AN ICON ‘THE NATIVITY OF THE MOTHER OF GOD WITH SAINT MARTHA’ Russia, Ekaterinburg (?), mid-19th century

tempera, levkas on wood panel 36 x 30 cm Condition: without restoration, under a layer of dark varnish, losses of the paint layer on edges. The architectural background, like a stage backstage linking the stories of the biblical story. This very successful compositional treatment makes the viewer fascinated by the fine detail of the writing.