown here.
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Top left is qaudripartite medalion, enamel
representing Virgin and Child; Top right enamel virgin and child, Virgin of
Vladimir on opposite side; Top middle Icon of St Germogen in enamel; Middle
left, Icon in enamel with bronze frame of Virgin and child - Chernigovskaya
Bogomater signed at the bottom by A. A. Ysachev; middle, cross in enamel with
Monomakh hat; ( this one is also shown in detail
frontand back.) middle right, dormition with
"oklad' painted icon in miniature; bottom meft, icon painted on wood in
silver frame of Mary Magdalene; bottom right, icon painteed on wood in silver
frame of Jesus.
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Upper left is Christ the Pantocrator painted
on wood
Upper right is Trinity - Deisus - painted on wood
Bottom left is painted on wood
Bottom right is St Sergei, an enamel
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This commemorative medal depicts the freeing
of the serfs, with a peasant on the left, a landowner on the right and a
warrior representing the state in the center.
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Two imperial badges for orders - upper right
is Red Cross of the Order of St Anne with swords with orange and black ribbon -
lower left is badge (cross) of the Order of St Stanislas with swords and white
and red ribbon - plus lower right is black cross for liberation of Montenegro
in 1852-3 for Prince Danilo - upper left is red cross of 22 Sept 1782 with
black and red ribbon
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This commemorative medal shows the Cathedral
of the Assumption in the Kremlin on this side and three saints - Iona,
Metropolitan Peter and Metropolitan Philip - on the other
side.
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Bronze icon with blue, white, yellow and
green enamel - depicting Christ above and Mary with saints below - 5.25 by 2.75
inches.
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Bronze icon depicting three saints - 2.5 by
2.25 inches.
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Tryptych icon painted on wood with silver
'oklad' and framed in bronze contaners. the same icon is at 34.
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Mary ??
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