19th-Century Eastern Orthodox Icon

19th-century Eastern-Orthodox painted icon of “Christ the Pantocrator” on thick wooden panel with embossed brass oklad.

Christ the Pantocrator is perhaps the oldest theme in the region’s orthodoxy and is directly derived from the formulas and compositional requirements established by the Byzantines.

The rendering of Christ’s face and hands on this example is more similar to the Western/European style of painting (natural) rather than the truest Eastern styles which are usually employ more angular line to articulate details within flat fields of color.

From an upstate New York collection via Curaçao.

The icon is attached to a red velvet-wrapped pine board… perhaps having something to do with in-home altars referred to as “red corners.”