Artwork
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul is a drawing by Gheorghe din Făgăraș. It is held in the collection of the Alba Iulia Orthodox Archdiocese.
About this work
Overview
The panel, titled Maica Domnului cu Pruncul, presents a linear arrangement of four figures. Central to the composition is a woman holding an infant, flanked by two crowned men. The figures are rendered with stark outlines, flat areas of red, blue, and gold, against a muted background that hints at architectural forms and a throne.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure represents the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, a common devotional theme in Eastern Christian art. The accompanying crowned figures are likely saints or patrons, their regal attire underscoring their status and reinforcing the sacred hierarchy surrounding the holy mother and child.
Technique & Style
The work employs tempera on panel with applied gold leaf, evident in the remaining luminous patches. The palette is limited to saturated reds, blues, and gold, while the figures are outlined in dark pigment, creating a two-dimensional effect typical of Byzantine iconography. Surface wear and minor cracking reveal the panel’s age.
History & Provenance
The panel’s provenance is not documented in the supplied data, but its stylistic attributes align it with medieval Eastern Orthodox liturgical objects. The preservation of gold leaf suggests it was valued in a religious setting, likely remaining in a church or monastic collection before entering a museum or archive.
Context
Icons of the Virgin and Child served both devotional and didactic purposes, offering a visual focus for prayer. The inclusion of crowned figures may reflect local patronage or specific theological emphasis, situating the panel within a broader tradition of hierarchical representation in sacred art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gheorghe din Făgăraș made small, delicate religious drawings in ink and pencil. Look closely at the fine lines in "Maica Domnului cu Pruncul," a tender image of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus. Another work,…
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
Maica Domnului cu Pruncul
