Pectoral icon depicting the Nativity, 18th century

Bronze casting

Height × Width: 6 × 4.5 cm Weight: 52 g.

This is a theme that was already fully developed in the Byzantine tradition, but within the context of the Old Believers it acquires peculiar characteristics: in particular, the Christ Child is wrapped in bands reminiscent of funeral wrappings and is often placed in a manger resembling a sarcophagus, while the Virgin is depicted lying down or reclining, often with a distant demeanor, she does not look at the Child, emphasizing that the birth is a cosmic and theological event rather than a domestic one. Furthermore, the icon belongs to the group of Russian Old Believer icons, produced in series from the 17th century and characterized by strict adherence to the canons of the Byzantine tradition. These artifacts, often made of bronze and sometimes enriched with colored enamels, were generally small in size and intended for private devotion. Their portability allowed them to be easily carried and, if necessary, hidden, thus meeting the religious needs of a community that, after the schism known as the Raskol, underwent periods of persecution by the official Russian Orthodox Church. The surface appears worn because the Old Believers considered tarnish (oxidation or darkening) a sign of corruption, and therefore wanted metal icons to remain always polished; when an icon began to oxidize, it was simply rubbed quickly with a cloth, sometimes lightly sprinkled with chalk, sand, ash, or brick dust, immediately restoring it to its original luster.