Russian Icon, 19th Century of the Virgin of Joy to those who grieve surrounded by archangeles, 12.5" X 10.5" The use and making of icons entered Kievan Rus' (which later expanded to become the Russian Empire) followed its conversion to Orthodox Christianity in 988 A.D. As a general rule, these icons strictly followed models and formulas hallowed by usage, some of which had originated in Constantinople. As time passed, the Russians widened the vocabulary of types and styles far beyond anything fo... Click for details
