Context
This icon was created in Constantinople around 1400 CE, around 700 years after a massive theological shifting called the Iconoclasm. The Iconoclasm was a debate about how icons and saints' relics should be venerated, or if they should be venerated at all. The Iconphiles (those who were pro-icon) would eventually come out on top, setting the stage for icons to be used and venerated in Orthodox Christianity even up until today.
Style
This icon was painted with egg tempera with gold leaf in it, on a wood panel surfaced with gesso and linen. The figures I would say are realistic looking, as in being fairly accurately portrayals of what a human looks like, but are still very idealized in their posing and positioning. They're all very still and pious looking, hands outstretched as if waiting to recieve God's mercy. It's similar positioning as the mosaic of Justinian and Constantine that is over the royal portal that we talked about in class, where they have the churches in their hands and are presenting them to Mary and Jesus.
Module connection
Within Orthodox Christianity, there is a strong emphasis on the importance of Mary as the Mother of God, and I think that we really see this as a contributing factor in the importance of the Imperial feminine in Byzantium. As mentioned in lecture, for over a thousand years, the court really revolved around the Empress, rather than the Emperor, even if on paper he was supposed to hold more power. I believe this is because you cannot separate how important this woman (Mary) was to the Byzantine religion and still have any meaningful religion left. And in this culture where the monarchs were so closely entwined with religion, in makes total sense that women would rise to a place of power. (Idk if this makes sense, I'm really tired as I write this and it makes sense in my head)
Subject
This is an icon displaying the triumph of Orthodox Christianity after the Iconoclasm. The middle icon being surrounded in the background is that of the Virgin Mary and the Christ child, with empress Theodora and her son Michael symbolically sat at the right hand of the icon within an icon. Surrounding them are important Orthodox Christian figures, such as the patriarch of Constantinople and saints, some are holding images of even more saintly figures and Christ himself.
Reading connection
The reading from Barber mentions how "the icon not only shows the desire in worship, but it sustains that desire," which I believe can really be seen in how this icon is set up. It was obviously created in a time where most of, if not all, the people within the image had already died, but they are still depicted venerating the images of other saints and Mary/Christ. It could easily be read as a Iconphile-supporting statement: the icons are so dear to these important figures that they are still being venerated while the worshipper is dead.
Wynne Smith - Object Annotation 5
Wynne Smith
Created on October 22, 2025
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Transcript
Context
This icon was created in Constantinople around 1400 CE, around 700 years after a massive theological shifting called the Iconoclasm. The Iconoclasm was a debate about how icons and saints' relics should be venerated, or if they should be venerated at all. The Iconphiles (those who were pro-icon) would eventually come out on top, setting the stage for icons to be used and venerated in Orthodox Christianity even up until today.
Style
This icon was painted with egg tempera with gold leaf in it, on a wood panel surfaced with gesso and linen. The figures I would say are realistic looking, as in being fairly accurately portrayals of what a human looks like, but are still very idealized in their posing and positioning. They're all very still and pious looking, hands outstretched as if waiting to recieve God's mercy. It's similar positioning as the mosaic of Justinian and Constantine that is over the royal portal that we talked about in class, where they have the churches in their hands and are presenting them to Mary and Jesus.
Module connection
Within Orthodox Christianity, there is a strong emphasis on the importance of Mary as the Mother of God, and I think that we really see this as a contributing factor in the importance of the Imperial feminine in Byzantium. As mentioned in lecture, for over a thousand years, the court really revolved around the Empress, rather than the Emperor, even if on paper he was supposed to hold more power. I believe this is because you cannot separate how important this woman (Mary) was to the Byzantine religion and still have any meaningful religion left. And in this culture where the monarchs were so closely entwined with religion, in makes total sense that women would rise to a place of power. (Idk if this makes sense, I'm really tired as I write this and it makes sense in my head)
Subject
This is an icon displaying the triumph of Orthodox Christianity after the Iconoclasm. The middle icon being surrounded in the background is that of the Virgin Mary and the Christ child, with empress Theodora and her son Michael symbolically sat at the right hand of the icon within an icon. Surrounding them are important Orthodox Christian figures, such as the patriarch of Constantinople and saints, some are holding images of even more saintly figures and Christ himself.
Reading connection
The reading from Barber mentions how "the icon not only shows the desire in worship, but it sustains that desire," which I believe can really be seen in how this icon is set up. It was obviously created in a time where most of, if not all, the people within the image had already died, but they are still depicted venerating the images of other saints and Mary/Christ. It could easily be read as a Iconphile-supporting statement: the icons are so dear to these important figures that they are still being venerated while the worshipper is dead.