Icon of Nicholas the Wonderworker. The first half of the 18th century






Nicholas the Wonderworker (Nicholas of Myra) is one of the most revered Christian saints, patron of commerce, agriculture, protector of the poor and needy. On Polotsk icon, the Saint is depicted full-length, with an open Gospel in his left hand and a blessing right one. Upper corners of the icon contain half-length figure of Christ with a book and the Virgin Mary with an amice (similar to a white scarf with Maltese crosses), handing these attributes of dignity to Bishop Nicholas. Three golden balls on the book remind an episode from the life of Saint Nicholas, when he secretly placed the bags of gold in the house of three poor girls who were homeless and in need of care.
Polotsk icon is enlivened with a multi-layered architectural panorama with stone houses, towers, bell towers, a town hall and a temple. The painter depicted the city of Bari in Italy, where the relics of the saint have been kept since 1087.