The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-05-26
FROM THE CARS LAND.
IMAGES OF SAINTS HANGING IN NEW
YORK BOUDOIRs.

New York Bellies Craze for Everything
RussiaD-What Icons Are-An Object
of Great Religious Observation-Disclosures
of Curious Design.
With the craze for everything Russian the
New York bellies have taken to adjoining
their boudoirs with Russian icons, and hang
ing lamps before them that are generally
kept lighted. To the uninitiated it is well to
explain that icons are pictures of the Virgin
and child and the saints. They abound
everywhere in Russia, from the palace to the
novel, and are treated with extraordinary
Venerat1on. The Russians, not being allowed
TO worship craven images, paint picture of
Cne SAINT or Madonna on wood or canvas and
then place over it what might be called
screen of silver or brass, nodded or engraved
to represent the clothing. Holes are left so
that the painted faces and hands show
thRcagh, and where the Christ child is repre-
se1Ited his feet are also seen. Full length fig
ures of the saints are permitted, but only a
half length figure of the Virgin, and nude or
lncompletely draped figures are forbidden.
In the Cathedral of the Assumption, in the
Kremlin, in which all the czars were crowned,
is the Vladimirski Mother, which is attrib-
uted to St Luke 1t is supposed to have
saved Russia from the Tartars, and is adorned
with jewels valued at 1926, 900. The face of
the Mother is a very sweet one and the face,
and one hand of the Child are SEEN This was
deposited i'll the most sacred of Russian cathe-
drals, represents exactly the side of an an
Gent palladium, and a copy of it adorns the
drawing room of lady in this city, who
brought it with her from Russia
THE MOST vENERATED ICON.
But the most important of all the icons,
and the most venerated, is the Iberian Mother,
4k1cI AL 49,,
time of the Gar Alexis about the middle of
the Seventeenth century The Iberian Mother
sits in the midst of gods and pearls, and, like
all Russian saints has a dark brown complex
ion. Round her head is net of pearls, on one
shoulder large jewel, another on her brow,
above which is a brilliant crown Around
the picture are gold brocaded hangings, on
which angels heads, painted on porcelain,
with silver wings, are Sewed, and the
whole is lighted by thirteen silver lamps.
Besides her face, her hands are seen, and the
face, feet and hands of the child. The icon
is of silver, large, and has heavy frame of
the same metal A little wound on the right
cheek of the mother was inflicted by the
Turks, and scarcely had the steel touched
the picture when the blood flowed. This is
represented in every copy. At all hours of
the day there are people prostrating them
selves before this icon, and the Virgins hand
and Child's foot have been kissed SO often
that, to quote a traveller, sit is no longer the
hand and foot that are kissed, but the con-
crete breath of the piOus." The devotion of
the emperor to this venerated icon is really
a matter of political Importance and a bond
of affection between him and his people,
A copy of this icon, in brass, fashionable
lady in this city has set up in her bOudOir,
along with other souvenirs of her Russian
trip, and the suspended brass lamp that
hangs before it is lighted on the occasion of
an afternoon ''tea." These icons in old brass
are very valuable, but the modern one are
almost worthless
ARTICLES OF CURIOUS DESIGN.
Icons are scarce in this city, and probably
half dozen could not be found in the shops.
Inquiries at one commercial house brought
forth two that had been carefully laid away,
wrapped in paper. These were of engraved
silver, about six inches by ten in size, full
lengths of male saints, the faces and handA
being beautifully painted. The paintings,
which are complete under the silver, were
| done on wood, the backs of which were COW
cred with purple velvet.
For the table the Russians do not much
fancy pure white silver, and the majority of
articles in that metal they have gilded A
| pitcher in this style, of an antique model,
initiates the earthenware pitchers used by
| with birch bark. The cover they wind round
with linen cloth, which is in this case
! represented by the whitish silver. Another
! pitcher, also of silver gilded, has a very
beautiful interlaced design, which is a favor
| tie with the Russians.
A popularity of the Russians is the impOr-
lance they attach to bread and salt, these
| two articles playing prominent parts at we'd
! dings and on all ceremOnious occasions. For
this reason they pay much attention to salt
cellars, and some of the designs are quite
unique A favorite design is chair shaped,
SO to speak, the seat containing the salt, and
having a lid on which is in Russian, ''W ithOut
salt, without bread, only half a meal, y and
what may be called the back of the chair
being richly ornamented, sometimes having
the Russian coat of arms at the top. Such q
one had a design in colored enamels, the
work being in the Byzantine style. Another
salt cellar, which might be used as drink
inc cup, was a silver and gilt cock about
eight inches high This bird is extremely
popular in Russia, and enters largely into
Russian decorations, sometimes the CONT
beak or talons being used if there is no room
for more.-New York Mail and Express.