Russian Icon of the Hodegetria of Constantinople
19th century A.D. An icon of Hodegetria with the Virgin wearing a red maphorion embroidered with gold, a dark veil and a dark chiton with double gold embroidery on the cuffs; holding the Child on her left arm and gesturing towards him with the right hand; the Child wearing a yellow brown, gold-woven chiton, holding a scroll in his left hand, while the right one is making the gesture of blessing; the angels Michael and Gabriel to the left and right of the Virgin; on each side of the head of the Virgin inscriptions '??' and '??' (????? (???) ???? = Mother of God), inscription in Greek letters 'IC XC' (IHCOYC XPICTOC = Jesus Christ) above the child, three letters inside the nimbus of Christ representing the continuous divine self-existence of Christ as God ('O ?N' = The Only One who always exists); the names of the angles inscribed next to each figure (Aghios Michail and Aghios Gavriil). Cf. Lidov, A., 'The flying Hodegetria the miraculous icon as bearer of sacred space' in Thunø, E., Wolf, G. (eds.), The miraculous image in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Papers from a conference held at the Accademia di Danimarca in collaboration with the Bibliotheca Hertziana (Max-Planck-Institut für Kunstgeschichte), Rome, 31 May - 2 June 2003, Rome 2004, pp. 273-304 (Analecta Romana Instituti Danici : Supplementum ; 35), fig.10, for a photo of the original icon. 869 grams, 29.8 x 24 cm (11 3/4 x 9 1/2 in.). Property of a London lady, part of her family's collection. The painting is a copy of the famous replica of the Hodegetria of Constantinople, a Byzantine icon of 14th century, repainted by the icon painter Dionisi in 1482, and today preserved in State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. The original icon was destroyed by the Turks at the capture of Constantinople in 1453. The replica was venerated as an 'original' real Hodegetria in the Ascension Convent in Kremlin, Moscow. The icon led the liturgical processions on June 23, August 26, May 21 and October 22 in which the Patriarchs and the Russian Tsars took part.