Our Lady of Bogolyubovo

Iconography:  Our Lady of Bogolyubovo

Date: XIX century. 1820-30s

Iconographic school/art center:  The Palekh iconographic school

Origin: From the Church of the Elevation of the Cross, Palekh.

Material: Wood, levkas, tempera, gold

Dimensions:  height 53,5 cm, width 41,5 cm

This icon is a copy of the medieval wonderworking icon. The Mother of God is shown standing in front of a monastery; she is rendered with detailed precision, which is very rare for the Palekh iconography. In the upper field of the icon is the Deesis. To either side of Her are the saints: the venerable John the Patriarch of Constantinople; John the Baptist with his decapitated head; the holy martyress Tatiana. At the right, from top downward: the holy martyr Timopheus the bishop of Prussia; the holy martyress Irina, the holy martyress Eudokia.

At the left upper field is the golden inscription against a red background reading: “A genuine copied image of the wonderworking icon of the Most Holy Mother of God Bogolyubskaya”; at the upper center is the inscription in black paint against a white background reading: «Сем образом явися Пресвятая Богородица святому и великому князю Андрею Георгиевичу в лето 6666 июня в 18 день. На том самом месте где теперь видим есть основанная им благоверным князем Андреем Георгиевичем боголюбским белокаменная церковь Рорждества Пресвятой Богородицы… Боголюбовом монастыре начало… именование». “Through this icon the Most Holy Mother of God appeared to saint and the grand prince Andrey Georgievich in the summer of 6666 on the 18th day of June. At this very place that we can see now is the white stone church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God erected by the Blessed Prince Andrey Georgievich Bogolyubski. [The Church] gave its name to the Bogolyubov Monastery”


Registration number ГМПИ 1668\313. ДИ-165-И. © The State Museum of Palekh Art


Bibliography:

1. Палехская школа 1923-1950. Лаковые миниатюры иконописцев. Мюнхен, 2011. № 4. С. 38.

  • General view