Description in Icons, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 2004, cat. no. 97:
Saint Alexander of Svir in adoration of the Old Testament Trinity
First half of 17th century, Moscow
NMI 185

Wood: Linden (Tilia sp.), egg tempera
on canvas, metal cover on borders and
parts of background (17th century).
Panel made of single board with two
splines inlaid from opposite sides
(both lost).

Inscriptions a t.: A) Handwriting in
ink in Cyrillic letters using pre-Revolutionary
lettering: 16 veki. Monastyrskie
pisma (16th century Monastic style);
B) Ink stamp of the Soviet State Export
Committee

PROVENANCE: Olof Aschberg;
Gift of O.Aschberg 1933
EXHIBITIONS: Gothenburg 1970, no 28;
Helsinki 1970, no 28; Stockholm 1988,
no 26
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Kjellin 1933, no 185; Dahlbäck
1954, p 205; Kjellin 1956, p 293; Abel
1978:2, p 94; Abel 2000, pp 63, 66–67
CONSERVATION: Restored prior to entering
NM: painting cleaned; varnished; NM
1965: painting and silver cleaned, retouches.
Metal halo of saint and inscription
plate on upper border lost

Saint Alexander of Svir was not just
a local Karelian saint but also of great
significance to all of Holy Russia.1 The
high quality of the painting points in
the direction of Moscow. The inscription
”Monastic style” on the back was a
collector’s classification used around
1900, referring not specifically to style
but to general quality of interest.
The metal cover is contemporary with
the painting.2

1 E.g. one of the chapels of the Cathedral of St
Basil the Blessed at the Red Square in Moscow,
the votive church of Ivan IV from the middle of
16th century, is dedicated to St Alexander of
Svir.
2 For the two types of pattern used here see Goldberg
1967, p 128, figs 2 and 4
[slut]