Bidspirit auction | 19th Century Eastern Orthodox Repoussé

19th Century Eastern Orthodox Repoussé Metal and Painted Wood Icon of the Theotokos - A 19th century Eastern Orthodox religious icon depicting the Virgin Mary and Christ Child, following the iconographic style of the Theotokos. The piece is constructed with a hand-chased and repoussé metal oklad, also known as a riza, featuring a scrolling and foliate textured background. The metalwork is finished with gold-tone gilding and silver-tone accents on the nimbuses and the raised border. Cutouts in the metal reveal the faces and hands of the figures, which are painted onto the underlying wood panel. The metal oklad is secured to the sides of the wood panel with small nails. To the upper left, the metal is embossed with the Greek letters ΜΡ, and to the upper right, the monogram ΔΥ, which are traditional abbreviations for Mother of God (Μήτηρ Θεοῦ). The back of the thick wooden panel is wrapped in a red textile. A modern metal sawtooth hanger is attached to the upper rear. No legible maker's marks or stamps are visible on the metal surfaces or the exposed wood. Based on the ruler in the provided photographs, the icon measures approximately 8.5 inches in height and 6.5 inches in width. The icon shows signs of age and wear consistent with its 19th century origin. The metal oklad exhibits scattered oxidation, tarnish, and small indentations, particularly visible in the lower right corner and near the figures' hands (photos 1, 2, and 8). The painted surfaces visible through the cutouts show significant craquelure and areas of pigment loss, specifically on the face of the Christ Child and the hands of the Virgin (photos 3 and 7). The red textile backing is heavily worn with fraying, staining, and several losses, including a large tear at the top where the hanger is mounted (photo 4). The silver-tone finish on the border is partially rubbed away in several locations (photos 5 and 6).