Artwork

Icoană pictată pe sticlă reprezentând pe Sf. Nicolae. Central, 3/4 din corp, cu fața, apare sfântul, tânăr, cu plete negre și barbă scurtă, cu mitră pe cap, mantie roșie și omofor verde cu două cruci aurii. Mâna dreaptă binecuvântează, iar stânga ține Evanghelia. Capul se profilează pe fond albastru-cobalt, iar corpul pe fond maro; nimbul a fost auriu, este decolorat. Are ramă de lemn, originală.

Icoană pictată pe sticlă reprezentând pe Sf. Nicolae. Central, 3/4 din corp, cu fața, apare sfântul, tânăr, cu plete negre și barbă scurtă, cu mitră pe cap, mantie roșie și omofor verde cu două cruci aurii. Mâna dreaptă binecuvântează, iar stânga ține Evanghelia. Capul se profilează pe fond albastru-cobalt, iar corpul pe fond maro; nimbul a fost auriu, este decolorat. Are ramă de lemn, originală. is a drawing by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Moldova National Museum Complex. The work is a painted icon on glass depicting Saint Nicholas.

About this work

Overview

A cobalt‑blue background frames his head, while the body rests against a brown field; the gold halo is faded.

The work is a painted icon on glass depicting Saint Nicholas. The saint is shown three‑quarters view, youthful, with dark hair and a short beard, wearing a red mantle, a green omophorion embroidered with two gold crosses, and a mitre. His right hand is raised in benediction, his left holds an open Gospel. A cobalt‑blue background frames his head, while the body rests against a brown field; the gold halo is faded. The piece retains its original wooden frame.

Subject & Meaning

Saint Nicholas, venerated as a patron of travelers and children, is presented in a traditional devotional pose. The blessing gesture and the Gospel emphasize his role as a teacher and intercessor. The green omophorion with gold crosses underscores his episcopal authority, while the red mantle signifies martyrdom and spiritual fervor, aligning with established iconographic conventions for this saint.

Technique & Style

Executed on glass, the icon employs tempera pigments applied directly to the transparent surface, a method common in Eastern Orthodox devotional art. The use of vivid reds and greens against a cobalt background creates strong chromatic contrast, while the faded gold halo indicates age-related pigment degradation. The original wooden frame, likely carved and finished in a simple style, frames the glass without obscuring its luminous quality.

History & Provenance

The piece is an intact example of a glass‑painted icon, a medium that saw limited production in the Balkans and Eastern Europe from the 17th to 19th centuries. Its original frame suggests it has remained in a single setting, possibly a church or private chapel, since its creation. No documented ownership changes are noted, indicating a continuous local custodianship.