"Icon in the memory of the miraculous life-saving Emperor and his august family of 17 October 1888."

Russia. Moscow or St. Petersburg. Around 1890.

Size: 36,5 x 32,5 cm.
Technique & Material: Cypress board, gesso, egg tempera, lacquer, gold leaf with engraving under cold enamel, drying oil.

Description:  Emperor train's disaster - a disaster that took place on the 18th October 1888 with the imperial train in the Kursk-Kharkov-Azov (now South) railway station in Borky near Kharkov. Despite the numerous human casualties and severe damage to rolling stock, including the Emperor's railway coach, the Emperor Alexander III and his family members were not injured.

The news of the collapse of the imperial train quickly spread through the line and help hastened from all sides. Alexander III personally dealt with removing the wounded from the wreckage of broken railway coaches. Empress with medical staff bypassed the wounded, giving them help and in every way was trying to ease the suffering of their patients, despite the fact that her arm was injured above the elbow and that she remained only in one frock. Officer coat was on the shoulders of the queen, in which she assisted.

There were 68 people suffered in the crash and 21 of them died. Only in the twilight, when all the dead were identified and when all injured were helped, the royal family boarded in the second arrived royal train (the suite) and departed to the station Lozovaya. There at night was served the first thanksgiving for the miraculous deliverance of the king and his family from mortal danger. Then the imperial train departed in Kharkov for further follow to St. Petersburg. Rescue of the imperial family in the official press and in the church tradition interpreted as miraculous. At the crash site Orthodox church was built.

Eyewitnesses from the imperial retinue reported that his family was rescued from the wreckage of the railway coach by Emperor himself. Iron roof of the railway coach fell down, lacks some few inches to the heads of passengers. All of them were lying on the thick carpet, located on the canvas. The crash demolished the wheels and the half of railway coach. Emperor with incredible effort raised the roof, enabling the wife, children and other passengers to get out of the mangled railway coach.

A month after the disaster, the Emperor wrote to his brother, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich: "Through which the Lord pleased to hold us through the trials and moral torments, fear, yearning, terrible sadness, and finally the joy and thanksgiving to the Creator for the salvation of all dear to the heart, for salvation of my family, young and old! .. This day will never disappear from our memory. It was too scary and too marvel, because Christ wished to prove the whole of Russia, that He still creates miracles and saves from apparent death of believers in Him and in His great mercy. "

In memory of the incident, in gratitude to God for the salvation of the august family and in honor of patron saint of Alexander III - St. Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky - this "protection icon" was created with images of saints, the heavenly patrons of all the members of the royal family: 

St. Prince Alexander Nevsky - the heavenly patron saint of the Emperor Alexander Romanov the Third.
St. Mary Magdalene - the heavenly patron saint of the Empress Maria Feodorovna Romanova.
St. Nicholas Miracle-worker - the Prince Nicholas Romanov (the future Emperor Nicholas Romanov the Second).

Ideal state of preservation. Rare icon.

High Resolution Images: fragments.
Price: EUR 1900.-

Икона в память чудесного спасения жизни Государя Императора и его августейшего семейства 17 октября 1888 г.
Размер: 36,5 x 32,5 cm.

Кипарисовая доска , левкас , яичная темпера , лаки , сусальное золото с гравировкой под холодную эмаль, олифа.
Высокое качество: фрагменты.
Цена: EUR 1900.-