Icon - Jesus - Wood - Christ Pantocrator

Russian traditional icon, painted with tempera on a wooden board. The subject is Jesus Christ, depicted in half-length as the “Pantocrator” ( Almighty ), one of the most important iconographic representations in Orthodox art. The icon dates to the late 18th century or early 19th century.

Description of the Figure of Christ
Christ is depicted frontally, with a stern yet compassionate expression. He has long, wavy brown hair, parting in the center (typical of the Pantocrator) and falling onto the shoulders. His beard is short and neatly trimmed. He has large dark, penetrating eyes, a straight nose, and closed lips. A golden halo surrounds His head.

Attire: He wears a tunic (chiton) in ochre-orange, decorated with golden details and a scalloped collar. Over the tunic He wears a mantle (himation) in a dark color (brown or gray), featuring stylized motifs, almost floral or feather-like, at the lower left and on the right shoulder.

Gestures: With the right hand, raised in a gesture of blessing, Christ touches the thumb with the ring finger and little finger, symbolizing the divine and human natures. The left hand holds an open book.

The Gospel and Inscriptions

The Open Gospel: The book Christ holds in His hand is an open Gospel. On the two visible pages is written a text in Slavonic-Cyrillic characters, faded but partially legible. The text reads: "ПРИДѢТЕ КО МНѢ ВСИ ТРУЖДАЮЩІИСЯ И ОБРЕМЕНЕННІИ, И АЗЪ УПОКОЮ ВЫ" (Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest – Matthew 11:28).

Superior Inscriptions: On the bright orange background that frames the figure, there are several Cyrillic inscriptions:

Top left: "ОБРАЗЪ ГСДНЯ" (Image of the Lord). Below, the letters "IC" (Iesous, Jesus).

Top right: "ВСЕДЕРЖИТЕЛЬ" (Pantocrator/Almighty). Above, the letters "XC" (Christos, Christ).

The letters "IC" and "XC" are the traditional monogram of Jesus Christ.

Background, Border and Condition
Background and Border: The figure of Christ is placed on an internal dark gray-brown background, framed by a black inner border. The entire piece has a wide outer border in bright textured orange, delineated by an external black line.

Condition: The icon shows clear signs of time and wear, contributing to its antique character. The painting surface is crossed by fine, widespread cracks (craquelure), especially on the orange border and on Christ’s tunic. There are scratches, dents, pigment losses along the edges and in the most exposed areas, and some accumulated dirt stains. The edges of the wooden board are worn and chipped. The gesso ground is visible in some places where the paint is missing.

Artistic Synthesis
The icon is an excellent example of traditional Russian iconography, with an archaizing style and attention to symbolic and textual details. Its lived-in condition gives it historical authenticity and spiritual charm.

Shipping and Customs Notes: The item is shipped from Geneva, Switzerland. For this reason, delivery times to European Union countries may be slightly longer than usual due to standard customs procedures. I also remind you that, since Switzerland lies outside the EU customs area, import taxes, local VAT and customs duties are the buyer’s responsibility and will be charged by your country’s authorities upon delivery. I recommend informing yourself in advance to avoid surprises.

Pickup and Packing: Alternatively, to shipping, if you have the possibility, personal pickup in Geneva is always the option I prefer and strongly recommend, as it will eliminate transport costs and ensure maximum security for the artwork. If shipping is chosen, I will do my best to package it to protect the painting during transit.