Name: icon “Virgin Hodegetria”
Author: Ivan Rutkovych (?)
Date: 1685
Country: Ukraine
Technique/material: tempera and silver gilt on panel
The icon is part of the iconostasis exhibited in the museum "Stara Skvaryava iconostasis of the XVI-XVIII centuries"
Description:
A very characteristic feature of Ukrainian iconostases is the inclusion of the icon of the Mother of God in the iconographic type of Hodegetria, where the Child Jesus sits on the left arm of Mary, and she points to him. These icons are typically found in the Sovereign tier. Until the end of the 16th century, usually, the Mother of God was depicted surrounded by prophets (rarely apostles), and this composition was called “The Hodegetria Mother of God with Praise”
Starting from the 17th century, the prophets were no longer depicted or were included in the framing (for example, in the iconostasis of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Rohatyn, 1650, or the iconostasis of Yov Kondzelevych in Bohorodchany (1698-1705)), and only the figure of the Mother of God with the Child was painted. Such an example of iconography is seen in the Sovereign tier of the Stara Skvaryava iconostasis. Mary is depicted half-length, in a blue tunic cuffed on the sleeves, and a large golden edging around her neck. Over the tunic, she wears a crimson maphorion (a large scarf or veil worn by women in antiquity) with a golden trim along the edge and fringed near the shoulder. Golden stars symbolizing Mary’s virginity before, during, and after the birth of Jesus are depicted on her shoulders and above her forehead. The reverse side of the maphorion is green.
The Child Jesus solemnly sits on the left arm of Mary as if on a throne. His right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing, and His left hand is shown in front of his lap (usually in iconography, Christ’s left hand holds a folded or occasionally an unfolded scroll with Holy Scripture, a closed or open book of Holy Scripture, or a sphere (Apple or Orb - a golden sphere with a cross, a symbol of authority)). Christ is depicted wearing a white chiton and a golden himation. The glance of Mary and Jesus are directed towards the viewer. Both have halos around their heads. Christ’s halo is traditionally cruciform, with inscribed letters that translate from Greek as “The Existing One”, one of the names of God. The background of the icon is richly adorned with carved ornamentation in ivory and silvered with imitation gold.
The description was prepared by Roman Zilinko, art historian, icon painter