AN ICON ’THE PROTECTING VEIL OF THE MOTHER OF GOD’ Vladimir region, late 19th century

tempera, levkas, gold leaf on wood panel 31 x 26 cm Condition: good condition, minor paint and gilding losses. The icon depicts the events of the early tenth century from the life of St Andrew, a Byzantine fool. In the church in the town of Blachernae, a suburb of Constantinople besieged at the time, St. Andrew sees the Mother of God accompanied by the saints, praying together with the people and stretching out her veil over them as a sign of protecting and intercession. St Andrew points the Mother of God to the boy Epiphanius. On the pulpit stands Saint Romanos the Melodist, Byzantine hymnographer and composer, who received his poetic and oratorical gift by the grace of The Mother of God. The Byzantine Emperor Leo and the Empress Zoë are on the left side. The celebration of the Intercession was established in Russia in the middle of the twelfth century by the Vladimir-Suzdal Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky. The icons with this subject expressed the idea of the intercession of the Mother of God for the faithful, her protection and protection from the enemies. The style of the painting and the gold leaf background with imitation of cold enamels in "neo-Byzantine" ornamental style allows to date the icon not earlier than the last quarter of the 19th century.