Artwork

Icoana este pictată pe sticlă. Imaginea o înfatișează pe Maica Domnului cu Iisus în brațe, cu doi îngeri de o parte și alta printre flori, cu excepția părții de jos. Pe părțile laterale se află un chenar de flori și frunze. Cromatica: fond: albastru deschis; alb; maro; negru; verde; galben.

Icoana este pictată pe sticlă. Imaginea o înfatișează pe Maica Domnului cu Iisus în brațe, cu doi îngeri de o parte și alta printre flori, cu excepția părții de jos. Pe părțile laterale se află un chenar de flori și frunze. Cromatica: fond: albastru deschis; alb; maro; negru; verde; galben. is a print by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the ASTRA National Museum Complex. The work is a painted glass panel depicting a mother figure cradling a child, flanked by two winged beings amid stylized floral motifs.

About this work

Overview

The work is a painted glass panel depicting a mother figure cradling a child, flanked by two winged beings amid stylized floral motifs. The composition is set against a uniform light‑blue background and is framed on the sides by a decorative border of flowers and leaves. Bright hues—white, brown, black, green, and yellow—accentuate the figures, giving the surface a luminous quality.

Subject & Meaning

The central figures are identified as the Virgin Mother and the infant Jesus, indicated by the inscription “MAICA” and the presence of halos. The accompanying angels, positioned on either side, reinforce the devotional theme, while the surrounding flora suggests a heavenly garden, a common symbolic setting for Marian iconography in Eastern European religious art.

Technique & Style

Executed on glass, the painting employs opaque pigments that adhere to the smooth surface, allowing the colors to appear radiant as light passes through.

Executed on glass, the painting employs opaque pigments that adhere to the smooth surface, allowing the colors to appear radiant as light passes through. The style is characterized by flat areas of color, bold outlines, and a lack of modeling, reflecting a folk‑art aesthetic rather than academic realism. The use of vivid primary tones and simplified forms enhances the visual impact on a liturgical setting.

History & Provenance

The panel originates from a Romanian tradition of glass painting used in churches and private devotional contexts. While the precise date and creator are not documented, such works were commonly produced from the 18th to early 20th centuries for use as portable icons or altar pieces, often commissioned by local parishioners.

Context

Glass icons like this one served both liturgical and instructional purposes, providing a durable, luminous image for worshippers. The integration of floral borders aligns with broader Eastern Orthodox iconographic conventions, where nature motifs symbolize paradise and divine abundance.