Mother of God of the Unburnt Thornbush (“Neopalimaya Kupinal”), The

Painting

-

Purdue University Galleries

Name/Title

Mother of God of the Unburnt Thornbush (“Neopalimaya Kupinal”), The

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.077

Description

Curved wood panel painted with egg tempura featuring red, green, and yellow-brown exterior border with main image slightly lowered within red interior border. Black Cyrillic title at the top center, main image features Madonna in maroon veil and royal blue dress holding a ladder and Child clothes in very light blue and salmon colored robe. The two are in a red circlet within red and blue four point star motif surrounded by angels in yellow, purple, green, and mauve clouds. Within the red four point star are symbols of the Evangelists Saint Mark (winged lion bottom left), Matthew (angel top left), John (eagle top right), and Luke (winged bull bottom right).

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

1875 - 1900

Time Period

19th Century

Place

* Untyped Place

Ivanovo Region, NW 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

12-1/4 in

Width

10-1/2 in

Exhibition

Spirit Made Tangible: The Scheuring Icon Collection (2006)

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

A metaphor of the Virgin’s role in the Incarnation is the Old Testament episode of the burning bush that appeared to Moses and was not consumed. Icons of this type depict the half-length Mother of God and the Christ child in a central medallion, in which the Virgin also holds a ladder, an emblem of hers in the Abathist Canon. The medallion is set within a four-pointed blue star containing angels, which overlies a red star with symbols of the Evangelists. Eight more angels, representing virtues and elemental powers appear in curvilinear compartments between the two stars. These angels are known symbolically as the Spirit of Wisdom, the Angel who kindles fires, the Angel of Thunder and Lightning, who reveals the Second coming of Christ, etc. Finally, in the four corners of the icon are scenes of Old Testament events prefiguring the Mother of God, such as Moses and the Burning Bush (upper left) and Jacob dreaming of a ladder that reaches to heaven (lower right). Besides it complex imagery, this icon displays beautiful coloring, especially tones of bright red, blue, and reddish-purple. This type of icon was considered a good protection against fire.