Bogoliubskaya Mother of God, The

Painting

Purdue University Galleries

Name/Title

Bogoliubskaya Mother of God, The

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.028

Description

Slightly curved wooden panel with painting on the topside covered in silver riza in repoussé and engraved. On the backside of the panel is a piece of computer paper with icon description in purple text taped to it. The exterior border of the riza has six figures on each side with a Cyrillic caption on the bottom and floral motifs throughout. The main image shows Mary on the left holding a scroll with Cyrillic script, raised halo with three leaf motifs, and floor length robes with floral motifs throughout. In the top right is an image of Jesus in the clouds and below him are nine figures with painted faces and raised metal 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

Moscow, Russia

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Makers Mark

Location

Bottom of the main image, just above the caption and below the clouds at Mary's feet, in Mary's halo, in every halo of the saints pictured on the right

Transcription

СГ, 84 with crowned head symbol

Language

Cyrillic

Translation

Notes

Unknown artist but other paintings in Finland

Type

Inscription

Location

Back of icon

Transcription

Typed summary of piece (English) and unintelligible cursive in pencil

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

14 in

Width

12-1/4 in

Depth

1-1/2 in

Exhibition

Spirit Made Tangible: The Scheuring Icon Collection (2006)

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Cultural/Historical Context

Label

The Bogolyubov Mother of God refers to the story of the dream of Grand Prince Andrei Georgievich Bogolyubsky after his victory in the battle of Kiev in 1157 (see 2005.02.068) He saw the Mother of God standing full-length and holding a scroll, looking at Jesus in the clouds. She told him to have her image placed in a church in the city of Vladimir, and accordingly a church was constructed and the icon painted. The latter-day celebration of the icon was instituted in 1771, when it was credited with saving Kiev from a disastrous plague. The “Moscow” version of this type adds a group of saints to the original scene, including nine figures who kneel before her. The scroll is inscribed with the words: “Ruler most gracious, Lord Jesus Christ, my son and my God, hear the prayer of your Mother, for she prays for the world.” The raised border has a floral pattern and includes six figures of family saints, or saints with particular importance to the patron. The figures vary in scale, with the Virgin appearing much larger, in a monumental vision. Christ is shown much smaller, as another vision farther away in the sky. These effects lend an otherworldly atmosphere to the scene, underscoring the contemplative purpose of the icon.