Travel icon depicting Saint Nicholas of Myra, 19th century

Bronze casting and polychrome enamels

Height × width: 15 × 9.5 cm Weight: 192.9 g.

This icon belongs to the group of Russian Old Believer icons, mass-produced starting in the 17th century and characterized by a strict adherence to the canons of the Byzantine tradition. These artifacts, often made of bronze and sometimes enriched with colored enamel, were generally small in size and intended for private devotion. Their portability made them easy to carry and, if necessary, to conceal, 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 icon depicts the Bishop of Myra (4th century) in half-length, dressed in the mantle and omophorion, symbols of his authority and pastoral responsibility. His right hand is raised in the gesture of blessing, while his left holds the Gospel, emphasizing his role as spiritual guide and intercessor for the faithful. On either side, within two clouds, Christ and the Virgin appear in miniature, witnesses to the scene and symbols of divine protection. In the upper part is the Mandylion of Edessa, flanked by two archangels and a host of seraphim, completing the celestial composition and highlighting the hieratic and liturgical nature of the whole.