An exquisite work of art, in a royal frame, hand painted, one of a kind

thickness of the frame: 1 1/2"

Finift Icon of the of the Virgin of the Sign with miniature icons of the Evangelists and Old Testament Prophets Hand Painted In Traditional Russian Finift Style

In The Ancient Russian City Of Rostov

The Russian word for enamel "finift" comes from the Greek "fingitis", which means "bright, shining stone." Enamel is a special type of applied art, in which the main material used is a glassy substance colored with the oxides of various metals. Thus, gold fused with glass produces a ruby color, cobalt a dark blue, and copper green. To solve specific artistic tasks enamel, unlike glass, can be muffled. Painting on enamel is fired in a muffle stove, or kiln, at a temperature of about 800 C degrees. The enamel base melts; the paint sinks into it and, on cooling, is firmly fused with the base. To make it more long lasting and enhance the decorative effect, the painting on the enamel is covered, also by firing, with transparent, fusible glass. In the 17th century a new technique became widespread in Europe, that of painting on glaze with heat-resistant paints, or miniature painting on enamel. In the second half of the 17th century this art was mastered in Russia as well. The Russian enamellists probably learned to paint on enamel from Ukrainian and Byelorussian artists; they founded their workshops in the Moscow Armory and in Solvychegorsk under the patronage of the Stroganov boyars. It is possible that Rostov jewelers learned to paint on enamel around this time too. Rostov has a long tradition of icon painting using this technique. Today, it is known for the creation of fine finift jewelry. A part of the beauty of Rostov enamels is that it is enhanced by and set in lacy metal filigree often of silver.

The “Virgin of the Sign” with the 4 Evangelists and 8 Old Testament Prophets. This icon is “museum quality.” It is hand painted “Finift” made in Rostov on the Don, Russia. Finift painting is fire resistant enamel paints on both sides of a thin copper plate which is fired to enhance coloration. This is a refined technique which was first known in 1760 and was used to enhance liturgical articles.

The central panel is of the Weeping Virgin of the Sign icon which protected the city of Novgorod in 1170 AD. The Virgin has her hands raised in the traditional manner of Eastern prayer. The Christ Child is seated on her lap with His right hand raised in blessing and his left hand holding an orb. This is the same icon in the Kursk Root-Icon of the Russian Diaspora in the West.

Surround the icon are 12 individual icons of 4 evangelists and 8 Old Testament Prophets. Clock wise from top left: St Matthew; King David; King Solomon; St Mark; Daniel; Prophet Elias; St John the Evangelist; Jeremiah the Prophet; Isaiah; St Luke; Gideon and Moses.

Each icon is inset in traditional late 18th Century/early 19th Century Moscow Russian filigree on a field of metal and colored enamels with jasper enhancements. The lace filigree design is created by different sizes of plain and twisted melhior wires hand formed to create a unique design.