Mother of God of Joy to Those Who Sorrow, The

Painting

Purdue University Galleries

Name/Title

Mother of God of Joy to Those Who Sorrow, The

Entry/Object ID

2005.02.022

Description

Oil and tempura on sky blue painted flat wood panel, gold leaf in scrolling ivy designs in background. The central figure in the upper center standing on a cloud is Madonna in pink and light teal robes with crown holding a cross staff and baby Jesus in white and tan robes. In the foreground, one angelic figure hand out food to the people while another heals a blind man. Three other ailing men and one woman (in white veil and purple skirt) make up the base scene. Inscription on bottom in Church Slavonic script.

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

circa 1900

Dimensions

Height

10-1/2 in

Width

8-3/4 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

For a description of this subject, see 2005.02.101. In contrast to that more traditional example, this image is reduced to only a few figures representing a crowd of suffering people. Scrolls bearing inscriptions are eliminated. The Virgin and Child are separated from the others by a cloud, but here the figures are arranged in a more three-dimensional space below. There is an abundant use of gold, following Byzantine tradition, and the other colors in this modern example are light, including pastel pink, violet and light green. The border is a pattern of leaves and vines, picked out in color at the corners and in the center in an imitation of enamel decoration.