Travel triptych depicting the Feasts, 19th century

Bronze casting with polychrome enamels

Height × width: 6 × 16 cm Weight: 194.7 g.

Typical of the production of the Russian Old Believers between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this portable triptych embodies a concise expression of the faith and resilience of a community persecuted in the aftermath of the schism known as the Raskol. The devotional sequence begins with the veneration of the Dormition of the Virgin; at the center of the triptych shines the Anastasis (the Descent into Hades), the theological and liturgical heart of the Russian celebration of Easter; and the cycle concludes with the Baptism of Christ. When closed, the exterior of the triptych presents a solemn representation of Calvary: the characteristic Russian three-barred cross is flanked by the lance and the sponge and surmounted by the Cyrillic inscription "King of Glory," symbolizing Christ's victory over death even before the icon is opened to reveal the cycle of feast scenes within. Despite its modest dimensions, the work reflects the aesthetic rigor and theological depth of the Old Believers, transforming an object of everyday devotion into a powerful expression of religious identity. Such objects, typically cast in bronze and sometimes enriched with polychrome enamels, were generally small in scale and intended for private devotion. Their portability made them easy to carry and, when necessary, to conceal, thereby meeting the religious needs of a community that, following the schism known as the Raskol, endured periods of persecution by the official Russian Orthodox Church.