Embroidering Chakra Images - Energy for Heart ... - Wiehler Gobelin

Icons
“Vessels of divine mercy”
For us westerly thinking people the extent
of reverence that is shown towards icons in
the Orthodox Church is hard to comprehend
and understand. We are too accustomed to
approaching a phenomenon from a mentally
distant position, which elsewhere would
shock and transform the whole person from
the depths of his heart.
Let’s do it the way we are used
to and let’s approach from the
outside!
Icons are in general two-dimensional images
of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and other
saints. The picture can be made in the form of
murals (mostly egg tempera paints), portable
icons, embroidery, enamel-, ivory-, or metalwork.
The artist is restricted to strict rules in his
freedom of composition.
He follows a specifically defined language
of colours and shapes. It is a very traditional
Madonna rejoicing about her Child Article No. 3715-6
Moscow, end 17 th century
image based on originals past down from
ancient times.
These originals follow a certain typology.
That way one distinguishes, for example,
between different messages in the portraits of
the Virgin Mary, depending on her gesture:
The praying Mary
Mary raises her hands in an ancient gesture
of prayer (Orans position) and carries the
Christ child in a large locket at her breast.
His right hand is lifted up in the gesture of
blessing.
Mary showing the way or representing
(Hodegetria)
Here the right hand of the Mother of God
points at the child who is facing the viewer as
the image of a small adult.
The prefiguration of Hodegetria, which all
icons of this expression refer to, is said to
have arisen in an incredible way. It is ascribed
to the Evangelist Luke. When he collapsed
in the middle of his work while painting
this picture, he prayed for help. His prayer
was answered and - so the story goes - the
icon completed itself. See picture: Madonna
rejoicing about her Child
The Maternal or Merciful Mary
In this version mother and child affectionately
nestle cheek to cheek.
The Merciful is very popular for domestic
icons. See picture: Madonna rejoicing about
her Child
The Enthroned Mary
The Virgin Mary sits on a throne facing the
viewer and holds the child on her lap.
See picture: Madonna with Child, Page 6
The strict reglementation in regard to colour,
shape and expression of the icon, which
still commits the artist today, originates from
the deep mystic meaning of the icon, not
from an artist’s sense of style for this kind of
adoration of saints.
Madonna with Three Hands Article No. 3653-0
WIEHLER MAGAZIN – December 2007 PAGe