The Mother of God Hodegetria, Cretan, second half 16th century

the imposing figure of the Virgin depicted half-length dressed in a dark red maphorion, pointing with her right hand in a formal gesture to the Saviour, the Christ Child sitting on his Mother's left arm, wearing a green chiton and an ochre coloured himation, holding a closed scroll in one hand and making a sign of blessing with his other, the Archangels Michael and Gabriel presented half-length in the upper left and in the upper right corner

Some visible wear to the gold background and to the faces. Some retouching to the mantle of the Mother of God, the faces, and especially to the hair of the Christ Child. The right wing of Archangel Micheal partly worn.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A striking feature of the icon is the Virgin's intense gaze, with its indefinable sadness as she ponders Christ's future Passion. The style of the painting is close to the work of the icon painter Michail Damaskenos (1530/35 – 1592/93), who was a major representative of the Cretan school. His icons of the Hodegetria Mother of God show the same expressive quality (compare with the two Hodegetria icons in the Byzantine Museum, Athens, one signed, the other one attributed to Damaskinos).

The Hodegetria, literally 'the Guide' or the 'One who leads the Way', is probably one of the most venerated icons of the Mother of God, occupying a central place in iconography. According to legend, the orginal icon of the Hodegetria Virgin is said to have been painted by Luke the Evangelist. By the mid-fifth century it was enshrined as a palladium at Constantinople, a city which claimed the Virgin as its Divine Protectoress. On the fall of the city in 1453, the miraculous icon vanished and several replicas found their way to Russia. An exact copy was kept in Suzdal and another Paleologuan version in the Moscow Kremlin.