The frame honors the acheiropoieta, "not made by human hands," icon of Christ. The narratives on the doors tell its history from Christ's leaving his image on the cloth with which he wiped his face on his way to Calvary through the cloth's role as the protector of the kingdom of Edessa (in modern Turkey) and then its transfer to the Byzantine imperial capital in 944. In 1380 Muscovite armies, following the image on a battle standard, defeated the Mongols at the famous battle of Kulikovo. This elegant later work demonstrates the icon's continuing importance to the Muscovite court.
On the outer sides of the shutters the two Archangels are identified by their inscriptions, "Archangel Gabriel" (on the left side) and "Archangel Michael" (on the right side). Gabriel holds a sphere marked "IC" and Michael a sphere marked "XC", forming the monogram of Christ.
Medium: Silver, partly gilt, niello, enamel, sapphires, rubies, spinels, pearls, leather, silk velvet, oil paint, gesso, linen, mica, pig-skin, wood. Measurements: overall (open) 27 x 35 3/4 x 5 in. (68.6 x 90.8 x 12.7 cm).
Source: metmuseum.org
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