VOLKOV PAVEL MIKHAILOVICH

Egg tempera on board with riza

Altezza x larghezza: 31 x 35,5 cm

This fine and significant Russian icon, executed in egg tempera on a wooden panel and datable with certainty to the second half of the 19th century, depicts a compelling hagiographic and monastic episode associated with the veneration of the great Russian ascetic saints: the appearance of an angel to Saint Nilus of Stolobny. The piece is entirely encased in an imposing and sumptuous riza (metal cover) made of precious metal, crafted using repoussé, chasing, and engraving techniques.
The metal covering renders the figures with exceptional sculptural virtuosity: the angelic messenger stands on the left, draped in voluminous robes that catch the light with a vibrant, shimmering metallic quality, while on the right, Saint Nilus of Stolobny is depicted kneeling in an attitude of profound devotion, humility, and prayer. Between the two figures, in the background, stands out a detailed, embossed depiction of his famous hermitage—founded on an island in Lake Seliger—with its characteristic domes and onion-shaped roofs, evocative of Russian sacred architecture. Above, emerging from the clouds, appears a theophanic figure bestowing a blessing. Beneath the exquisite silver riza (protective cover), openings reveal the painted sacred faces, characterized by dark complexions—heavily oxidized over time and by the aging of the original protective varnishes. The piece is in an excellent state of overall preservation: the silver cladding remains structurally sound, with the crispness of the embossed details still intact. It displays a magnificent, authentic period patina that enhances its three-dimensional quality. Bearing both a signature and a hallmark, this lot represents a high-caliber collector’s item for those who appreciate the sacred metalwork of the Romanov Empire.

The riza is fully hallmarked with the 84 zolotniks (875/1000) silver mark used in Moscow in 1860, the assayer Ivan Vasilyevich Avdeyev, and the Cyrillic mark ‘ПВ’ (PV), referring to the silversmith Volkov Pavel Mikhailovich.