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28-Russian Icon
The Mother of God Joy to All Who Suffer
Circa 1800
Egg tempera, gold leaf on wood panel, 14" x 11.5"
James and Tatiana Jackson Collection
he prototype for this icon first appeared in 1643 in the Church of the
Transfiguration in Moscow. Based on the large number of surviving
examples, it is fair to say that this subject was exceedingly popular in
the 18th and 19th centuries. The icon depicts the crowned Mother of God at
center within an aureole atop clouds and holding the crowned infant Christ
who delivers a blessing. Suffering humans are gathered on both sides, with
angels among them. Depicted at mid-left are half-clothed people
representing the naked. At bottom right a seated man holds two long narrow
rods (crutches) and represents the sick and crippled. They hold open
scrolls upon which is written their petitions “O Most Holy Lady, Mistress,
Mother of God, higher than all the angels and archangels, and more
honorable than all creatures, you are the help of the injured, hope of the
weak, intercessor of the poor, consolation of the sorrowing, feeder of the
hungry, clother of the naked, healer of the ill, salvation of sinners, aid
and defense of all Christians!” Below the clouds upon which she stands is
an inscription commonly found on this icon type, “O all-hymned Mother,
bearer of the holiest of holies Word, accept what we offer now, deliver us
all from every attack, and deliver from the coming torment all those who
cry to you.” Depicted above Mary within a circle of light is the New
Testament Trinity. On the right God the Father, at left God the Son and
between them a dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit. In addition to the
suffering humans, a row of selected saints has been added; most likely
they are meaningful in some way to the person who commissioned the icon.
From the left they are: The Venerable Gregory Decapolites, the Bishop
Saint Theodore, Saint Sergiy Radonezhskiy and Saint Valam Wonderworker of
Vagnv. An interesting feature of this icon is the addition of the Kazan
Mother of God image found in the upper left corner. The ornately decorated
kovcheg (inner border) combined with the highly stylized, clouds, hills
and pallet would suggest that this icon was produced in the village of
Palekh. Along the top border inscribed in Old Church Slavonic is the title
for this icon. It reads “Image of the Most Holy Mother of God Joy to All
Who Suffer.”
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29-Russian Icon
Saint Michael Arkhistrategos
Circa 1800
Oil on wood panel, 13.75" x 11"
James and Tatiana Jackson Collection
he angels, also called “Bodiless Powers,” are frequently found in icons as
secondary figures, but some have their own types. Michael (Mikhail -
Russian) is the great heavenly soldier, the chief captain of the hosts of
Heaven who fights against the powers of evil. He is adorned with the
acoutrements of a soldier, armor and shield. He may bear a trident, a
lance, a staff, or as in this example, a sword. He is looked on as a
special guardian of the sick and of soldiers. Iconographically, this
example shows no signs whatsoever of the traditional Russian depiction of
Michael. The influence is obviously Italian. The naïve quality suggests a
provincial painter probably from the southwestern regions of Russia
(Ukraine). This heavy Western influence seen in icons from along the
Southwest borders of Russia is due to the geographical proximity to
Western Europe, where access to Western imagery was easily available. |
