Russian Icon Depicting the Mother of God of Iver with a Silver Riza, St. Petersburg, 1836

Tempera on panel with silver riza

Height x width: 19 x 14,5 cm

The icon on panel depicts the Mother of God of Iver (Iverskaya), one of the most celebrated miracle-working images in the Russian Orthodox tradition, derived from the ancient icon preserved at the Monastery of Iviron on Mount Athos.
The Virgin is portrayed half-length, holding the Christ Child on her left arm. Christ raises His right hand in blessing while holding a scroll of the Holy Scriptures in His left. The Virgin's head is gently inclined towards her Son, in accordance with the traditional iconographic scheme that emphasizes the intimate spiritual relationship between the Mother of God and Christ.
The painting is covered by a finely executed silver riza, repoussé and chased with an elegant ornamental repertoire of floral motifs, delicate scrolling foliage, and punched decorative details. In keeping with a characteristic feature of nineteenth-century Russian icon production, only the faces and the right hand of the Virgin, together with the face of the Christ Child, remain visible.
Particular prominence is given to the elaborate radiant halos applied to both figures and to the Imperial crown placed upon the Virgin's head, elements that emphasize the regal dignity of the Mother of God.
The lower border bears the identifying inscription in Church Slavonic: "Изображение Пресвятыя Богородицы Иверския", translated as "Image of the Most Holy Mother of God of Iver."

The riza is fully hallmarked with the 84 zolotniks (875/1000) silver marks, used in St. Petersburg in  1836, assayer Mikhail Mikhailovich Karpinsky, and the maker's mark of an unidentified silversmith.