A rare Russian icon Faberge auction Jackson's November 13

November 13 auction Jackson's auction house in Cedar Falls (Iowa) will be a rare copy of the icon of Our Lady of "The Omen" Seraphim Ponetaevsky created by the wizard Nicholas Emelyanov Faberge about 1912. Presumably, this is a work of religious art has imperial provenance: most likely, he was commissioned from Faberge Empress Alexandra Feodorovna as a gift to a close friend of the royal family Dmitrii Nikolaevich Lohmann. Estimate of the lot (№ 199) is 250-350 thousand dollars.

exhibited work is a triptych of written separately icons embedded in the general frame of carved birch wood. In the center - image of the Mother of God "Sign" Seraphim Ponetaevsky. Delicate silver halo decorated with red cabochon Dame. On the left part of the triptych depicts St. Nicholas, on the right - St. Seraphim of Sarov. Flanked by the principal faces numerous stamps (small independent images on religious holidays and other religious events.) Eleven of these stamps are on the left and the right hand of Our Lady, and four are under the icon of St. Nicholas and the two brands - under the icon of St. Seraphim. Above the Virgin and Christ Child depicts two angels on Nicholas - Holy Face, of Seraphim - The Old Testament Trinity. Crowned with three carved triptych composition eight-pointed cross, on the right and left of the central cross of florid vegetation patterns "dart" the six-winged seraphim.

Our Lady of "The Omen" Seraphim Ponetaevsky was one of the most revered icons in the family of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II. The original of this icon was painted in 1879, Seraphim Ponetaevsky nun convent, named in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov (1759-1833). From other lists of icons "The Omen," this is different face raised to the sky through the eyes of the Virgin Mary, her face tear-shaped and not devoid of sentimentality picturesque style, popular in the XIX century. In 1885, the icon was considered miraculous. In 1902, St. Seraphim was decided to canonize the urging of Nicholas II, which, presumably, are asked Alexandra. Last Empress was particularly situated to the elder Seraphim (thought that his intercession helped her give birth to a single heir). At the ceremony, the glorification of St. Seraphim in Nizhny Novgorod in 1903, the icon of the Mother of God "Sign" Seraphim Ponetaevsky was among the three most revered shrines. To commemorate this event, the Mother Superior Seraphim Ponetaevsky monastery in 1909, the royal family gave the exact list of the miraculous icon. That same year, Nicholas II builds in Tsarskoye Selo temporary church for the needs of His Imperial Majesty the convoy and places the gift of the Mother Superior. At the same time construction began Feodor Cathedral and architectural complex Fedorovsky town in the style of Russian architecture of the XVII century. Fedorov (Sovereign) Cathedral was opened in 1912, it was divided into upper and lower temples. The top was dedicated in honor of Our Lady of Fyodor, and the bottom, the cave, the temple - in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov. This lower church was out of his temporary accommodation Transfer the Seraphim Ponetaevsky Mother of God in 1909. In the lower church was a private chapel of the Empress, which was another copy of the icon of Our Lady of "The Omen" Seraphim Ponetaevsky 1912 creation. It is known that the Empress did not leave with that icon until his tragic death in 1918 in Yekaterinburg.

The facts of the life of the royal family were given reason to believe the experts, that offered for Jackson's triptych Faberge Imperial has provenance. Although the documentary evidence that it was ordered the royal family, has been preserved, but in favor of this version very much. Triptych exactly belonged to Captain Guards Pavlovsky Regiment Dmitrii Nikolaevich Lohmann. This confirms the picture in 1914, on which the icon is clearly visible in the interior of the cabinet Colonel Loman in Tsarskoye Selo. Loman was a close friend of the royal family: the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna was the godmother of his son George. Colonel held a variety of senior posts in the royal family: during the First World War, he was the chief of the Tsarskoye Selo hospital number 17, Commissioner of Tsarskoye Selo military hospital train № 143 of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, etc. In addition, Colonel Loman was Churchwarden Fedorovsky Sovereign's Cathedral and one of the initiators and active participants in the construction Fedorovsky town. Triptych was written by a master of Faberge Nikolai Emelyanov. He also wrote a grand five-tier iconostasis upper church Feodor Cathedral. The unity of style and decor triptych Feodor Cathedral felt in all: the top edge of the frame shaped like a triptych upper belt of the iconostasis, a cut in the lower part of the frame attached to the circular medallions Emelyanova mosaics on the facade of the cathedral. Feodor Cathedral iconostasis for the royal family of the artist awarded a silver medal at the Vladimir tape. Neo-Russian style triptych as possible reflects the idea of ​​honoring native Russian values, whose supporters were Lohman, and the royal family. Knowing how much did the colonel to the Romanov family, the triptych is the perfect gift this faithful servant of the imperial family. And if you remember how revered icon of the Virgin Alexandra Feodorovna "The Omen" Seraphim Ponetaevsky, the origin of the triptych seems obvious. Left and right of the icon triptych also suggest the royal family: St. Nicholas was the patron saint of the emperor, and Seraphim was particularly revered by the Empress. In favor of the imperial provenance of the triptych is the fact that it was commissioned by the firm of Carl Faberge, the services of which are usually resorted to the royal family when ordering gifts to your friends.

Prepared Maria Onuchina, AI

Source : press release Jackson's