39 - Virgin Hodegetria - Late 19th century

Virgin Hodegetria - Late 19th century Egg tempera on panel and gold leaf Height x width: 35.5 x 31 cm "She who shows the way," according to Byzantine tradition. The Madonna is depicted from the waist up, her expression serious and her gaze—tinged with melancholy—directed toward the viewer, while her head tilts slightly toward the Infant Jesus, whom she cradles in her left arm. With her right hand, Mary performs the ritual gesture of pointing toward her Son, offering Him to humanity as the path to salvation. The Christ Child is shown standing upright, wearing a greenish-blue tunic and a fully gilded mantle that wraps around His figure down to His legs. With His right hand raised, the Child bestows a blessing, while in His left, He holds a rolled-up parchment—a symbol of the divine Word. The richly decorated gold background features, on the left side, a cartouche with an inscription in Cyrillic characters identifying the figure of Mary; nearby, the traditional sacred monograms—placed close to the halos—serve to identify the divine figures. H.E. Most Rev. Francisco-Javier Lozano Sebastián, Titular Archbishop of Penafiel and Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus. Item condition rating: **** good. The lot is in good condition, with normal wear and defects commensurate with its age and use over time. Minor paint loss.