Eastern Europe, Russia, ca. 18th century CE. A wonderful icon depicting the Virgin of Intercession, finely painted in egg tempera, gold leaf, gesso, and varnish on limewood and labeled above in calligraphic old cyrillic. The composition presents the Virgin standing full-length turned toward her left in three-quarter pose with her right hand extended and the left holding an unfurled scroll presenting her plea, "My Son and my God, uncontainable Godhead who in humility . . ." interceding with God to bring about the salvation of the faithful bowing at her feet. In the upper right corner, the Lord obliges the Virgin. Size: 14" L x 12" W (35.6 cm x 30.5 cm)

The "Virgin of Intercession" icon first arose in Constantinople in the fourth century and later spread to Russia. According to Tradigo, "In fourth-century Constantinople the empress (later Saint) Pulcheria had a little church built at the Chalkoprateia (copper market), devoted to the worship of the Virgin's belt inside a holy chest, a relic brought from Jerusalem. The icon kept in this Church had two titles: Chalkopratissa, from the location of the church, and Hagiosoritissa, that is "of the Holy Chest. . . ." This iconographical type became known as the Virgin of Bogoliubovo in Russia, named after Prince Andrei Bogoliubovo. On the night of July 18, 1157, the Virgin appeared to the prince in a dream, making this gesture of supplication to Christ and opening a scroll with a prayer. Following this, the prince had an image of this vision created and then had a monastery built at the location of this apparition, known as the monastery of Bogoliubovo, a reference to this in the central background of this icon.

Icons (icon means "image" in Greek) are sacred objects within the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. Found in homes as well as churches, these painted images depict holy persons and saints as well as illustrate scenes from the Scriptures. Icons are not worshiped, but are instead venerated for their ability to focus the power of an individual's prayer to God. As such they are truly "windows into heaven."

Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection

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#124674

Normal surface wear with a few scuffs, nicks, pigment and gold leaf losses as shown. A few darkened areas probably from burning candles set before it. Missing back slats. Losses to lower right corner and peripheries as shown. Inactive insect losses to lower back sections.