Kiot cross, 19th century

Bronze casting with polychrome enamels

Height x Width: 38 x 19.5 cm. Weight: 947.5 g.

The work features the canonical structure of the Russian eight-pointed cross (with three crossbeams), where the lower slanted arm serves as a symbolic support. At the center is the Crucifixion, while in the upper section the dove of the Holy Spirit is depicted, flanked by two flying angels. Above them, Christ emerges from the clouds, forming a vertical axis that unites the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son. At the base of the cross is a skull, symbolizing Golgotha, the site of Christ’s death, and a reminder of his triumph over death through the Resurrection. This icon belongs to the group of Russian Old Believers’ icons, produced in series from the 17th century and characterized by strict adherence to the canons of the Byzantine tradition. These works, often made of bronze and sometimes enhanced with colored enamel, were generally small in size and intended for private devotion. Their portability allowed them to be carried easily and, if necessary, hidden, meeting the needs of a community that, following the schism known as the Raskol, experienced periods of persecution by the official Russian Orthodox Church.