Featured NOT Sure Exactly Which Forum This Should Go Under, But it's Definitely an

antique, so.....I have a friend on Cape Cod who's STILL digging in her attic since her Mom passed a few years ago, and STILL coming up with items.....she sent me pics yesterday wondering what it is.....that her Grandfather brought back from Poland when he emigrated MANY years ago......I do believe it's a pretty old Russian Icon.....does any-one here speak/read Polish or Russian? There's writing/printing on the bottom and wondering if anyone could translate it? I DO know we have the VERY extensive Russian Icon Museum a couple of towns out and that's probably my next stop....she's NOT looking to sell as it's a family treasure even if no value......I found it interesting that the first image she sent was pretty dark....and hard to see the faces.....then she used flash, which lightened things up enough to see the faces!!! Pretty cool IMHO!!! ANY/ALL comments greatly APPRECIATED!!!

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Madonna_of_Częstochowa ?

 

OH MY, @Any Jewelry this seems to look the most like the one my friend has, at least in the facial features!!! She will be VERY excited to see this! Thank you SO much, and I hope you are feeling well with taking your hiatus from here!! I feel your presence, even if you aren't checking in all the time! JUST STAY WELL, PLEASE!!! And THANK YOU again!!!

 

Does closely resemble that one. Great!

The words underneath are not in Russian. At least, they are not in the Cyrillic alphabet that Russia uses. Could be Polish? They don't use Cyrillic...

 

Sometimes it pays to have been raised a Catholic.
And I like Black Madonnas, the Czestochowa Madonna is one of the most famous Black Ladies.

I've been doing too much, can't help myself. This one was easy though.

 

Looks like someone picked of her jewels . Love her face.

 

The story of the Madonna's scars was fascinating.....at least to ME!!!!

 

Any Madonna worth her salt has some miracles up her beautiful sleeve.
Ours, here in the south of the Netherlands, sing or talk in a sweet voice. They can also walk if someone puts them in the wrong spot, saying "this is where I want to rest".

Our most beautiful Madonna, the 'Sterre der zee', 'Star of the Sea' (photo below) paralysed the arm of a French soldier who came at her with a sabre.
She looks so harmless, doesn't she? Moral of the story, never attack a lady.