Description in Icons, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 2004, cat. no. 195:
The Appearance of the Mother of God to Saint Sergii of Radonezh
Second half of 18th century
NMI 134

Wood: Linden (Tilia sp.), oil on canvas.
Panel made of single board with
two splines inlaid from opposite sides
(upper one lost).

Inscriptions a t.: Hand-written text in
brown ink in Cyrillic letters:
[...]Popova / [...]1 go aprel 1813 god
(...Popova ... 1st April 1813)

PROVENANCE: Olof Aschberg;
Gift of O.Aschberg 1933
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Kjellin 1933, no 134;
Kjellin 1956, p 247
CONSERVATION: Restored prior to entering
NM: scattered retouches. Scattered losses
of paint layers; varnish yellowed

St Sergii is shown here kneeling before
the Mother of God and not standing as
is more usual. According to the legend
the Saint, when the Mother of God
and the Apostles Peter and John ap pear -
ed in a light “beyond words”, fell on
his knee.1 The Rococo ornaments in
the corners and the colouring etc. are
typical of the western stylistic influ -
ences during the middle and later 18th
century, especially in the St Petersburg
region. The upper part of the icon is
a depiction of the Trinity to which the
monastery of St Sergii is dedicated.
Here, however, the Trinity is depicted
in it´s New Testament form.

1 Cf. cat. no 258
[slut]