Bidspirit auction | 1837 Russian Icon of the

1837 Russian Icon of the Vision of St. Sergius of Radonezh with 84 Silver Oklad - A 19th century Russian Orthodox icon depicting the Vision of St. Sergius of Radonezh, consisting of a tempera painted wood panel and a removable repousse and chased silver cover known as an oklad or riza. The icon illustrates the Mother of God accompanied by the Apostles Peter and John appearing to the kneeling St. Sergius. The upper center features an inset scene of the Old Testament Trinity, and the right side includes a depiction of St. Micah. Several Cyrillic inscriptions are visible on both the panel and the silver cover. The top edge of the panel reads ОБРАЗЪ СЕРГІЕВО ВИДЕНІЕ (Image of the Vision of Sergius) and СТАЯ ТРОИЦА (Holy Trinity). Figures are identified by inscriptions including АПО ПЕТРЪ (Apostle Peter), АПО ІОАННЪ БО (Apostle John the Theologian), МР ΘΥ (Mother of God), ПРЕ СЕРГІЙ (Venerable Sergius), and ПРЕ МІХЕИ (Venerable Micah). The silver oklad is embellished with floral and foliate borders and sunburst halos. A series of four hallmarks is impressed into the lower edge: a city mark for Moscow depicting Saint George and the Dragon in a circular frame; an assay master's mark in a square frame reading А.Т over the date 1837; a maker's mark in a rectangular frame reading Е.Ф.С; and a silver fineness mark in a rectangular frame reading 84, indicating a purity of 84 zolotniks (87.5% silver). The reverse of the wood panel is covered in a light brown textile. The wood panel measures approximately 12.25 inches in height and 10.5 inches in width at the widest point. The silver oklad weighs approximately 12.5 ounces. The icon panel exhibits some condition issues, including paint loss and abrasions to the tempera surface (photo 5). These losses are particularly concentrated in the areas where the silver oklad was originally secured by pins. The silver oklad shows a dark patina of tarnish throughout.