RUSSIAN ICON C. 1780

RUSSIAN ICON C. 1780. The subject and title of this icon is often translated as "Conversational." The "Conversational" icon depicts the appearance of Mary and Saint Nicholas to the sexton Georgiy Iurish. Soon after the appearance of the "Tikhvin" icon in 1383, the Mother of God directed Georgiy to erect a wooden cross in place of the iron cross which had been placed on the church dedicated to her at Tikhvin. On the place where Mary appeared, a chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas was erected. The chapel dedicated to Nicholas and the church dedicated to Mary were both consumed by fire. The Tikhvin icon was in the church, however, and both the icon and the cross of wood, which was made form the log on which Mary had been sitting in the vision of sexton Georgiy, were preserved intact. In this example Mary is seen on the left sitting on a tree (from which the cross would be made), Georgiy is seen upright and then prostrate, and on the right stands Saint Nicholas. In the background is the church dedicated to the Tikhvin icon. At the upper center Christ Emanuel delivers a blessing from the heavens. 12.5 inches x 10.5 inches (31.75 x 26.7 cm).

Provenance:
A private American collection since 1999 or before.

Literature:
Pope John Paul II Cultural Center Windows into Heaven, Russian Icons, 1550-1917, Washington D.C. 2003, exhibition catalog, where illustrated.
Knights of Columbus Museum Holy Icons of Mother Russia New Haven, Connecticut, 2002-2003, exhibition catalog, where illustrated.

Exhibited:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A. Ave Maria Foundation "Heaven on Earth, The Holy Art of Imperial Russia 1650-1917" February 7, 2001-March 21, 2001
Topeka, Kansas, U.S.A. Heartland Orthodox Christian Museum "Spiritual Treasures of Czarist Russia" September 1, 2001-October 1, 2001
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. Pontifical College Josephinum "Heaven on Earth" icon exhibition January 11, 2002-February 10, 2002
New Haven, Connecticut U.S.A. Knights of Columbus Museum, "Holy Icons of Mother Russia" icon exhibition October 2, 2002-January 31, 2003.
Washington D.C. U.S.A. Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, "Windows into Heaven, Russian Icons, 1550-1917" June 5th, 2003-August 7th, 2028

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