The icon was made by the nuns of the Assumption and Transfiguration Convent in Stary Oskol. It was created presumably at the end of the 18th century. The exhibit joined the museum collection in 1978.

The Assumption and Transfiguration Convent was founded at the end of the 17th century. On the territory of the convent there were two wooden churches which gave the convent its double name — the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Abbess Evdokia was the Mother Superior of the convent. At that time 42 nuns aged 17 to 100 lived in the convent. Widows of military men retired to the cloister. The convent was abolished in 1764. The building of the Assumption Church was the oldest stone church building in the city. It was located on Kurskaya street and was rebuilt several times. The temple was destroyed in the 1930s.

The icon of Our Lady of Kazan is one of the most venerated in the Orthodox Church. There are several canonical types of images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, depending on her posture, gestures and attire. This icon belongs to one of the oldest image types — Hodegetria, translated from the Greek as “showing the way”.

The icon is a chest-length image of the Mother of God, with the infant Christ sitting in her arms. The Virgin’s head is slightly tilted toward the child, Christ Himself sits upright and en face. His right hand is folded into a sign of cross made with two fingers, blessing people. In some versions the fingers of Christ are put together so that they stand for the two Greek letters — the first letters of the name Jesus Christ. The Child is the center of the composition: the icon shows the majesty of Christ, who appeared to the world. The Mother of God is depicted in the background, she represents the Son to the people. Unlike the Vladimir icon (“Tenderness”) showing the love of the mother for her Child, the Kazan icon is more majestic and austere. Its mission is to exalt the Son of God and His Mother.

The icon is embroidered with tinsel, a thin metal thread. This needlework tradition came to us from India. The clothes of the Mother of God and Jesus Christ are embroidered with brown beads. Seven beads are sewn on the veil of the Virgin. When making the icon, a few layers of canvas were put under the icon to make the image look more voluminous. The faces on the icon are painted.

Наименование: Icon of Our Lady of Kazan
Дата создания: the late 18th century
Место создания: Stary Oskol, the Russian Empire
Техника: embroidery, painting
Размеры: 23×16 cm

A hoard is hidden money or valuables, the owner of which cannot be identified or has lost the ownership of it by virtue of the law. The hoard of the 17th century coins from the period of reign of Alexey Mikhailovich was found in the village of Baranovo, Kursk Oblast, by V. I. Likhachev, a resident of the village, while plowing his plot of land in 1971. The clay jug contained 102 copper kopecks dating from the 17th century.

The coins of the 17th century take visitors back to the period of raids by the Crimean and Nogai Tatars and the construction of the Belgorod defense line. Service class people (cossacks, streltsy, artillerymen, coachmen, blacksmiths, and carpenters) were paid salaries. In addition to the Tatar raids, the settlements were exposed to attacks by Polish and Lithuanian troops. In case of danger, money (e.g., remunerations to be paid) could be buried in the ground.

Baranovo is a settlement in Gorshechensky District of Kursk Oblast about 16 kilometers northwest from Stary Oskol. The lands in the area were owned by the Oskol horsemen and their descendants since the end of the 16th century. The Landrat census of 1719 mentions the village of Baranovo of Pokrovsky parish of Kunya village. The kopecks were most likely minted between 1654 to 1663. During this period a certain stage of monetary reform pursued by Alexey Mikhailovich was underway: a large amount of copper coins was put into circulation.

The reform led to the depreciation of copper money because of its unlimited issuing, accompanied by counterfeiting copper money emerging on the market; it also resulted in rising prices and the impoverished craftsmen, small traders and service class men who received wages in copper money. The financial crisis was exacerbated by the fact that the government refused to take copper money in payment of taxes. The reforms brought about the Copper Riot, which broke out in Moscow in 1662. Soon after it, as well as a series of national disturbances in other cities, copper coins minting was discontinued, “copper” mints closed down, and the minting of silver kopecks resumed. Copper coins were withdrawn from circulation; within a month after the reversal of the reform the Treasury bought back copper kopecks at a rate of 100 copper kopecks for 1 silver one.

The presence of hoards in a particular area indicates the tense political situation in the historical era to which they belong.

Наименование: Coins from a hoard
Дата создания: 1645–1676
Место создания: Moscow, Russia
Техника: minting
Размеры: length — 0.6 cm