Museum of Russian Icons Annual Report 2016 V2 Annual Report 2017 | Page 13

Two Imperial Icons
On view October 15, 2016 through May 15, 2017
Not Made by Hands | Kurliukov
Moscow | 1908
Mother of God of the Sign | Fabergé
St. Petersburg | 1908
These two important, extravagant Imperial
Presentation icons by Fabergé and Kurliukov
were created as gifts for the wedding of
Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Younger
(1890-1958) to Prince Willem of Sweden,
Duke of Sodermanland. The magnificent 1908
wedding was to be the last of a Russian Grand
Duchess before the Russian Revolution. The
“Feodorovskaya Mother of God” by Fabergé
was a gift from the St. Petersburg Nobility
Assembly, and an icon of the “Image Made
Without Hands” by Kurliukov, made in the
pan-Slavic style, was a gift from the Moscow
Merchants’ Association. These two icons,
displayed in their original presentation boxes,
represent the differences in style and political
intentions of the two donor organizations. The
icons are on view thanks to the generous loan
from a private collector based in New York.
Holy Fools to Wonderworkers:
Saints of the Orthodox Faith
On view November 19, 2016 through February 26, 2017
Holy Fools included thirty icons from the Museum’s
collection that are not normally on view. The exhibition
invited visitors to explore different types of saints
celebrated by the Orthodox Church, from prophets of
the Old Testament to the monastics living in rural Russia.
Popular saints, such as Nicholas and George, were
shown alongside those who are lesser known but equally
fascinating figures, such as Simeon the Stylite, who lived
for many years atop a pillar, and Saint Mary of Egypt, a
repentant sinner who lived alone in the desert.
Preparator Tom Keany installs
Holy Fools to Wonder Workers.
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