10 Vladimir Mother of God

Russian style Icon, 19th Century – 20th Century
Inserted cradling Size: 121⁄4”x97/8”

This icon depicts a another version of the Mother of God of Vladimir. It is in the style of the Virgen Eleusa, or Mother of Tenderness. The tenderness is shown in the way the Mother and Christ Child’s faces are lovingly cheek to cheek in their embrace. The original has been attributed to St Luke who traditions holds did the first icons of Our Lady and Christ. The original worked its way from Constantinople, to Kiev, and finally in 1161 to the city of Vladimir. The original icon is currently held in the Tretyakov Museum in Moscow. The Monogram at the top is Greek for Mother of God, while monogram next to Christ’s head are Greek for Jesus Christ.
The distinctive feature of the Vladimir Mother of God are of course the postures. While the Mother of God may be in the center of the frame, her head and her hands direct attention to Christ. Mary’s eyes, however, are directed at the person venerating the icon, imploring the viewer to action. She bends towards the child seeking mercy from him for those to come to Him asking for her intercession.