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St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk

Painting
Tempera on curved wooden panel with Cyrillic carving on the back. The painting is bordered in dark maroon and black before transitioning to a bright yellow-gold background. The central image features a man with brown beard and hair in church robes with a sword in his right hand and a castle in his left hand. Near the sword, a small circular portrait of Christ holding a gospel book is portrayed. Near the castle is another circular portrait of Mary with her arms held out.

2005.02.079

Panel

Tempera

Betsy Scheuring Icon Collection

2005.02

Betsy Scheuring

Gift

Gift of Betsy Scheuring

1800 - 1850

Northern Russia

Icon

Symbol, Religious

Religious Objects

Ceremonial Objects

Category 08: Communication Objects

12-3/4 in

10-1/4 in

2 in

Spirit Made Tangible: The Scheuring Icon Collection (2006)

Cultural/Historical Context

For the biography of St. Nicholas, see 2005.02.066. This particular image was made popular after a statue of St. Nicholas placed upon a defensive wall of Mozhaisk was said to have saved the city from certain devastation. In one hand the saint holds a model of the city, and the other hand holds the sword with which he allegedly defended it. Christ and the Virgin flank the saint, and all three figures are portrayed in the Byzantine style. The applied varnish has aged and darkened the colors.

St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk picture number 1