Travel icon depicting Saint Nicholas of Myra, 19th century

Bronze casting with polychrome enamels

Height × Width: 6 × 5 cm Weight: 72.3 g.

Half-length, dressed in a mantle and the omophorion—symbols of his authority and pastoral responsibility—his right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing, while his left holds the Gospel, emphasizing his role as a spiritual guide and intercessor for the faithful. On either side, within two clouds, appear miniature depictions of Christ and the Virgin, witnesses to the scene and symbols of divine protection. The figure of the saint is framed by a series of clipei: in the upper register, above Saint Nicholas’ head, is a Deesis with the Pantocrator flanked by the Virgin and the Baptist, followed by two Archangels. This icon also belongs to the group of icons of the Russian Old Believers, mass-produced from the 17th century onward and characterized by strict adherence to the canons of Byzantine tradition. These objects, 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, concealed, thus meeting the religious needs of a community that, after the schism known as the Raskol, endured periods of persecution by the official Russian Orthodox Church.