Artwork
The Congregation of the Mother of God
The Congregation of the Mother of God is a tempera painting. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created as a tempera painting on panel around the year 1600 by an anonymous Russian artist, the piece belongs to the genre of religious art.
The work depicts a religious scene featuring the Virgin Mary, Christ, and various saints alongside other male figures. Created as a tempera painting on panel around the year 1600 by an anonymous Russian artist, the piece belongs to the genre of religious art. The composition centers on the holy figures, presenting a gathering that aligns with the title's reference to a congregation.
While the specific narrative action is not detailed in the available records, the inclusion of Christ and Mary alongside saints establishes the image's function as a devotional object illustrating sacred hierarchy and community within the Orthodox tradition.
Technique & Style
The Congregation of the Mother of God is a tempera painting on a wooden panel measuring roughly 35.9 × 31.1 cm, created in 1600 by an anonymous Russian artist. The work belongs to the religious genre and depicts a saint together with Christ, a male figure, and the Virgin Mary in a composition typical of early‑17th‑century Russian iconography. Executed in tempera, the surface relies on the matte, layered application characteristic of the medium, and the panel support was a common choice for devotional images of the period.
The painting’s formal qualities include a hierarchical arrangement of figures, restrained color modulation, and an emphasis on iconographic clarity rather than naturalistic rendering.
History & Provenance
The Congregation of the Mother of God is an anonymous Russian painting created circa 1600. Executed in tempera on a wooden panel, the work measures 35.9 centimeters in height and 31.1 centimeters in width. The piece depicts religious figures, including the Virgin Mary, Christ, a saint, and a male figure.
It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held. The artwork is classified within the genre of religious art, reflecting the devotional practices of its time and origin.
The Congregation of the Mother of God is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessioned as 1975.1.130. Painted around 1600 in tempera on panel, the work measures 35.9 cm in height and 31.1 cm in width. The painting has not been recorded as exhibited in major public displays since its acquisition by the museum.
Overview
The painting titled The Congregation of the Mother of God depicts a gathering of individuals beneath a natural stone archway. At the composition's core, a woman cradles a child, encircled by other figures who are either standing or kneeling. This tempera work, now visibly aged, presents a devotional scene, likely central to religious practice or instruction. Its current state reveals muted tones, characteristic of its age and material.
Artist & collection
- Pääsiäinen ja kirkkovuoden juhlia, venäläinen ikoni
Compoziție complexă, (13 scene), centrată pe scena Învierii. Scena ridicării din mormânt a Mântuitorului, într-o mandorlă, lângă piatra mormântului, îngerul în veșminte albe, în fața pietri de mormânt probabil un soldat. În celelalte casete sunt reprezentate scene din viața lui Iisus Hristos și a Maicii Domnului, cu un număr redus de personaje (3 – 4, maxim 5): „Sfânta Treime”(ospitalitatea lui Avraam), Nașterea Fecioarei Maria”, „Intrarea Maicii Domnului în biserică(Ovidenia), „Buna Vestire”, „Nașterea lui Iisus Hristos”, Întâmpinarea Domnului(Stretenia), „Botezul lui Hristos” „Schimbarea la față” „Intrarea Domnului în Ierusalim”, „Înălțarea Domnului, Adormirea Maicii Domnului, „Înălțarea Sfintei Cruci”. Toate personajele au nimburi trasate cu alb.Desen schematic, trasat cu finețe, ușor dezordonat, ca și inscripțiile. Cromatica specifică, tonuri calde, brun, galben, roșu în contrast cu verde, albastru, negru, valorate de foița de aur. Chenarul lat, roșu(tipul de icoană krasnushka) Stratul pictural prezintă deteriorări, zgârieturi și lacune, deteriorări cromatice. Pictura se remarcă prin finețea execuției miniaturale.
The Resurrection of Christ and the Harrowing of Hell
The Virgin and Child with Saints and Angels
The Resurrection of Christ and the Harrowing of Hell
Coborârea la iad
Die Vermählung der hl. Katharina
Învierea lui Iisus
Nașterea Domnului
Madonna and Child with the Crucifixion
Coronation of Mary (Verso: Ornament with coat of arms)
Înălțarea Domnului
