Virgin Hodegetria with Prophets

The icon represents one of the most widespread iconographic types of the Mother of God in the Eastern Christian tradition – the Hodegetria ("She who shows the Way"). The framing along the sides and the bottom of the icon in the form of a prophetic tier expands the theological meaning of the artwork. The central part of the composition is occupied by a half-length depiction of the Virgin Mary holding the Infant Christ on her left arm. The Saint is portrayed in traditional attire – a cherry-red maphorion bordered with a golden trim, under which a blue tunic is visible. The garments of the Mother of God are defined by dark graphical lines of drapery folds. The maphorion features three characteristic stars – on the forehead and shoulders – symbolising the perpetual virginity of the Virgin Mary, embodying her purity in three dimensions of time: before, during, and after the birth of the Saviour. With a gesture of intercession, the right hand of the Mother of God points to the Infant, forming the iconographic type of the Hodegetria – the Guide.
The Infant Christ is depicted with a blessing gesture of his right hand, emphasizing his divine nature. The heads of the Virgin Mary and Jesus are encircled by golden halos that contrast with the rich light-blue background of the icon. In the upper part of the artwork, on either side of the Mother of God, are half-length images of the Archangels Gabriel and Michael. On three sides, the icon is bordered by a frame with separate border scenes (oklad/klemma) containing half-length figures of prophets holding scrolls in their hands. Each figure within the border scenes features abbreviated inscriptions that allow the identification of those depicted. Characteristic of medieval sacred iconography, the space of the icon is symbolic and planar, while the figures possess sharp, expressive outlines and almost immobile, static poses.
The icon had been overpainted; during restoration, five layers of painting were discovered, the latest of which was dated to the 19th century. In the upper part of the icon, a control strip showing the stages of successive removal of the paint layers was left exposed.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery