Russian icon from the 19th century.
"Saint Matthew" and "Saint Mark".
Oil on wood.
In need of restoration. It has lack of paint.
Measurements: 25 cm. diameter; 37 cm.(frame).
Legends in Cyrillic identify this pair of evangelists, who show their respective sheets of the Scriptures handwritten by them. They are characterised by bushy white beards framing faces with expressive gazes. The precision of the drawing harmonises with the rich colours, with a predominance of blues, reds and golds.
Orthodox icons are part of a tradition that has nothing to do with representational painting. In icons, everything has a symbolism: the colour must express inner luminosity, a light that does not come from the physical world. In them there is no such thing as normal space, just as there are no conventional events. The icon is a window onto a world of a spiritual nature.