A RARE RUSSIAN ICON OF CHRIST EMMANUEL, THE UNSLEEPING EYE (NEDREMANOE OKO), 16TH CENTURY |

in a field of flowering plants an outsized figure of Christ Emmanuel shown reclining at center, flanked by the Mother of God and the Archangel Michael, who holds a cross, a spear, and a sponge-tipped lance, all symbols of Christ's Passion, the Holy Spirit represented as a dove descending from a blue orb 

Windows to Heaven: The Icons of Russia, Santa Barbara, 1982, no. 6, p. 34.
Sacred Images and the Millennium: Christianity and Russia, Eugene, 1988, no. 9, p. 6.

the panels with area of loss and repair consistent with age; treated by a conservator in 1982, surfaces were sealed with a reversible sealant (B72) meant to consolidate and protect the surface
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The iconography is believed to have first appeared in Moscow at the end of the 15th century. Scholars have traced its origins to the Infancy Gospel of the Pseudo-Matthew in which the Angel of God leads the Holy Family to rest under a tree in an oasis. Mary discovers that the child sleeps soundly with open eyes, just as David had declared in the Psalms (121:4): "Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."