Matthijs

Mother of God, the stone not hewn by man

This icon depicts an exceptionally unusual theme of the Mother of God, usually called ‘Gora Nerukosecnaja’, translated as ‘stone not hewn by man’. The name originates from the text of the prophet Daniel (Dan. 2 verse 31-35) in which he interprets a dream of king Nebuchadnezzar. Church fathers used the image for the incarnation of Christ and the virgin motherhood of Mary. The rock here is shown in front of the Mother of God’s breast. Above the rock spans a rainbow as a symbol of God’s covenant after the Flood with Noah (Gen. 9 verse 8-17).

Size: 34 x 25 cm●

Mother of God, Comforter of the afflicted

A rare depiction of the Mother of Christ with the Christ Child. An unusual feature is that Christ sits on the Mother of God’s left arm, and that she points to Christ as in the iconography of the Mother of God Hodegetria. She is crowned and wearing a pink veil with a blue lining, which the Christ Child touches. Virtually nothing is known about the origin and meaning of this icon.

Size: 26 x 35 cm●

Mother of God Glykophilousa (Vsysgranie)

The Mother of God holds her head slightly bowed and has the Christ child on her right hand. The Jesus Child is looking at the Mother of God, has a closed scroll in his right hand and holds his Mother’s chin with the left hand.The depiction is often shown in reverse. The Greek word glykophilousa means ‘gently loving, sweetly kissing: ‘vsysgranie in Russian means ‘playing with the child’.

Size: 27 x 35 cm.●

Joachim and Anna

The Golden Gate in Jerusalem was a meeting place for Anna and Joachim. This icon is also called ‘The tender meeting’; the name ‘The conception of Mary’ was sometimes used.

Size: 20 x 24 cm.●

Guardian angel (Michael)

A favourite icon in Russia since the 17th century, especially among the Old Believers. In his right hand the cross of blessing and in his left hand the sword (symbol of protection).
As an independent pictorial motif the depiction first finds its way to the Christian East in the late middle ages.
Psalm 91 verse 11 says: ‘For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.’

Size: 50 x 24 cm.●

The Resurrection

The original icon was kept in the Byzantine museum in Corfu Town (Kerkyra).
Christ is raising Joseph from Hades on his arm; Mary, the kings of Israel and John the Baptist look on. On Anastasis icons devils are often depicted as small, black human beings with wings and hair standing on end, being punished by an angel in Hades.

Size: 28 x 34 cm. ●

Mother of God Dumilenije

This icon is originally from a Serbian painter, has no playful details and the Mother of God looks sterner. The icon was painted at the time of King Dusan, who was a son of Stefan Decanski. He had the church of the Decani monastery built as a mausoleum for himself. The famous monastery church is rich in frescos and has a complete iconostasis.

Size: 36 x 28 cm. ●

Mother of God of the Burning Bush

The theme of this icon comes from Exodus 3, in which God orders Moses to lead his people out of Egypt to freedom. Each image and each text has an eschatological character, pointing to the things of the future, of eternity.

Size: 37 x 45 cm●

Jerusalimskaya Mother of God

The ancient icon which is said to be the work of the evangelist Luke was taken in 455 from Jerusalem to Constantinople, and from there to Kiev. Prince Vladimir presented it to the inhabitants of Novgorod when they became Christians. After Ivan the Terrible had subdued Novgorod, he took the icon with him to Moscow as booty in 1571.
Size: 27 x 34 cm●

Mother of God with Child

This type of icon is usually called ‘Madre della Conzolazione’, Mother of the Consolation, and perhaps derives from the Byzantine Hodigitria type (though the Child is sitting on the Mother’s right arm). The icon could be from the Cretan-Venetian school. This depiction is very widespread in East and West.

Size: 27 x 31 cm ●