ICON OF SAINT OLGA

Creator(s): Fabergé (Firm) , Johan Victor Aarne (Workmaster) , Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov (After)

Currently in storage

About this object

The miniature icon shows St. Olga, Grand Duchess of Kiev, holding a gold cross aloft in her right hand and a model of a church with three tall green cupolas on a white cloth in her left. She is dressed in a costly gown woven with a gold peacock pattern and a green cloak with fur collar is draped over her shoulders. Her head is covered with a gold cap over a white veil. The inscription "Holy Righteous Grand Duchess of Russia Olga" is written vertically at the upper left and right. The icon is set under glass in an ornate frame with filigree scrolls set at each corner with large round faceted red stones. The inner edge of the frame is set with a row of freshwater pearls and the outer border is beaded. The icon is backed with an ivory plaque to which a stand is attached.

Object name:

ICON OF SAINT OLGA

Made from:

Tempera on metal -- silver -- ivory -- pearls -- garnets

Made in:

Saint Petersburg, Russia

Date made:

1899-1903

Size:

9.5 × 6.8 cm (3 3/4 × 2 11/16 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:

54.38

Class:

ICON

Signature marks:

MARK 88 for silver standard, kokoshnik facing left, Ia. L in Cyrillic, sideways, in oval, (initials of St. Petersburg assaymaster Iakov Liapunov 1899-1903; VA in Cyrillic (initials of workmaster Victor Aarne), Faberge in Cyrillic [OKLAD: on top edge] 88 for silver standard, kokoshnik facing left, Ia. L in Cyrillic, sideways, in oval, (initials of St. Petersburg assaymaster Iakov Liapunov 1899-1903 and VA in Cyrillic (initials of workmaster Victor Aarne) [ON STRUT] INSCRIPTIONS SV PRAVED VEL KNG ROSS IISKAIA OL'GA (Holy Righteous Grand Duchess of Russia Olga) [ICON: on front] 24 April 1905 in Cyrillic [OKLAD: on top edge] SCRATCH NUMBER 9797 [onto bottom edge to right of marks]

Credit line:

Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973