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Icon of Virgin, Northern Russian School
Ref: 5189
A traditional Russian Icon celebrating the Feast of the Intercession of the Mother
of God, otherwise known as the Intercession of the Theotokos, this is a national
holiday in October in Russia and the Ukraine and on this day they celebrate
the Virgin Mary’s love of humanity, the official origins of this traditional celebration are
said to go back to the 10th century, when in a church in Constantinople (Istanbul)
the Slav-born St Andrew saw a vision of the Virgin floating in the air and surrounded by
angels, in the Church she stayed and prayed, promising to bring the love
of Christ to the world, in the bottom right side of this icon you can see her
administering to the sick and in the centre bottom you can see what is presumably
St Andrew himself instructing his disciple Epiphanious in the teachings of Virgin,
she herself here as traditionally appears in top centre in an aureole of
light, again according to convention she holds in her arms a veil that is supported
at either ends by angels, this veil symbolises protection, in other versions of the
icon you may have seen she holds the veil over the heads of humanity like an
umbrella or shield.
If you imagine the unabashed affection with which children are held in Russia
and the Orthodox world and picture a mother or grandmother enfolding the young
in her garments you can see how the codified symbolism of the icon translates to the
real world and how in the folk tradition this feast is embraced as a celebration of the
matriarchy power and love.
Novgorod, c.1800
H: 40cm (15.7in)
W: 35cm (13.8in)
D: 4cm (1.6in)
SOLD
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