18th Russian Century Icon - Zosim and Savvaty
Zosim and Savvaty
18th Century Russian Icon
Egg tempera and gold leaf on wood panel
21 x 28 inches
Zosim and Savvaty were the monks who founded the Solvensky monastery on the White Sea. They are both holding The Kazan Mother of God, wearing monastic clothes, Zosim on the left, Savvaty on the right. Savvaty's origin is unknown, other than he was in the White Lake Monastery of Krrill Byelozerskiy sometime between 1408 and 1431. He next went to the Valaam Monastery on Lake Ladoga. Uncomfortable at being praised there for his piety, he left for the uninhabited Solvensky Island in the White Sea, where he settled with the Monk German (of Solovestsk). Savvaty died in 1435. One year later German returned to Solovetsk with Zosim, he founded a monastery there which grew and flourished. Zosim died in 1478. Zosim and Savvaty are commonly shown standing in front of their monastery.
A full-length vertical crack seen on the left side of the icon will be mended and restored.