Antique Russian icon 32x28 cm Mother of God of Smolensk 19th century

Antique Russian icon 32x27.6 cm Mother of God of Smolensk 19th century.Russian icon of ancient origins, made in Vetka, Russia, in the 19th century. The 32x27.6 cm Smolensk icon is made of wood, covered with a canvas with a layer of levkas, which is in turn covered with gold leaf and hand painted with egg tempera.It is an icon that was used for the first time in 1046 by Emperor Constantine to bless the marriage of his daughter Anna with the Chernigov prince Vsevolod. Later the son born from the marriage brought the holy icon to Smolensk and this was the reason for its present name. The first miracle that occurred after its displacement dates back to 1237 when the citizens of Smolensk, after having prayed to the sacred image, managed to remove Batu Khan from the city after a hard battle. Then in 1812, the icon helped the Russian army to face the invasion of Napoleon.The iconographic type to which the icon refers is that of the Hodegetria. The Virgin is in fact depicted frontally with her head bowed slightly towards the Child, while with her right hand she points to the Son supported by her left hand. The gesture of the Virgin emphasizes the fact that Jesus is not only to be revered as her son, but also to be seen as the right path to follow.The Child is represented with his right hand in a gesture of blessing towards the faithful and his left hand holding the closed parchment, symbol of the word of God which has yet to be disclosed.The heads of the two subjects appear detached from each other, another emblematic detail of the iconographic type.The origin of the subject in question is so ancient that it is thought that the first Hodegetria was created by St. Luke the Evangelist, the first iconographer in history.Craquelure can be seen in the faces of the subjects, a network of small cracks which can only form after at least 80 years from the date on which the icon was painted and which therefore certifies its age.In the upper part of the icon we read the inscription in Greek ''Mother of God''.Alongside the two protagonists are represented two saints with their faces turned towards the centre.The Lady of Smolensk icon is delivered with an expert report, a certificate of originality and an elegant velvet box.