100 - Mother of God of Smolensk (Smolenskaya) - 20th century

Mother of God of Smolensk (Smolenskaya) - 20th century Egg tempera on panel Height x width: 31 x 25.5 cm This work serves as a solemn and outstanding example of Orthodox sacred painting, faithfully based on the renowned Byzantine and Russian iconographic model of the Mother of God Hodegetria—specifically identified by the inscription in Church Slavonic Cyrillic characters on the left as the Virgin of Smolensk (Smolenskaya). The composition depicts the Virgin Mary in a half-length, majestic, and austere frontal pose, her head tilted slightly toward the Divine Infant. With her right hand raised to her chest, the Virgin performs the traditional gesture of intercession, solemnly pointing to Jesus as the “Way” to humanity’s salvation. The Child is shown seated on His Mother’s left arm in an upright, regal posture that foreshadows His adulthood; with His right hand, He offers a blessing toward the viewer, while in His left, He holds a sealed scroll—a symbol of the Holy Scriptures and the Incarnate Word. The face of the Mother of God, with its elongated and highly spiritualized features—rendered according to strict, traditional stylistic canons—conveys a stern, restrained melancholy, underscored by large brown eyes and firmly set lips. The Virgin wears the classic *maphorion* in a deep brownish-violet hue, finely edged with gold trim and adorned on the shoulders and forehead with traditional eight-pointed golden stars, symbolizing her perpetual virginity. The Child Jesus is dressed in an ochre-gold tunic, over which He wears an orange-toned mantle featuring rich, geometric shading. The two sacred figures, whose heads are encircled by large, relief-engraved circular halos, stand out monumentally against a luminous, entirely gilded background, framed by a broad, dark perimeter border that serves as a solemn architectural setting for the entire sacred depiction. 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 color loss.