OTTOMAN ANATOLIA, 17TH CENTURY

Details

A PORTABLE SILVER-GILT ICON
OTTOMAN ANATOLIA, 17TH CENTURY
Comprising a central arched panel flanked by doors, the interior of the central panel with a scene depicting the enthronement of the 'mother of God' surrounded by saints and set in front of a cathedral within a border of scrolling flowering vine, the interior of the domed doors with scenes from the life of Christ, the exterior of the doors each with an angel and a saint, a regal figure above, the exterior of the central panel with a large cusped palmette flanked by half palmettes and scrolling cusped leaves all of which contain stylised rosettes, an inscription in Greek letters along the base
3¼in. (8.5cm.) high

Engraved

On the left flap in Greek: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word.
On the right flap in Greek: Rejoice Mother of God, Virgin Mary, the Lord is with you
On the reverse in Greek: Parthenios the Hieromonk of Christ

Brought to you by

Andrew Butler-Wheelhouse

abutler@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2196

Lot Essay

The design of small rosettes set within sculptural large cusped palmettes on the reverse of this icon is very similar in terms of design to the decoration found on a sheath of a dagger dated to the 17th century and now in the Karlsruhe Türkenbeute, (Ernst Petrasch, Reinhard Sänger, Eva Zimmermann and Hans Georg Majer, Die Karlsruher Türkenbeute, Munich, 1991, no.142, p.197). The rosettes in particular are almost identical to those found on a crossgaurd of an Ottoman sword now in Dresden and dated to the 17th century, (Holger Schuckelt, Die Türckische Cammer, exhibition catalogue, Dresden, 2010, no. 165, p.165).

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