Part of World Art Heritage

Art historian, icon and Russian silverware specialist, an antiquarian in New York and Paris and member of the Appraisers Association of America –Aleksandar Manić – is also an expert in authenticating Orthodox icons in the West.

By Milorad St. Ilić
Photo by Ljubiša Ivanović

Aleksandar Manić is reputedly one of the most respected specialists in Orthodox icons, which have flooded the West in recent years. He contributes to a number of professional magazines and publications worldwide, writing articles that explain the essence of the icon, the characteristics of individual styles and schools, the age in which particular icons were painted and how to tell an original from a forgery. Numerous professional magazines, such as L’Estampille, L’Objet d’Art, Vos Chiens (France); Sirius, Alef and Appraiser (USA) have published his articles on this interesting subject. He has also collaborated with the French TF1 TV and co-authored a book on Orthodox iconography titled Icone, un Arte de Verite (CpL, Paris 1991).

The original role of the icon is to entail the presence of God or saint in believers’ everyday lives. Is it at all possible to deal in such objects?

"One should remember that icons have always been subject to commercial dealings, whether directly from the studio or through the mediation of dealers, churches and monasteries. In the Balkans, there was a tradition of travelling icon painters and traders until the 20^th century, so that a whole chain of artists, artisans and merchants lived from icons. Icons, like other products, were not only subject to sale, but were also traded for other goods. Owing to monastery records, we may infer just how much icons were appreciated and how highly they were valued at the time. Circumstances have changed since then, however, primarily with regard to the purchased icon, so that today it is looked upon more as an art and collector’s item than as a cult object."

Art history testifies that icons were, for the most part, once sold on regional markets, but there were also international trade operations. To what degree has this situation changed today?

"Developed transport and communication, especially fast and widely accessible air routes, have internationalized the icon market. Therefore, broadly speaking, mostly so-called folk icons, painted by master artisans, are purchased on the markets in the Middle East, Greece, Serbia and other Balkan countries. Icons of the highest artistic quality are sold in England, America, France, Germany and Russia. A large number of high quality icons pass through the premier auction houses, such as Sotheby’s, Christie’s or Drouot.

Since the fall of communist regimes across Eastern Europe, a large number of icons, especially from Russia, have appeared on the market. Most are not top quality, like those of the first wave of displaced national treasures that left the country in the course of the 1920s. On a number of occasions, I’ve had the opportunity to see icons that were removed from Soviet museums 80 years ago, with the government’s stamp of approval, sold in Western countries."

One gains the impression that Russian icons are the most numerous on the market. Are they the most in demand or is there another reason for this?

"One might say that the highest demand is in France, because these two countries have maintained a special relationship since the 18^th century. Also, immediately after the Bolshevik October military coup, more than 200,000 Russians moved to France, bringing with them their culture and civilisation. So, it is understandable why the French feel closer to icons from Russia. Another thing that warrants mention is that, beginning in the 17^th century, the production of icons in Russia was enormous, whereas the Balkan countries were under Turkish occupation and, consequently, their icon output was incomparably smaller and poorer at the time.

"Also, collectors believe that icon painters from the Balkan region expressed a more austere religious and artistic perception. This detail invariably reminds me of an episode from Tarkovsky’s film Andrei Rublev in which he juxtaposes the austerity of the Byzantine genius Teofan the Greek with the gentleness of the Russian genius Rublev. However, this is about as much a matter of civilisation as it is a matter of personal taste."

Is an icon worth more in England, France or in the United States?

"It all depends on the icon. In cases of exceptional quality, its worth – both artistically and financially – becomes uniform. But we may observe differences in local markets. For instance, Americans love Russian icons from the late 19^th century, painted realistically and adorned with silver plating with enamel. Fine Russian icons from the 16^th and the 17^th centuries sell best in France and Germany, whereas the Greek, post-Byzantine, especially those from the Ionian islands and Crete, are most popular among collectors in England. Fine icons from the Balkans enjoy good standing on the Italian market. One should not omit The Netherlands and Switzerland, two countries of eclectic taste and clientele."

Does the choice of an icon’s central idea have a bearing on its value?

"Yes, it does, although not decisively. The most crucial elements are artistic value and the condition of a given icon. Then comes dating, the school with which it is affiliated or attributed, and only then – motif. The icons in highest demand are those depicting the Most Holy Mother of God with Jesus Christ represented as a child in Her arms. The motifs in demand also include those depicting great Feasts (Christ’s Nativity, Resurrection, Annunciation…), icons depicting the lives of the saints and miniatures. Collectors are also fond of icons with the saints as protectors of some activity or some profession: Saint Nicholas protects travelers and seamen, Saints Cosmas, Damian as well as Saint Pantelaimon protect health and doctors/healers, Saint George protects the poor and those in prison, Saint Paraskeve protects merchants, Saint Anastasia protects women’s handiwork…"

This means that icons are not bought only for their artistic merit but also for their original purpose – to serve as a spiritual connection between the believers and the saint they represent?

"To Orthodox believers, the icon has always signified the presence of Christ and the saints in everyday life. Despite today’s twisted perception of iconography as part of world art heritage, people increasingly identify the icon as a spiritual aid. It is not uncommon to make a gift of an icon on occasions such as a birth, baptism or wedding to endow the spiritual lives of the people receiving it with its light and assist them in their everyday lives."

Serbian Icons "There are a number of reasons why there are not very many Serbian icons on the market. First of all, because the most beautiful Serbian icons, those from the 14th to the 16th centuries, are few and are found in monastery treasuries and museum collections. Icons dating back to the period from the 17th to the end of the 19th century lack high artistic quality and their importance is more on the side of artisanship and folklore, and they attract fewer collectors. The most interesting icons are those from Vojvodina dating from the 18th and 19th centuries executed on a silver-plated base with engraved ornaments, Baroque icons from the early 19th century as well as the not widely known, nor well studied, icons from Kotor. However, considering our tumultuous history, these icons are scarce."

Forgeries on the Market Forged icons appeared in larger numbers on the Western market in the early 1970s. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, however, the number of forgeries rose manifold. We find them at antique dealers’ in Constantinople and Beirut, with merchants in Jerusalem, at Moscow’s flea markets, but also in large auction houses in the West. The best forgeries come from Russia. They are frequently painted on old wood, are prepared and darkened to simulate age and patina, and they can only be exposed through a process involving scrupulous examination. Forgers ordinarily lack iconographic and academic backgrounds, they strive merely for superficial effect, and are thus prone to making a number of mistakes. By way of careful analysis, an expert can discover a whole series of anachronisms and thus detect a forged icon.