19th century Russian icon, Old Believers' workshop.
"The Virgin of All Sorrows".
Painting on wood.
Some flaws in the polychromy. Marks of wear and tear due to the passage of time.
Measurements: 36 x 31 cm.
The Virgin of All Sorrows is a type of Marian iconography venerated in the Russian Orthodox Church, and it is considered miraculous. The canon appeared in 1688 in Moscow in the Church of the Madonna of All Sorrows, also known as the Church of the Transfiguration, although other earlier versions are known, but with different iconography.
The final typology of the icon was formed in Russia under a strong Western influence. One can perceive similarities with the iconography of Mercy, of the Immaculate Conception or Maestà. This canonical icon depicts the Mother of God seated hieratically on the throne, which is the centre of the icon's attention, both because of its central location and its size. She is surrounded by segments which in turn contain a horror vacui of various people afflicted by illness and pain. At the top is a series of angels, protectors of the Virgin. They are turned towards the sick, as if they were saying the inscribed prayers to them.