Icon - John the Forerunner - Wood

An Orthodox icon depicting Saint John the Baptist, also known as the Forerunner (Prodromos).
Origin: Russia, provincial school, probably the 18th century or the early 19th century.
Icon in the type of 'Desert Angel' (Ioann Predtecha).
Tempera on panel, gilded halo. Classic iconography with a chalice symbolizing the prefiguration of Christ's sacrifice and a scroll bearing a prophetic text.
An icon of great symbolic and collector value, especially prized for its rare, mystical depiction of St. John the Baptist as the Desert Angel.
An object preserved in an authentic state, with visible signs of time and intense cult activity. The condition is visible in the photos (paint loss, craquelure, darkened varnish).