Icon Of “saint Nicholas The Miracle-worker With Chosen Saints,” Russia, Late 19th Century

An icon depicting a bust of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, one of the most venerated saints in the Orthodox world. The saint is depicted in traditional episcopal vestments, wearing the omophorion adorned with crosses and blessing with his right hand. In his left hand, he holds an open Gospel with text in Church Slavonic. The saint’s face is rendered in the canonical style of Russian iconography, with an expression of spiritual concentration and deliberately austere facial features.

The background of the icon is covered with a rich, gilded ornamental design executed in relief and chiseled onto the levkas. The ornamentation forms a complex ensemble of floral and geometric motifs characteristic of Russian iconography from the second half of the 19th century. Surrounding the saint’s head is a decorative halo adorned with colorful inlays imitating precious stones, reinforcing the solemn and festive character of the composition.

On either side of the saint’s head are medallions depicting Christ the Savior and the Mother of God. Christ is shown handing the Gospel to Saint Nicholas, while the Virgin Mary returns the episcopal omophorion to him. This iconographic motif is linked to the ecclesiastical tradition of the restoration of Saint Nicholas’s episcopal dignity following the events of the First Council of Nicaea.

The borders of the icon feature chosen saints arranged in vertical registers against a cinnabar background. Among them are several saints particularly venerated in the Russian Orthodox tradition, notably Saint John the Baptist, Saint Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Mary of Egypt, and others. Icons of this type were often commissioned privately and might feature the names of the patron saints of the patron’s family members.

The composition is distinguished by its rich ornamentation and the characteristic combination of pictorial and ornamental elements typical of Russian iconography workshops of the late 19th century.

Dimensions: 44 × 55 cm.
Material: Wood, levkas, tempera, gilding, chiseled decoration.
Condition: Good. Slight losses consistent with the work’s age.