Lot number 1633 - Auction 142
ZWEI SEHR FEINE IKONEN: TAUFE CHRISTI UND SELTENE IKONE MIT DER PROZESSION DES VEREHRUNGSWÜRDIGEN HOLZES DES KREUZES DES HERRN

TWO VERY FINE ICONS: AN ICON SHOWING THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST AND AN ICON SHOWING THE PROCESSION OF THE PRECIOUS AND LIFE-GIVING CROSS Russian, Moscow, Workshop of Iosif Semenovich Chirikov, late 19th century Tempera on wood panels with kovcheg. The haloes made of gold. The folds of the garments painted in gold assist and finely decorated in differing shades of gold. Minor areas of retouching. 31 x 25.6 cm. The icon of the Procession of the Venerable Wood of the Cross of the Lord represents an important scene from Christian tradition. This procession, celebrated in the Orthodox Church, honors the holy cross, which is regarded as a symbol of Christ's suffering, redemption, and resurrection. In the icon, the faithful are seen carrying and venerating the cross in a solemn ceremony. The depiction emphasizes the spiritual significance of the cross, which is revered not only as a physical relic but as a symbol of Christ's victory over death. The correlation between the Baptism of Christ and the Procession of the Venerable Wood of the Cross is symbolically expressed through the element of water, which plays a central role in both events. In the Baptism of Christ, the water of the Jordan River serves as a primary symbol of purification, renewal, and new life in God. Through Christ's immersion in the water, baptism becomes a sign of spiritual rebirth and entry into the community of faith.