Most Holy Mother of God of Unexpected Joy, The

Name/Title

Most Holy Mother of God of Unexpected Joy, The

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.023

Description

Tempera on curved wooden panel bordered in red and black. A black Church Slavonic caption sits in the top center, and angel clothed in white stands in the left margins, and a woman with a crown stands in the right margin. The central image shows a man in red robes kneeling on a backdrop of green building with red curtains. Opposite of him, the Virgin is shown from the waist up clothes in red robes holding a bare chested Christ child. Both of them face the left, and are on a gold leaf background. The back of this piece is full of little holes.

Type of Painting

Panel

Artwork Details

Medium

Tempera

Collection

Betsy Scheuring Icon Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2005.02

Source or Donor

Betsy Scheuring

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of Betsy Scheuring

Made/Created

Date made

circa 1900

Place

* Untyped Place

Central Russia

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Icon

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Symbol, Religious

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Religious Objects

Nomenclature Class

Ceremonial Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Dimensions

Height

13-5/8 in

Width

11-13/16 in

Depth

1-3/4 in

Exhibition

Spirit Made Tangible: The Scheuring Icon Collection (2006)

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

The beginning of the story which this icon type depicts is noted in an inscription below the Virgin: “A certain lawless man had a daily rule to pray to the Most Holy Mother of God with the words of the Archangel’s greeting: Hail, Blessed One…” The scene shows a sinful man falling to his knees before a large painting of the Virgin and Child inside a building. He sees the image in the painting move and the Child bleeding from the wounds of his future Passion. The words “Who has done this?” come out of his mouth. The sinner repents and is forgiven, and there is unexpected joy. This version of the scene includes two family saints: a guardian angel on the left and St. Barbara on the right. One sees columns and arches that frame the scene and represent the interior of the building where the action takes place. There also appears an open window with abundant drapery, through which the windows and façade of another structure are observed.