#Exhibit of the Month

Around thirty icons from the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova feature Saint Nicholas the Hierarch and Miracle Worker. While most represent the later iconographic tradition, a few early images stand out as rare examples due to their composition.
In the icon "Saint Nicholas with Scenes from His Life", the hierarch is depicted bust-length, blessing the Gospel. He is framed by two round medallions showing Christ and the Mother of God, who hand him the Gospel and the omophorion. Saint Nicholas, earlier than other saints, was portrayed with scenes from his hagiographic cycle. The first images of his life date back to the 11th century, represented on a folding icon from the Monastery of Saint Catherine at Sinai.

The museum icon dates from the early 19th century, preserving the traditional chest format typical of classical icons. Twelve panels illustrate episodes from the saint's life, arranged from left to right: four on the upper register, four on the lower, and two on each side, as follows: Birth of Saint Nicholas (1), Baptism of Saint Nicholas (2), Miracle of Healing the Crippled Woman (3), Apprenticeship of Young Nicholas (4), Ordination as Deacon (5), Ordination as Bishop (6) Vision of Constantine (7), Saint Nicholas Saves Three Voivodes from Execution (8), Miracle of Rescue from Drowning (9), Miracle of Saving Basil from the Arabs (10), Dormition of Saint Nicholas (11), Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas to Bari (12).

Saint Nicholas the Hierarch is commemorated by the Orthodox Church twice a year: on December 6/19, the day of his birth, and on May 9/22, the day his relics were transferred from Myra to Bari (1087). Among all saints of the Christian world, the image of Saint Nicholas is one of the most popular, easily recognizable even to those unfamiliar with iconography.

He was born in the Roman Empire, at Patara in the province of Lycia, between 260-280, though early sources omit the exact date. Coming from a wealthy family, he rejected fame and luxury. From an early age he devoted himself to prayer and the study of Holy Scripture, while also mastering other disciplines. He avoided noisy gatherings and idle talk, attended church regularly, and pursued a life of chastity. Later he dedicated himself to pastoral ministry, defending the Christian faith with perseverance and firmly opposing heresies.
Through his care for people and the benefactions he performed everywhere, he became highly venerated not only in Myra but also in the surrounding regions. The grace of the Holy Spirit dwelling in his heart was revealed through miracles performed both during his life and after his death, earning him the enduring title of "Miracle Worker." Saint Nicholas passed away in the 330s (circa 334-337), and his remains were placed in a sumptuous marble tomb in the episcopal cathedral where he had served for many years. This soon became an important center of pilgrimage.
Holy Tradition has preserved with accuracy the features of his portrait, and his appearance in icons is marked by a distinct individuality. Ecclesiastical art has produced numerous iconographic representations, ranging from bust images to full-length depictions. The diversity of these representations suggests that the final iconography of Saint Nicholas was not yet established, taking shape only in the 10th-11th centuries. It is said that an authentic icon from the basilica in Myra, executed during the saint's lifetime and mentioned in written sources as early as the 11th century, played a significant role in his veneration.
Icons depicting the hagiographic cycle of Saint Nicholas spread widely in both Byzantine and post-Byzantine art, confirming the importance and popularity of his cult.

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#Exhibit of the Month

June 2022

Teapot on a stand with a spirit lamp (bouillotte)

The history of silverware goes back over 5,000 years, but only in the 3rd millennium BC, in Mesopotamia and Anatolia, the first pieces of processed silver were made. From there, the art of working with silver spread to Persia and to Europe, where already in Roman and Greek antiquity it reached a high level of skill. Many of the techniques used then, such as casting, embossing and engraving, are still used today.

The National Museum of History of Moldova possesses a rich collection of silver items, which in a special way reflects the everyday life of people of the 18th-20th centuries. The typological range of objects that make up the collection includes both secular and ecclesiastical silverware: fruit vases, bonbonnieres, cutlery, tea and coffee preparation and serving sets, salt-cellars, handbags, snuffboxes and cigarette cases, candelabra, as well as icon cases, chalices, pectoral crosses, candlesticks, and so on.

Products of renowned jewelers, such as Fabergé, Khlebnikov, Sazikov in Russia, Elkington in England, Christofle in France or Norblin and Fraget in Poland stand out for their special quality and luxury. A significant item in the museum's silverware collection is the teapot on a stand with a spirit lamp (bouillotte), made in the Christofle workshop in France.

The Christofle workshop was founded in Paris in 1830 by Charles Christofle. The workshop, which was the court supplier of the Emperor of France Napoleon III, the Emperor of Mexico and the Tsar of Russia, created decorative and household pieces of rare beauty. It was also highly appreciated by the Royal House of Romania, which granted the workshop a supplier patent. In 1842, Charles Christofle bought a patent for electroplating, a technique that involved first coating a metal base with copper and then with nickel and silver. It was this technique that allowed him to mass-produce silver tea sets, which were very popular at the time. Tea, brought to Europe in 1610 by the East India Company, was an expensive commodity that gradually gained popularity. The oldest preserved teapots, dating from the 1670s, were small. As tea gained popularity, larger teapots began to be produced, shaped to match the fashion of the time.

According to Christofle catalogs, the model was produced in 1868 and fascinates with its elegance and refinement. The teapot has a complex design including a pear-shaped container, the surface of which is ornamented with guilloché in the Louis XVI style of the late 1780s. In the upper and lower parts of the body it is decorated with a border with tulips on protrusions, and in the center, it has an escutcheon with an engraved double frame. The teapot is equipped with a folding basket-like handle decorated with triple rings, and a lid with a knob. There are two rivets on the teapot for attaching it to the stand. A spirit lamp with a straight handle and a device for lifting the wick is fixed in the middle of the stand. The item has the Christofle stamp and is made of nickel silver.

The teapot on a stand with a spirit lamp, made in the Christofle workshop, harmoniously combines the value of a unique object and a sample of a large industrial series.

Dimensions: H.: 43 cm; W.: 24 cm.

#Exhibit of the Month

Icon “Saint Nicholas with Scenes from His Life”

June 2022

Teapot on a stand with a spirit lamp (bouillotte)

#Exhibit of the Month