Icon with Scenes from the Life of Christ

Artist

Ottoman Palestine, Jerusalem or Bethlehem (Israeli; Palestinian)

Date

Late 19th century

Medium

mother of pearl, gilt copper

Dimensions

Work : 13 1/8 x 12 x 2 3/4 in. (33.34 x 30.48 x 6.99 cm)

Credit Line

Gift of David Kamansky and Gerald Wheaton in memory of George Tietse

Object Number

2018.10.2

Label

This carved shell icon featuring scenes from the life of Jesus Christ was likely made in Bethlehem or Jerusalem during the last few decades of the 19^th century. Such shell icons were highly prized as souvenirs by European pilgrims to the Holy Land at that time. The declining power of the Ottoman Empire meant that it was once again relatively safe for European Christians to visit the places where Christ and his disciples had lived. The English-language inscriptions on this icon’s bronze display case suggest that it may originally have been acquired by a British or American traveler.