St. Vladimir

Painting

Purdue University Galleries

Name/Title

St. Vladimir

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.048

Description

Tempera on flat wooden panel backed in red silk. Covered in silver frame with enameled corners in blue, cream, red, and green floral motifs. The Central image features a man with white beard holding an orthodox cross in red and aqua robes with gold embroidery. Makers mark under bottom edge

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

Time Period

19th Century

Place

Country

Russia

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Makers Mark

Location

Under bottom edge of riza

Transcription

СГ, 84

Language

Cyrillic

Translation

SG, 84

Notes

Marks are a bit eroded and hard to read

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

12 in

Width

10 in

Depth

1-1/4 in

Exhibitions

Spirit Made Tangible: The Scheuring Icon Collection (2006)

Surveying the Sacred: Analysis of the Scheuring Collection of Eastern Orthodox Icons (2025)

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

"St. Vladimir is famous for beginning the Christianization of Russia in the late 10th century. He converted from paganism in order to marry his fifth wife, the sister of Emperor Basil II in Constantinople, and upon returning to Kiev he renounced his pagan wives. He was the father of Sts. Boris and Gleb, featured in 2005.02.092 and 2005.02.116. St. Vladimir stands with his eyes cast toward heaven, one hand below his long white beard, the other holding a tri-bar cross in front of him. His expression is somber and he wears royal clothes that echo the downward angles of his face. The painting’s style was influenced by Western European trends. The finely crafted silver frame, with its floral pattern and enameling in dark blue, light blue, cream, lavender, pink, green, and maroon, is exquisite. The floor tiles beneath the saint show an effect of linear perspective and the drapery falls realistically, but St. Vladimir’s figure is elongated in the traditional Byzantine fashion. "