"Healer - the Legend of the Saints to Whom God Gave the Gift of Healing of Soul and Body."

High Resolution Images: fragments.

18th century, 1700-1750. Yaroslavl, Russia

Size: 53.5 x 45.8 cm, thickness 3 cm - "Royal size"
Technique & Material: Board, egg tempera, 24-karat gold leaf, melted gold, drying oil.

Description:  This icon is really extremely rare among other icons.

The structure of the icon: In eight parts of the icon - depicts 6 saint healers. The composition is built in 4 tiers, where full-length images of 48 saint healers and miracle workers are placed, who are endowed by God with the ability to heal people from various physical and spiritual diseases. In addition, a vertical row is introduced into the architecture of the composition in the center of the icon, where 4 miraculous icons of the Mother of God revered in Orthodoxy are depicted. It is interesting that at the very bottom of the icon - there is an image of the Burning Bush icon, which refers us to the Old Believer origin of the icon (among other signs). The fact is that the icon of the Mother of God of the Burning Bush was especially revered among the Old Believers or ancient Christians, as they call themselves. This image has been known since ancient times, but in this complex symbolic allegorical composition it was formed in the 16th century. Also here you can see the best examples of Old Believer icons of central Russia and the southwest of the empire, that are always rich, bright, with an abundance of gold, which you want to look at without taking your eyes off.

This icon, just like that - it has a bright individuality and stands out both for its luxury and exquisite craftsmanship, in which every millimeter is painted with love and skill. Here we see an abundance of gold, both leaf-like on the background and painted on the edges of the saint healers' clothes. Of course, given the seriousness of the Old Believers' attitude to icons, especially to such a truly important liturgical shrine as this icon, we can confidently know that such an important work could only be entrusted to the best master. This is clearly evidenced by the high artistic skill with which this icon was painted. Each face of the 48 saints and the Four Mother of God has its own individual expression and mood, every nuance of the iconography is carefully painted. The texts, like the icon's calling card, are written confidently and in great detail. Unfortunately, not all of the texts have survived, but from the surviving inscriptions we can understand the high level of stavrography of the icon. The complex composition of the icon is balanced, including in the color composition. The pattern of colors here is joyful, bright and festive, with a riot of colors and a riot of gold, different shades of red and a wealth of other colors. However, despite the abundance of colors and gold, it is harmonious and there is not even a hint of kitsch in it. The fact is that the Old Believers painted the icon only in the Old Russian tradition without changes and influences of modern times in the ancient canon. Old Believer icon painters relied on ancient images and followed the ancient canon, only within which the master could show his individuality. The figures are slender, stretching upward to the sky. The fields are made of light ocher.

In the liturgical, sacred sense, this icon is absolutely unique, without exaggeration the most powerful shrine. In one image a whole host of saint healers miracle workers and several Miracle-working Mothers of God are collected. It literally accumulated in itself the holiness of each miracle worker and together form a precious shrine. Its purpose conveys its name. People prayed to this image in order to gain health and to be cured. Indeed, this is a "window to the Kingdom of Heaven". Even for contemporaries, this plot had a huge sacred and semantic load. An icon of this plot was by no means an ordinary event. It was entrusted to a chosen icon painter. He was both impeccable in skill and in morality. Such icons were painted rarely, due to its importance and complexity. Of course, we cannot mention that the cost of the icon was also high. Therefore, for more than a quarter of a century, among thousands of icons, we received such an icon for the first time.

The icon is in very good condition with minimal losses. It has not been restored, only cleared of soot and darkened drying oil. The importance of the icon is emphasized by the icon base - a board made on a monolithic board from a tree trunk, it is very carefully prepared, with two dowels.

A very rare image.

It has great religious and collection value.

Please ask for more detailed information.

Price: 7500 eur.-

"Лечебник- Сказание о святых, которым Бог даровал дар исцеление души и тела." 

XVIII век, 1700-1750 гг. Ярославль, Россия
Размер: 53,5 х 45,8 см, толщина 3 см - «Королевский размер».

Доска, яичная темпера, 24-каратное сусальное золото, расплавленное золото, олифа.

High Resolution Images: fragments.
Цена: 7500 eur.-