The Mother of God Odigitria, The Mother of God Odigitria of Smolensk

The image of the Mother of God Odigitria of Smolensk is a popular and venerated image found both in temples and at homes. The faces of this type of icon were often decorated with rich metal covers, usually silver, made by well-known goldsmiths and confirmed by name by municipal or state assayers specifying the composition and value of the metal used. Goldsmith marks are an important clue for researchers to facilitate dating and determine the origin of a product. The cover of the exhibited icon features an inverted shield with the coat of arms of Moscow (armoured St. George on horseback) with the number “1835” indicating the year of the assay service. Another rectangular signature belongs to the master assayer who examined and certified the composition of the metal used” “Н∙Д 1835”. He was Dubrovin Nikolai Lukikh [Дубровин Николай Лукич] who worked in Moscow from 1822 to 1855. The separate stamped number “84” indicates the quality of silver used to make the product. The icon covers often bear also the maker’s signature, here it is “Е.А”. This was Antipiev Igor Antipov [Антипьев Егор Антипов], Moscow goldsmith operating between 1796 and 1842. In 19th-century Russia, additional decorations were sometimes placed on icons besides metal covers. They included various types of appliqués. In the exhibited picture, it is pearl, turquoise and crystal (?) embroidery on canvas, a veritable jewellery-embroidery masterpiece. Ornaments of this type were placed on the face of the icon under a metal cover.  

Teresa Bagińska-Żurawska https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9243-3967