Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan

Icon "Our Lady of Kazan"

Early 20th century

Wood, two end splines, 84-standard silver oklad

Size: 13.5 x 11 cm

Icon "Our Lady of Kazan"

Icon «Our Lady of Kazan»

Bust image of the Mother of God with the infant Jesus Christ on her left arm. The Mother of God is dressed in a tunic and a maphorion. She bows her head in prayer to her Divine Son; her beautiful eyes reflect sorrow and profound maternal grief. The infant Jesus stands frontally, dressed in a chiton and a himation. He gazes at the viewer with a gentle, yet adult-wise look and blesses with his right hand.

The icon is painted in oil on a wooden board with two end splines in an academic manner. The iconography adheres to the church canon. The faces of the Mother of God and Christ are classically drawn, smoothly painted, beautiful, and spiritual.

The icon features a silver, chased, and gilded oklad of fine artistic craftsmanship. The figures are in low relief. The fields of the oklad are frame-shaped. The background is smooth. The clothing is rendered with attention to fabric texture and pattern. The halos are round, with a rhythmic striped pattern. On Jesus's halo, the letters "СОП" (from the Greek word for "He Who Is") are engraved. In the upper part, there are letters of the Mother of God's name: "МР ΘУ". In the central part, there is the inscription "Казанскія Пр. Бц." (Kazan's Most Holy Mother of God).

 "Our Lady of Kazan" is one of the most famous Orthodox icons. Its cult arose in connection with the strengthening of Orthodoxy in the Kazan Khanate. The icon was miraculously found in 1579 by a girl in the ground and moved to the Annunciation Cathedral in Kazan. Subsequently, the icon became famous for many miracles and spread throughout the country in numerous copies. Iconographically, it is a variation of the Theotokos "Hodegetria" (She Who Shows the Way). In Ukraine, miraculous icons of "Our Lady of Kazan" were located in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, in the Trinity Church near St. Sophia Cathedral, and in several cities of the Kharkiv and Chernihiv governorates.

This icon was created by professional masters of icon painting and applied art in the early 20th century (around 1912). It is distinguished by its masterful execution. This exquisite image of the Mother of God inspires the viewer to sincere and heartfelt prayer.

As an example of modern icon painting of the specified period, this image of Our Lady of Kazan has high artistic and collectible value.