Icon - Nicholas the Wonderworker - Limewood

This ancient orthodox icon has been preserved over many decades as a spiritual devotional and protective image within a traditional, devout collector family. The powerful depiction of Saint Nicholas of Myra shows the saint in the classic blessing gesture with a calm, penetrating gaze that reflects the deep symbolism of Orthodox Christianity. The intricately embossed, silvered Oklad (Riza) frames the original wooden panel painting like a protective cloak of lived history, adorned with floral and sacred ornaments that give the piece a special, noble presence. The finely embossed metalwork bears a naturally aged patina, typical of icons that have been loved, preserved, and viewed in candlelight during devotion. The original painter or creator is unknown—typical for family icons of this kind—adding to the mysterious, mystical aura of the piece. The back of the solid wooden panel, likely made from traditional woods such as linden or pine, shows honest signs of age that emphasize its authentic handcrafted origin. Decades ago, the icon entered an auction house through a European auction, where it was purchased by another devout family. From there, it began its journey as a inherited collector and protective image, as this family also treated the work not as merchandise but as a sacred family relic, which later changed hands again at an auction and was passed from family to family until it finally found its way into the current collection. Thus, the icon carries not only the history of a lineage but also the echo of several generations of devout guardians, connected through faith, reverence for art, and the silent magic of those auction moments that were never loudly documented but lived on in the hearts of the families. It is a rare, spiritually charged, silvered collector’s object of classical icon art that particularly appeals to bidders seeking soul, expression, and lived tradition. This piece possesses a magnetic presence, captures light, transforms the atmosphere of a room, and conveys a sense of exalted silence—a piece that cannot be explained but must be felt, a spiritual relic that is more than an object—it is a living family journey.