Icon - Jesus - Wood - Christ Pantocrator

Traditional Russian icon painted in tempera on a wooden panel. The subject is Jesus Christ, depicted bust-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 facing the viewer, with a stern yet compassionate expression. He has long, wavy brown hair, parted in the middle (typical of the Pantocrator) and falling over the shoulders. His beard is short and trimmed. He has large dark, piercing eyes, a straight nose, and closed lips. A golden halo surrounds his head.

Attire: He wears an ochre-orange tunic (chiton), decorated with gold detailing and a bordered collar. Over the tunic he drapes a dark mantle (himation) in brown or gray, which features stylized, almost floral or feather-like patterns, at the lower left and on the right shoulder.

Gestures: With his right hand raised in a blessing gesture, Christ touches the thumb to the index finger and little finger, symbolizing the divine and human natures. His left hand holds an open book.

The Gospel and Inscriptions

Open Gospel: The book Christ holds 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 are several Cyrillic inscriptions:
On the top left: "ОБРАЗЪ ГСДНЯ" (Image of the Lord). Below, the letters "IC" (Iesous, Jesus).
On the top right: "ВСЕДЕРЖИТЕЛЬ" (Pantocrator/Almighty). Above, the letters "XC" (Christos, Christ).
The letters "IC" and "XC" are the traditional Christ monogram.

Background, Border, and Condition

Background and Border: The figure of Christ is placed against a dark gray-brown interior background, framed by a black inner border. The piece as a whole has a wide outer border in bright textured orange, outlined by a black external line.

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

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

Notes on shipping and customs: The item ships from Geneva, Switzerland. For this reason, delivery times to European Union countries may be slightly longer than usual due to standard clearance procedures. Please also note that because Switzerland lies outside the EU customs area, import duties, local VAT, and customs fees are entirely the responsibility of the buyer and will be collected by your country’s authorities upon delivery. I advise informing yourself in advance to avoid surprises.

Pickup and Packing: Alternatively to shipping, if you have the means, personal pickup in Geneva is always the option I prefer and strongly recommend, as it eliminates transport costs and ensures maximum safety for the artwork. If shipping is chosen, I will do my best to pack it to protect the panel during transit.