Vision of the Enthroned Mother of God (“Vatopedskaya” type)

Painting

Purdue University Galleries

Name/Title

Vision of the Enthroned Mother of God (“Vatopedskaya” type)

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.110

Description

Flat painted wood panel with riza. The riza is iridescent in color and features a diamond and loop motif along the outer edge. There is Cyrillic script captioning in the upper center and right within a onion dome shaped home interior. On the right, Mary sits on a throne with the Christ Child. They both have spiked metal halos with painted faces and hands; Christ's legs are also painted. Mary's riza robe is adorned in floral motifs with the Orthodox cross at the bottom hem. In the center of the image, a female figure kneels with flat hands in prayer, plain robes, and a partially broken metal halo. On the left of both women's halos are several makers marks, and these are repeated in the center of the parquet style floor.

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

Artist

Axazakov

Date made

1850 - 1875

Place

* Untyped Place

St. Petersburg, Russia

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Makers Mark

Location

1. On the left of both women's halos 2. In the bottom center of the parquet floor

Transcription

1. Crossed anchor and grapnel crest symbolizing St. Petersburg, ИК 1869, A.K. 2.ИК 1869, 84, St. Petersburg crest, A. KA(S?)AKOB

Language

Cyrillic

Translation

1. St. Petersburg, I.K. 1869, A.K. 2. I.K. 1869, 84, Axazakov?

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

10-5/8 in

Width

8-3/4 in

Exhibition

Spirit Made Tangible: The Scheuring Icon Collection (2006)

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

The scene depicts a vision of the enthroned Mother of God, beheld by a kneeling saint in the left foreground, most likely to be identified as Saint Mary Magdalene This individual, whose halo has the same radiate form as those of the Virgin and Christ child, turns her head in three-quarter view so we may see the gentle expression. The gesturing Virgin is of the “Hodegetria” type, shown full-length. We are struck by the fully “westernized” setting in which the scenes takes place, with clear effects of linear perspective in the arched opening of the background and the diagonal placement of the enthroned Virgin. The riza not only reveals the flesh parts of the figures but also the long hair of the kneeling saint.