Lot number 1126 - Auction 147
SEHR SELTENER UND SEHR FEINER SATZ VON SECHS IKONOSTASEN-IKONEN

A VERY RARE AND VERY FINE SET OF SIX ICONS FROM A CHURCH ICONOSTASIS Russian, Moscow, attributed to Mikhail Ivanovich Dikarev, late 19th century Tempera on wood panels with kovcheg. The icons showing the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple, the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, the Ascension of Christ, the Dormition of the Mother of God, and the Elevation of the True Cross. The figures and scenes depicted meticulously, with decorative details. The individualized flesh tones are meticulously modeled with delicate white highlights. The architectural elements in the background are adorned with rich vine ornaments and intricate gold embellishments. The image fields are framed by ornamental borders with black volutes on red-green contoured gold bands. Minor areas of retouching. Each 40 x 35 cm. The creation of this iconostasis set falls within the late Imperial period of Russia, a time of profound upheaval but also a renewed emphasis on Orthodox tradition. Tsar Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, actively promoted the revival of traditional icon painting as part of his policy of national identity and religious renewal. The stylistic characteristics of these icons align with the work of Moscow's master icon painters, particularly those associated with the most prestigious churches and monasteries. These icons may also be connected to the coronation of Nicholas II in 1896, an event that saw the commissioning of numerous religious artworks to reinforce the legitimacy of the Tsar and the continuity of Orthodox tradition.