A jewelled seed-pearl, silver-gilt and cloisonné enamel icon of the Kazanskaya Mother of God, Dmitri Lukitch Smirnov, Moscow, 1899-1908

84 standard

Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, probably acquired in the late 1920s,
by descent to Mrs Edward Newling,
given to Ronald Fleming in 1962,
given to the present owner in 1968

Very good condition. The painting with a few very small losses. A few minor losses to the enamel, particularly along the upper section surmounting the halo, which has also been repaired along the bottom, and to the lower right corner and lower right border.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Nicknamed 'The King of Copper' after the success of his mining company at Bingham Canyon and knighted in 1956 for the strategic supply of key raw materials to the Allies in the Second World War, Chester Beatty was an avid collector and bibliophile.  Having emigrated from America during the First World War, he became a British citizen in 1933 but moved to Ireland in 1950.  His generosity led him to donate several pieces from his collection to the British Museum, while the majority of his library, still housed at his former residence in Dublin, was bequeathed in trust to the nation.  His mining interests took him all over the world including the Sikhote-Alin mountains north of Vladivostok where he owned a lead and zinc mine from 1925 to 1931.