Description

Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Myra, is depicted frontally and in half-form, making a blessing gesture with his right hand, while the left hand shows an opened gospel book. The gospel book is open near a text taken from the Beatitudes: ‘When he had descended the mountain with them, he stopped in a place where it was flat. There a large number of his disciples had gathered…’ (Luke 6.17). Depicted to the left and right of Nicholas are the Mother of God and John the Forerunner. They are handing Nicholas the gospel book and the bishop’s stole.

The border depicts the saints Konos the Gardener (left) and Konos of Isauria (right). Konos the Gardener is said to have lived near Nazaerth in the 3rd century AD. He was a simple man, who could neither read nor write, and lived off the fruit and vegetables he grew in his modest kitchen garden. He refused to sacrifice to idols under Emperor Decius and died a martyr. His feast day (5 March) coincided roughly with the transition from winter to spring and thus with the preparatory work for the new season and the associated spring prayers. In Eastern Orthodox tradition, Konon the Gardener is asked for intercession for good weather, a good harvest and other things important for agriculture and horticulture. The saint on the right is Konon of Isauer. His feast is also celebrated on 5 March. It is very plausible that the name Konon as well as the date 5 March were of special significance to the patron or owner of this icon of St Nicholas.

The extraordinary use of colour, the high quality and fineness of the painting and the techniques used to make the icon appear ‘lifelike’ are characteristic of the school of Tver in around 1800. The painters from Tver were inspired by the style of the Moscow Armouries, which flourished in the second half of the 17th century.