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Portable Triptych Icon: Adoration of the Miracle-Working Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God

Unknown

1604

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Baroque Byzantine icon painting Baroque Religious

Dominant colour

Portable Triptych Icon: Adoration of the Miracle-Working Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God is a 1604 unspecified by Unknown, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1604 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a small, foldable panel with three scenes: a holy image of Mary and baby Jesus in the center, surrounded by people kneeling in prayer. This painting was made for someone’s pocket or bag—easy to carry and open for private prayer. It shows the Vladimir Mother of God, a sacred image believed to protect Moscow. The tiny size and hinged design let the owner keep their faith close, even on the move. Look up 17th century to see more of these portable devotional objects.

The story of this work

Overview

This is part of a triptych icon and was probably commissioned by a lay person for private prayer and meditation. It could be folded and shut when not in use. The scene represented is the Adoration of the Miracle-Working Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. Small portable icons such as this were common to later Russian religious practice.

Read the full account in the museum source.