Nicolas I Russian Icon Of Smolensk Mother of God Image with Four Saints, in Silver Gilt Oklad, ca. 1842/1850

Polychrome tempera with gilt highlights icon on a wooden panel of image of Smolensk Mother of God icon above figures of Saint Apostles Prokhor, Nikanor, Timon and Parmen, signed in Cyrillic in the icon and embossed on silver oklad; silver gilt oklad with embossed relief design with opening for faces and hands. Maker's mark "MT" in Cyrillic, 1850 under crown mark in reserve, 84 zolotniki, and assay master mark in Cyrillic "A.C above 1850" on the bottom. Hand written on the icon wood panel back: "Image painted in 1842 on July 25 with blessing ..."

Condition: Good, some soils and dust, some losses to pigments, tarnish to silver, wear to shadow box with a few natural distress lines to wood, and wear to outer frame finish commensurate with age.