Travel icon depicting the Blessed Silence, 19th century

Bronze casting with polychrome enamels

Height × Width: 23 × 20 cm Weight: 1432 g.

One of the most fascinating and mystical representations of the Russian tradition. It is the image of the Logos (the Word) in the silence of eternity, before becoming man and revealing Himself to the world. Christ is depicted with the appearance of a young angel (beardless), with wings symbolizing His nature as a divine messenger. His hands are crossed over His chest, a sign of humility and acceptance, while instead of the classic cruciform halo, He bears an eight-pointed star, symbolizing the Glory of the Divinity before the creation of the world and the eighth day (eternity). This icon belongs to the group of Russian Old Believers’ icons, mass-produced from the 17th century onward and characterized by strict adherence to the canons of the 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 made them easy to carry and, if necessary, to conceal, 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.