Mother of God of Trakai
The Mother of God of Trakai (Russian: Мадонна Тракайская) is a Roman Catholic icon, located in the main altarpiece of the St. Mary Church in Trakai, Lithuania.
| Our Lady of Trakai | |
|---|---|
| Russian: Мадонна Тракайская | |
 | |
| Artist | Unknown |
| Year | 1600 |
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 127.7 cm × 110.3 cm (50.3 in × 43.4 in) |
| Location | St. Mary Church, Trakai |
Analysis
The icon was painted in the middle of the 15th century and partially repainted in the early 17th century. However, according to legend, it was a gift from the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos to Grand Duke Vytautas on the occasion of his baptism.
On 4 September 1718, Pope Clement XI sent Bishop Konstanty Kazimierz Brzostowski for the canonical coronation of the venerated image. It was the second icon of the Virgin crowned with papal crowns on the territory of the Commonwealth.
Stefan Czarniecki, King Jan Kazimierz and Jan III Sobieski prayed before the icon.
Description
The icon depicts the Virgin Mary, with her right hand supporting baby Jesus sitting on her lap, while her left holds a branch with three flowers.
Gothic and Renaissance elements are visible in the icon. It combines old with new iconography, inspired by European art forms.
The icon, which Lithuanian researchers believe is from Belarus, is determined by a bright light color, soft shapes and the specificity of facial features. The depiction of individual traits is so specific, and the sensitivity of the living body texture is so sincere, that the image is more like a portrait than an icon.
Sources
- Гісторыя беларускага мастацтва: У 6 т. Т. 1: Ад старажытных часоў да другой паловы XVI cт. ; [рэд. кал.: С. В. Марцэлеў (гал.рэд.) [і інш.] ; рэд. тома С. В. Марцэлеў, Л. М. Дробаў ; АН БССР, Ін-т мастацтвазнаўства, этнаграфіі і фальклору. — Мінск : Навука і тэхніка, 1987. — 303 с. : iл.
- Przewodnik po sanktuariach maryjnych. Z dawna Polski tyś Królową, Szymanów 1996.
- A. Dylewski, M. Masłowski, B. Piotrowski, J. Swajdo, P. Wójcik: Litwa, Łotwa, Estonia i obwód kaliningradzki. Praktyczny przewodnik. Bielsko-Biała: Pascal, 2008. ISBN 978-83-7513-148-2.