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19th Century Russian Hand-Painted Icon, The Unexpected Joy

Currency:USD Category:Antiques Start Price:50.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 800.00 USD
19th Century Russian Hand-Painted Icon, The Unexpected Joy
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[?]Live Online Auction Starts In 2025 Jul 23 @ 14:00 (UTC-04:00 : AST/EDT)
Russian Orthodox icon depicting The Unexpected Joy, hand-painted in tempera on a wood panel with two inset back slats. The central image features the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, both with finely detailed haloes. To the left, a kneeling male figure, representing a repentant sinner, prays before the icon of the Virgin, flanked by a standing saint. The right border includes a depiction of St. Nikolai, with floral and geometric border motifs. A large panel at the bottom bears a Russian inscription that reads, "The Unexpected Joy of the Most Holy Theotokos," referencing the theme of repentance and divine intercession. The reverse bears a faint handwritten inscription in Cyrillic reading Nechaiannaya Radost, further confirming the subject as The Unexpected Joy. Additional markings on the back appear to be in Cyrillic but are too faint and worn to decipher. This icon follows the traditional Unexpected Joy type, a composition that originated in late 17th-century Russian devotional art and remained widely venerated. The back of the panel shows typical age wear and has a modern sawtooth hanger attached.

Issued: 19th Century
Dimensions: 12"L x 14"H

Condition: Age related wear. Surface wear, scuffs, and scattered paint loss consistent with age; areas of craquelure; minor flaking at edges.