0502 The Presentation of The Virgin

Greek.
1775-1800. 36x27x3.5 cms

Details of “The Presentation of the Virgin” can be found in the Apocrypha. Anne, Mary’s mother was too old to have children. She and her husband, Joachim, in their anxiety to have offspring vowed that should they be graced with a child, the child would be given to the Temple for service. A child, Mary, was born and the icon’s scene records the event. At 12, watched by Her mother and father, with a child’s physique but an adult’s face She is presented with other adolescent girls to the Abbot of the monastery where she will serve. In a separate scene in the top left, an Angel feeds Her whilst she remains in the Temple.

The icon, bought on the U. K. market, consists of a single board with two battens firmly affixed with iron nails. The board itself has had worm infestation, now treated. There has been restoration of paint in part of the central scene. The icon has a signature and date. it has been examined by The British Museum who, because of paint loss were able to identify only the month [January] of creation.