Russia, Imperial. An Icon Of Our Lady Of Tikhvin, Retrieved By A German Soldier During Operation Barbarossa

A striking and extremely well-preserved icon of Our Lady of Tikhvin. Constructed of a gessoed wooden base, the obverse bears a hand-painted image of the Theotokos holding the infant Christ, with her hand pointing to her son as the saviour. With the exception of the subjects’ faces, hands, and feet, the image is covered by an ornate silvered brass/tin revetment which features the details of the robes of both Christ and the Theotokos, complete with raised and protruding halos. The pair are flanked by blue enameled oval medallions bearing gilded Greek characters “MP ƟY” (“Mother of God”), and are surrounded by a floral border. The icon is set within a large and high-quality plaster frame finished with muted gold paint. A central protrusion visible on the reverse accommodates the icon, and notably retains a label featuring handwritten provenance. The German-language inscription reads: “DIESE MADONNA WURDE VON MIR 4. AUGUST 1941 WÄHREND DAS KRIEGES DEUTSCHLAND-RUßLAND IN MALIN [NORDWESTLISCH VON KIEW] AUS DEM HAUSE NR. 26 DER TATJANA LAWORKA ENTFERNT UND VOR MÖGLICHEM VERDERB DURCH ARTILLERIE BESCHUß SICHERGESTELLT, FELDPOST 25294, AM 5 AUGUST 1941, REITER (?), HAUPTMANN U. KDT. D. STB. QUART. D. 262. I.D.” (“THIS MADONNA WAS REMOVED BY ME ON 4 AUGUST 1941 DURING THE GERMAN-RUSSIAN WAR IN MALIN [NORTHWEST OF KIEV] FROM TATJANA LAWORKO’S HOUSE AT NO. 62 AND SECURED FROM POSSIBLE DAMAGE BY ARTILLERY FIRE, FELDPOST [FIELD POST] NUMBER 25294, 5 AUGUST 1941, REITER (?), HAUPTMANN [CAPTAIN] AND KOMMANDER, STAFF QUARTERS OF THE 262ND INFANTRY DIVISION). The aforementioned Feldpost number is appropriately traceable to the command of the Wehrmacht’s 262nd Infantry Division.The top is riveted with a large bronzed magnetic metal suspension loop which is flanked by an additional handwritten date of “1941”. It measures 32 cm (w) x 37 cm (h) overall. A beautiful icon with exceptionally-detailed provenance to an identifiable German soldier who participated in Operation Barbarossa in extremely fine condition.

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