An antique 19th-century Russian Orthodox icon depicting Virgin Mary with baby Jesus in the Tikhvinskaya iconography. Mixed media painting: egg tempera, gesso, and levkas on a wood board. The icon is enclosed in a silver riza or oklad, a protecting case with repousse work and finely engraved details. Hallmarks: an 84 Russian Imperial silver standard, George the Victorious for Moscow, assay mark B.C. under the date 1874, and Cyrillic makers initials NZ. Theotokos of Tikhvin is one of the most celebrated Orthodox Christian icons that is said to be one of the icons written by St. Luke the Evangelist. Since the 14th century, the icon was held in Tikhvin, where eventually Tikhvin Assumption Monastery was founded to host the icon. Antique Russian Religious Items and Collectibles.