Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-07-03
FROM TIE CARS LAND.
IMAGES OF SAINTS HANGING IN NEW
YORK BouDolRs.

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 boudoiis 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
howell and are treated with extraordinary
veneratlon. The Russians, not being allowed
10 worship craven images, paint picture of
the saint or Madonna on wood OF canvas, and
then place over it what might be called a
screen of silver or brass, nodded or engraved
to represent the clothing. Holes are left SO
that the painted faces and hands show
through, and where the Christ child is repre-
sented his feet are also seen Full length fig
ures of the saints are permitted, but only
half length figure of the Virgin, and nude or
incompletely draped figures are forbidden.
In the Cathedral of the Assumption, in the
kremlin, in which all the czars we're crowned.
is the Vladimirsk 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 $225, 600 The face of
the Mother is a very sweet one and the face.
and one hand of the Child are seen. This was
deposited in the most sacred of Russian cathe-
drals, represents exactly the side of an an
Gent palladium, and copy of it adorns the
drawing rod-l of lady in this city, who
brought it with her from Russia.
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But the most important of all the icons.
and the most venerated is the Iberian Mother,
which was brought from Mount Athos, in the
time of the Gar Alexis, about the middle of
the Seventeenth century. The Iberian Mother
sits i'll the midst of gods and pearls, and, like
all Russian saints, has dark brown complex
ion. Round her head is net of pearls, on one
shoulder large jewel, another on her brow,
above which is brilliant crown Around
the picture are gold brocaded hangings, on
winch angels heads, painted on porcelain,
with silver wings, are sewed, and the
whole is lighted by thirteen silver lamps.
t@s'des her Face her hands are seen, and the
face, feet and haYlds of the child The icon
Is of silver, large, and has a 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 il
represented in every copy At all hours of
the day there are people Frustrating them
selves before this icon, and the Virgins hand
and Child's foot have been kissed SO often
that, to quote traveller cit 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
matter of political importance and bond
.afa l,+r, L. i L.
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.n 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 q 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 hands
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
the peasants, and covered as they cover them.
with birch bark. The cover they wind round
with a linen cloth, which is in this case
represented by the whitish silver Another
pitcher, also of silver gilded, has a very
beautiful interlaeed design, which is favor
ite with the Russians.
A popularity of the Russians is the impor-
lance they attach to bread and salt, thess
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 lid on which is in Russian, without
salt, without bread, only half a meal, u and
what may be called the back of the chair
being richly ornamented, sometimes having
the Russian coat of arms at the top. Such
one had a design in colored enamels, the
work being in the Byzantine style. Another
salt cellar, which might be used as a drink.
ing 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 comb
beall or talons being used if there is no room
for more. New York Mail and Express.