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Artist
Russian Icon
Title
Georgian Mother of God
Date
17th Century
Culture
Russian
Medium
Tempera on wood panel
Dimensions
131.1 x 106.7 cm (51-5/8 x 42 in.)
Accession Number
1963:004
Credit Line
Georgian Mother of God, 17th century, Moscow School, tempera on wood panel, 131.1 x 106.7 cm (51-5/8 x 42 in.), Putnam Foundation, Timken Museum of Art.
Full view of Georgian Mother of God
Description
The Virgin is always known in an icon context as the Mother of God. By tradition, a large icon of the Mother of God and the Christ Child is placed on the first register of the iconostatis, to the left of the Royal Gates. The Mother of God is depicted in the traditional pose of the Hodigitria, Greek for "pointer of the way." Here, the Virgin gestures with her right hand to the Christ Child as being "the Way, the Truth, and the Life." The letters on either side of the Virgin's head mean "Mary, Mother of God." and the letters above Christ's halo, IC SC, stand for Jesus Christ.

Related Information / Media

Provenance

A la Vieille Russie, New York; Amy Putnam, San Diego, 1956; Acquired by the Putnam Foundation, 1963

Note

This record has been reviewed by Timken Museum of Art staff and may be incomplete or contain errors. Our records are constantly revised. Inquiries about provenance are advised to contact the Director of Curatorial Affairs:curator@timkenmuseum.org.