A Mother of Pearl Icon of the Resurrection, circa 1900

centred with a framed carving of the Resurrection, the corners with roundels depicting the four Evangelists, the frame crowned by a representation of the Nativity, the borders ornately carved with scrolling floral motifs, supported by a hinged metal stand



 

In good condition, minor chips to the mother of pearl, the upper part of the cross staff of Christ is missing
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The following two lots can be associated with the tradition of Mother of Pearl carving in the city of Bethlehem in the fourteenth century. This art form was introduced by Franciscan friars from Damascus and subsequently developed into a thriving trade.

These two icons are particularly fine examples of the skilled techniques that could be attained by the craftsmen due to their significant sizes and their intricate carvings.

A very similar work from Palestine can be found in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg depicting the Resurrection of Christ containing pieces of the Holy Sepulchre and Golgotha, by Bishar Issa II Zugubi with his brother Joseph and son Gabriel, which is inscribed with a dedication: 'To his Autocratic Majesty the Tsar and His Heir, Grand Prince Alexei Nikolayevich, the blessing of the Holy Tomb. Patriarch Daminian 1910'. That particular work was amongst the most valuable presents from the Patriarch of Jerusalem to Grand Prince Alexei Nikolayevich at Easter 1910. See Sinai Byzantium Russia, Orthodox Art from the Sixth to the Twentieth Century, p.453, The Saint Catherine Foundation in association with The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg.