The Virgin of Vladimir

http://www. flickr. com/photos/t-a-a/5340663023/    The Virgin of Vladimir Byzantine painting was not realistic in its representations of the divine and super natural. (Online Lectures) The final results were paintings and mosaics that had a blending of some naturalistic elements and abstractions. (Online Lectures) The unifying element was that the works were depictions of the Divine for the Church. (Online Lectures) The Virgin of Vladimir an image depicting a mother and child was given to the Russian ruler by the Byzantine emperor somewhere between 1130 and 1135.
This image later became known as the Virgin of Vladimir which is believed to have been one of St. Luke’s original paintings painted from real life. (Unknown) As of today it is now considered to be the work of a twelfth century Byzantine artist, to date its true creator is still unknown. This icon has come to be considered the most important and most powerful icon in Russia. (Unknown) This is one of the most copied icons over generations. This icon was credited with protecting Russia in several battles. F. S. Kleiner) Because of this, the Virgin of Vladimir was held in close regards by rulers of Russia. (Unknown) Whenever the capital moved, the icon moved as well. It eventually ended up in Moscow in the late fifteenth century. The Virgin, as seen in the example image that I choose, is holding the child in a tender embrace while looking out to the viewer. It has been said that she is acknowledging Christ’s future sacrifice for all of mankind. This image exhibits all of the characteristic Byzantine traits: her straight long nose and small mouth, the golden rays in the infant’s drapery; the decorative sweep of the unbroken contour that encloses the two figures; and the flat silhouette against the golden ground. ”  (F. S. Kleiner)  This work of art is unified. The artist used actual proportions in this painting; the child is proportionally smaller than the mother. The vividness of the hues of yellows and oranges worked well creating a harmonious piece of art.
Overall, I think that this is an interestingly balanced piece of art. Works Cited Kleiner, Fred S. and Mamiya, Christin J. Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: A Concise History of Western Art. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing, 2007. “Byzantine Art. ” Online Lectures: History of Art in Early Civilization ART1020 XD. Web. 3 September 2011. Unknown. Art Through Time: A Global View . unknown unknown unknown. 4 September 2011 ;http://www. learner. org/courses/globalart/work/219/index. html;.