Vladimirskaya Mother of God, The

Painting

Purdue University Galleries

Name/Title

Vladimirskaya Mother of God, The

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.021

Description

Oil or tempura on panel largely covered by silver riza with polychrome enameling backed in red silk. On the front of the icon, a Church Slavonic caption sits at the center bottom and additional Church Slavonic symbols are situation in the upper two corners. Madonna and child in Eleousa or Vladimir style (cheeks touching) with halos in various shades of pink, white, blue, and gold and motifs in them and are made of metal as is the clothing of Mary and Jesus, which takes the form of blue and gold colored robes. The painting underneath the riza is only shown with the faces and hands of figures, 4 corners also have same designs as the halos.

Type of Painting

Panel

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

Kostroma, Russia

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Makers Mark

Location

Under the bottom edge of riza, 90 degrees below Cyrillic caption

Transcription

84, A symbol that looks like a head with a crown or helmet, AMM

Language

Cyrillic

Translation

Silver standard mark (84 & head symbol), Aleksey Mikhaylovich Maklakov, 1898

Type

Makers Mark

Location

Under Christ child's feet on the Mother's robes

Transcription

84(solitary/not accompanied by diadem head), two other unintelligible symbols

Dimensions

Height

8-3/4 in

Width

6-3/4 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

"This icon is close in subject to 2005.02.020 and is another variation of the Eleousa type, in which mother and child embrace fondly with cheeks touching (in Russia, it was known as the “Vladimir” type). Here, the Virgin turns to the left, as the Christ child places both arms around his mother’s neck. The Virgin gazes past the infant while he looks up at her. They both wear lush drapery in gold and navy blue colors, and the Virgin’s cloak displays star ornaments and a fringe on the shoulder. Christ’s halo has two emblems in red and that of the Virgin contains elaborate floral scrollwork in cloisonné enamel. The artist successfully blended painting and metalwork techniques in this icon (the colored enamel is a fine touch). The figure style contrasts strongly with that of Cat. No. 1, showing the influence of Western European art, with its soft, illusionistic modeling and well-rounded forms, and is just the opposite of the more formal, two-dimensional manner of Byzantine tradition."