November Menologium, 21x17 in, antique Russian icon, 18th century

November Menologium, 21x17 in, antique Russian icon, 18th century.

Elegant Russian menologium icon depicting saints and major liturgical festivities of November. Created using egg tempera on gold background on levkas-prepared wooden board.

The menologium is the Orthodox liturgical book gathering prayers, hymns, and texts dedicated to saints commemorated throughout the year. These icons represent saints and feasts according to the ecclesiastical calendar.

The artwork displays the sequence of saints and liturgical celebrations distributed in five equal-height registers. The saints, depicted in natural poses often facing each other, convey movement and spiritual dialogue, departing from the typical frontal rigidity of many menologium icons. Noteworthy scenes include the composition of the physician saints Cosmas and Damian in the first register, the Synaxis of Archangels Michael and Gabriel in the second, and the Presentation of the Mother of God at the Temple (November 21) in the fourth. The depiction of Saint Varlaam of Chutyn, on 6 November, replaces the usual burial scene with the isolated figure of the saint. 

The festive compositions stand out for their breadth and rich iconography, developed horizontally like a frieze, with a harmonious balance and highly effective spiritual narrative.

The intense gilding and fine pictorial details, typical of the Central Russian schools, give the artwork a high aesthetic quality and profound religious expressiveness.

The icon is accompanied by an expertise by a registered expert.

Provenance: Central Russia.

Technique: egg tempera on gold background.

Materials: wood, levkas.

Dimensions: 20.5x16.9 in.

Period: late 18th century.