A RUSSIAN ICON OF SAINT JOHN THE FORERUNNER AS THE ANGEL OF THE DESERT WITH LIFE SCENES, 19TH CENTURY depicting Saint John the Baptist as a winged angel wearing a himation over his ascetic penitential shirt of camel hair, he holds a scroll with a prayer and a plate with his own severed head on it, the saint is surrounded by the five main scenes from his life. Egg tempera, gold leaf and gesso on wood panel with a kovcheg. Two insert splints on the back (both missing). 35.5 x 30 cm (14 x 11 7/8 in.)