Russian icon depicting St George slaying the dragon with riza, second half of the 19th century (around 1860–1890)

tempera on panel with gilded riza

Height x width: 23,5 x 18 cm

The icon on panel depicts Saint George the Great Martyr in the episode of his victory over the dragon, one of the most widespread and venerated subjects in the Orthodox tradition.
The saint is portrayed on horseback, charging forward as he pierces the dragon with a long lance. The white horse, depicted in full motion, enhances the dynamic quality of the composition, while the saint's flowing cloak billows gracefully behind him. In the background appears a fortified tower from which, according to the traditional hagiographic narrative, the princess destined for sacrifice witnesses the miraculous event.
The icon is covered with a gilded brass riza, entirely repoussé and chased with a dense ornamental pattern of scrolling foliate motifs that conceals almost the entire painted surface. Only the saint's face and part of the landscape remain visible, in accordance with a typology widely emplyed in nineteenth-century Russian devotional icons.
The riza is richly and continuously decorated, featuring a finely punched ground with stylized foliate scrolls and a raised border embellished with vegetal ornament. The skilful modelling of the horse, the saint's armour, and the dragon reflects a competent level of craftsmanship.

The composition derives from the traditional iconography of Saint George Slaying the Dragon, which became firmly established in Russia from the sixteenth century onward and remained substantially unchanged throughout the nineteenth century.
The characteristics of the riza—executed in gilded brass with an uninterrupted scrolling foliate decoration, lacking visible silver hallmarks, and displaying a serial yet carefully executed workmanship—are entirely consistent with the production of Russian workshops during the second half of the nineteenth century. The painted face, still visible through the opening of the metal cover, exhibits the stylistic features characteristic of Russian devotional painting of the period.