A 19th century Russian Orthodox Feast Day icon with silver gilt Oklad

A 19th century Russian Orthodox Feast Day icon with silver gilt Oklad, the icon with central representation of the Crucifixion and Resurrection surrounded by the twelve great feasts, the oklad decorated with repoussé and chased scrolling foliate border, the central panel gilded, marked for St. Petersburg, struck with assayer's mark 'А.Т | 1848' and maker's mark 'Б.М', 84 standard, dated 1848, the oklad now mounted to a mirror, the icon framed separately, the icon and oklad each 34cm high, 27cm wide

Auction Compariable: Sotheby's, London, 27 November 2018, Lot 531, an icon of very similar design and execution but lacking an oklad. Sold for £2500.

Footnote: The icons of the Feast Cycle or 'Dodekaorton', which celebrate the Principle episodes of the life of Christ and the Mother of God, are aligned in the first tier of the iconostasis. The so called 'Despotikai', or first rank icons, mark the most important moments of the Orthodox liturgical calendar, investing man's time on earth with a sacred meaning. The subjects of these icons are derived from the canonical Gospel but are also enriched with details from the apocryphal Gospels and the prayers and hymns of the Divine Liturgy of John Chrysostom. The central theme however, remains the Resurrection, the "feast of feasts" which is celebrated not only at Easter but every Sunday. Another Important feast is Trinity Sunday. Eastern tradition, moreover, devotes every day of the week (to recall the cycle of the seven days of creation) to an event or character from the history of salvation. Sunday to the Resurrection, Monday to the Assembly (Synaxis) of Archangels, Tuesday to John the Baptist, Wednesday to the Annunciation, Thursday to the Washing of the Feet, Friday to the Crucifixion and Saturday to paradise and commemorating the dead.

Dimensions: 34cm high